Argentina – Serbia (7.5 – 1.1 betsafe).
Both teams were ranked in the Top 10 before the championship started, but Serbia was undoubtedly rated much higher. Although the Serbian team dominated the entire first stage, the loss to Spain somewhat disrupted their plans. Instead of playing against Poland, Serbia not only had to face a stronger opponent but, in case of victory, would have to play against the USA in the semifinals. Many experts and basketball fans predicted that these teams would meet in the final, but it is what it is, and to prove that they were rightly considered the team with the best chances to win the tournament, Serbia will have to overcome the USA barrier sooner or later. All this is in the next stage, but the first challenge for Serbia awaits tomorrow against the Argentine team.
Main Strengths of the Teams
Although these teams sometimes play a similar, fast-paced basketball, the difference is that Serbia does it only when the opportunity arises and mainly against weaker teams, while Argentina tries to exploit their young and fast guards and athletic forwards in every match by rushing into fast breaks.
If Argentina fails to organize a fast break and score easy points in transition, they set up positional attacks that end with shots at the slightest opportunity. Most of the shots are taken by F. Campazzo (Real Madrid), who is undoubtedly the engine of the team. Also, under the basket, the well-known veteran to all basketball fans, L. Scola, is often utilized. Although this veteran is already 39 years old, he still does not refuse to help his team and is far from just a statistician – Scola has an important role in this team and is a significant part of it.
The Serbian team plays a somewhat different, more assured, and dominant style. Having one of the best, if not the best, centers in the championship, who practically no one can stop 1-on-1 under the basket, Serbia moves the ball looking for the best shooting opportunity. Many opportunities are created with pick-and-rolls with B. Bogdanović, who attacks with an incredible 40% accuracy from the 3-point zone. Although nothing worked for the Serbs in the match against Spain, expecting two such games in a row would be very naive.
Key Players
In the Argentine team, the most important roles are played by the tandem of L. Scola and F. Campazzo. Campazzo (13 pts, 7.2 assists) is the engine of the team, spending the most time on the court and creating the entire team's offense. Meanwhile, L. Scola (17.8 pts, 7.4 rebounds) brings calmness, cold-bloodedness, and perfectly utilizes the opportunities created for him. The success of the team in the upcoming match will largely depend on these players, but to win against Serbia, good performances from P. Garino, G. Deck, and N. Laprovittola will also be needed.
In the Serbian team, the undoubtedly most valuable player, who is given the most opportunities and utilizes them perfectly, is B. Bogdanović (20.6 pts, 4.8 assists). The top scorer of the tournament not only attacks the basket excellently but also proves his ability to assist teammates in this championship. It is important for Serbia that N. Jokić gets serious before the toughest battles and does not lose his composure due to one or another referee's whistle, as happened in the match against Spain. It will also be very important for V. Micić and S. Jović to play well in defense, stopping the agile and fast, creative Argentine guards.
Head-to-Head History
The Argentine and Serbian teams have played against each other only 6 times in official matches. The Serbian team won 4, while Argentina won 2 encounters. The last time the teams played against each other was in 2016, when Argentina triumphed in a friendly match with a score of 79-74.
Prediction
The Serbian team is considered the clear favorite by bookmakers, with a mere 1.1 odds for a win in this match. Considering the strengths, top-level experience, and capabilities of both teams, it is perfectly understandable why Serbia's chances in this match are rated so highly. Since Argentina's main weapon is fast breaks and F. Campazzo's individual skill in creating opportunities for teammates, it is likely that this Argentine team will have a very tough game against Serbia. Serbia has an excellent defending guard line, where both Jović and Micić, being fast, athletic, and taller, will make it hard for the Argentine guards in every attack. It is hard to imagine how veteran L. Scola and Eurocup player M. Delia will handle N. Jokić, B. Marjanović, and Milutinov under the basket. It is very likely that Serbia will resolve all matters in the first half of the match and will only finish formalities in the second half. Serbia -12.5 handicap with 1.9 odds is one of the better bets for tomorrow.
