Slovenia vs Croatia: Analysis and Prediction – Slovenia and Croatia will play FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament game.
Slovenia vs Croatia Odds
Slovenia Team News
Slovenia made their Olympic debut in 2020, coming within one possession of reaching the finals. They ultimately finished fourth and now approach the qualifying tournament with high ambitions to secure a spot in Paris. In three friendly matches, they achieved two wins and one loss, defeating Brazil and splitting two games against Lithuania.
The most significant news for this team is that Luka Doncic has received the green light from the medical team and is part of the squad. His importance to the team was evident against Brazil when, just ten days after the NBA Finals, he scored 32 points. Aleksander Sekulic’s team is also bolstered this year by a naturalized center. Instead of Mike Tobey, they now have Josh Nebo, who had the best season of his career. Formerly with Maccabi Tel Aviv and now with Milano, Nebo demonstrated his quality against the top centers of the EuroLeague. Klemen Prepelic comes ready to threaten every opponent with his three-point shooting, and it’s crucial to note that captain Edo Muric and NBA player Vlatko Cancar, after several months of injury-related absences, are back to contribute to Slovenia’s ability to compete both offensively and defensively.
Slovenia’s task will be to maintain good three-point shooting and the collaboration between Luka Doncic and Josh Nebo while attempting to neutralize the opposing team’s frontcourt line. Additionally, it’s essential for Doncic to outperform Mario Hezonja on the other side, as the outcome of the game could depend heavily on these two players.
Croatia Team News
Croatia last appeared in the Olympic Games in 2016. They secured a spot in the qualifying tournament in Athens after winning the pre-qualification tournament in Turkey, where they defeated Turkey in the final and remained undefeated throughout the tournament. In friendly matches, they recorded wins against Poland and Brazil before heading to Athens.
One noticeable positive change has been brought by head coach, Josip Sesar, something Mario Hezonja has particularly emphasized. After winning three titles with Real Madrid and losing the EuroLeague final to Panathinaikos, Hezonja arrived highly motivated to lead Croatia. This was best demonstrated against Brazil when he scored 39 points with a field goal of 16/26. This highlights that Hezonja will be the go-to player for most of Croatia’s offensive plays, bearing significant responsibility. Ivica Zubac and Dario Saric bring NBA quality to the paint, and along with Hezonja, they will aim to dominate in the paint at both ends of the court. Jaleen Smith, who had an excellent finish to the season with Partizan, alongside Goran Filipovic, will be primarily responsible for organizing the offense and can also pose significant defensive challenges for any opponent.
Croatia plays an offensively oriented style of basketball, possessing impressive individual quality and a plethora of attacking options. However, if they wish to defeat Slovenia, this alone will not be enough. They must find a way to prevent Luka Doncic from getting into his rhythm, and it seems that their best chance to make a significant impact will be in the paint when Josh Nebo is off the court.
Every day, “Basketball Sphere” provides all its readers with the best predictions for today’s games.
If you are reading our analysis for the first time, then it is important to mention that every day we also offer to our readers a “Acca of the Day” completely free.
Slovenia vs Croatia H2H
Slovenia is on a streak of five consecutive wins against Croatia. Their last game was in 2022, a friendly game where Slovenia triumphed with a score of 94:88.
Absences and Injuries
Mike Tobey will not play for Slovenia, and Josh Nebo has replaced him as the naturalized player. Jaka Blazic will also not play, having withdrawn from the national team due to injuries. For Croatia, Luka Bozic and Bojan Bogdanovic are not part of the team, nor are Karlo Matkovic, Luka Samanic, and Ante Zizic.
Slovenia vs Croatia Prediction
Tip-off Time: Tuesday, 02.07.2024, 20:00 CET
Prediction: Over 168.5 points
Odds: 1.78
Sportsbook: 22Bet
*Odds are active at the time the article is published
We found the best odds for this game at the popular 22Bet sportsbook. You will get an attractive Welcome Bonus for all newly registered customers if you register today.
Top Betting Offers 2024: