Second match on the Group B program (Hungary – Bosnia will serve as an aperitif) and already a very big first shock of this EuroBasket 2022 between Slovenia of Luka Doncic and Lithuania of Domantas Sabonis and Jonas Valanciunas. Much more than an appetizer between two big European teams and on which we will keep our eyes wide open. And then it will give an idea of what our Blues will face in the rest of the competition since we recall that the French team is also part of this not at all competitive group.
Luka Doncic, announced by some accredited journalists as the future MVP of the competition, will therefore attack this Euro with his squad in the strong way. It must be said that in “the group of death” that is Pool B, each opponent can make you fall. Anyway, Slovenia are favorites in this meeting but Lithuania, as usual, will not be there to string pearls. Revenge as possible after failing to qualify for the 2021 Olympic Games, Kazys Maksvytis’ team simply achieved a clear round during their preparation: 7-0! Moreover, the Lithuanians will probably remember that sinister summer evening a year ago, when… Slovenia eliminated them from the race in Tokyo, with in particular a Luka Doncic in triple-double.
Slovenia (presented in detail here), guided by its brilliant conductor, will be able to rely on a group full of talents which compensates for its shortcomings in size (only 2 players over 2m03) with outside shooting and fast play. The Slovenian playmaker/fullback/winger/strong winger now has control over the selection and given the level he has shown in recent years, we are entitled to think that NOTHING can stop him. As a global phenomenon, all eyes will be on him as he makes his first official match in this competition.
The strength of Lithuania (presented in detail here), on the other hand, is clearly its interior area. The duo of golgoths known from NBA racquets is more and more able to move away and play wide, and around, an armada of shooters is always present to lend them a hand since we remember that in Lithuania babies know shoot before you can even walk. In particular, we will have an eye on Rokas Jokubaitis and Ignaz Brazdeikis, the Lithuanian next gen who can get dirty at any time (especially the first one, huh). The man to follow in this meeting on the Baltic side will be, without much originality, the double All-Star Domantas Sabonis. A very talented scorer, Domas will be able to do a boo to the Slovenian racquet alongside Valanciunas and we don’t really see how the defense will be able to curb his enthusiasm, except to ask the attack to stick 130 to win the game.
A result that will not be decisive for the rest of the competition, but the winner of the meeting will get on very well and very quickly given the level of this group. Meet at 5:15 p.m. on Canal, clearly because we are lucky ones, for this match which will be played at the Koln Arena, in Cologne, Germany, and the atmosphere will be far from… cold. Average valve but we swear to you that the match will not be.
Source : FIBA