Spain vs Serbia (4.9 x 1.18, betsafe)
Both teams were ranked 2nd and 4th respectively before the championship began. As the championship started and gained momentum, more and more experts are considering the Serbian team as the favorite to win the entire championship, while the Spanish team, which has not shown its best form so far, is falling in the rankings. Of course, rankings are subjective and cannot be relied upon alone, but while the Spanish team struggles against teams of similar level, the Serbian team is breaking records and crushing everyone in its path. In any case, in matches of this level, it is very important which team will enter the match better prepared and better execute the pre-game plan.
Value of Victory
The first two teams of Group J will face the teams of Group I in the quarterfinals. Both Serbia and Spain have already secured their tickets to the quarterfinals, and this match will determine which team will take 1st place in the group and get a relatively weaker opponent in the next stage. Earlier, there will be a match between Argentina and Poland, which will determine the final positions of Group I. It is very likely that the winner of the Serbia-Spain match will face Poland in the quarterfinals, while the loser will face Argentina. The winner of Group L would also avoid the USA in the semifinals and theoretically meet this team only in the championship final, so the value of victory is indeed high.
Team Leaders
The most valuable players in the Spanish team are: J. Hernangomez (12 pts, 6.8 reb), R. Rubio (13.5 pts, 5 ast), and M. Gasol (11.8 pts, 5.8 reb).
The most valuable players in the Serbian team are: N. Jokic (13.5 pts, 7 reb), B. Bogdanovic (19.3 pts, 4.5 ast), N. Bjelica (14.3 pts, 5.3 reb).
Previous Match Results
The Spanish team defeated Tunisia 101-62 in the group stage (R. Rubio 17 pts, 9 ast), beat Puerto Rico 73-63 (M. Gasol 19 pts), and overcame Iran 73-65 after a tough fight (M. Gasol 16 pts). The Spaniards started the second stage with a victory in a low-scoring match, defeating Italy 67-60 (J. Hernangomez 16 pts).
The Serbian team had no equals in the group stage and crushed all opponents: Angola was defeated 105-59 (B. Bogdanovic 24 pts), the Philippines 126-67 (N. Bjelica 20 pts), and Italy 92-77 (B. Bogdanovic 31 pts). In the second stage, Puerto Rico was crushed 90-47 (N. Bjelica 18 pts).
Prediction
It is easy to notice that the Spanish team struggled even against much weaker opponents in the first stage, for example, in the match against Iran, at one point in the 4th quarter, it was possible to bet on a Spanish victory with a coefficient of 2.1. Although the assembled squad is certainly not bad, most of the players are well-known to every basketball fan and play in good European/NBA clubs. Unlike Spain, the Serbian team dominates against weaker opponents, leaving absolutely no chance to even think about the possibility of winning. The only match where the Serbs had to sweat a bit was against Italy. In the 3rd quarter, the Italians managed to catch up with the Serbs to a 2-point deficit, but then after a spurt initiated by B. Bogdanovic, the Serbs pulled ahead irreversibly. The Italians showed that it is possible to fight against Serbia, but it needs to be done to the end. Currently, there is a +10 points line for Spain with a coefficient of 1.9, and this bet is worth attention. The Spanish team is experienced and talented enough to pose the first serious challenge to Serbia, and tomorrow we should see a much more competitive fight than many expect.
