Georgia vs Latvia: Analysis and Prediction – Georgia will play against Latvia in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament Round 1.
Georgia vs Latvia Odds
Georgia Team News
Last year, Georgia left a solid impression at the FIBA World Cup, but changes followed soon after. Aleksandar Dzikic was appointed as the new head coach, and he started his tenure with two losses in the EuroBasket qualifiers. He will have the chance to improve on this impression in Riga in the coming days.
For over half a decade, Georgia has had a team on paper that is good enough to achieve better results than they have managed so far. Tornike Shengelia has been one of the best power forwards in the EuroLeague for years, and he demonstrated this in the past 12 months, being largely responsible for Virtus’ successes. Sandro Mamukelashvili also poses a significant threat, and Goga Bitadze has developed into an excellent center. This summer, even more responsibility will fall on him since veteran Giorgi Shermadini is absent due to injury. Additionally, Georgia has changed its naturalized player, with Joe Thomasson replacing Thad McFadden. Coach Dzikic will rely heavily on these four players not only in the game against Latvia but throughout the entire qualification tournament.
A hallmark of Dzikic’s teams is their insistence on a very slow pace and strong defense. This is the complete opposite of what Latvia aims for. Georgia will attempt to play through the low post with Shengelia and Bitadze as much as possible, but to pull off a big surprise, they will also need to hit some outside shots.
Latvia Team News
Latvia was one of the biggest sensations at the FIBA World Cup last year. On their way to the quarterfinals, they eliminated teams like France and Spain but fell short against Germany. In 14 months, they will host EuroBasket, and before that, they will try to secure a spot at the Olympic Games.
On their journey to Paris, Latvia will once again be without their superstar Kristaps Porzingis. He was injured during the NBA Finals and will not be able to help Luca Banchi’s team. However, this group of players has shown that they can achieve great results even without him, so they will certainly be full of confidence. They will also have strong support from their fans in Riga and are the clear favorites on paper to win this qualifying tournament. In Porzingis’ absence, the leading figure will again be Davis Bertans. The excellent shooter had a solid season with the Charlotte Hornets and will be the go-to guy in crucial moments. Arturs Zagars has recovered from a serious injury, Rodions Kurucs played an important role in Murcia’s run to the Liga Endesa finals, and they also have Rihards Lomazs and Rolands Smits in the lineup.
Speed and superior three-point shooting will be Latvia’s main advantages in this game. If they manage to increase the tempo, Georgia will find it very hard to keep up and even harder to match their long-range shooting. Additionally, the game being played in Riga means that Latvia effectively has home-court advantage.
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Georgia vs Latvia H2H
Georgia and Latvia last played official games against each other in 2012 during the EuroBasket qualifiers, with Georgia winning both times.
Absences and Injuries
Giorgi Shermadini will not play for Georgia due to injury, while Kristaps Porzingis is absent for Latvia.
Georgia vs Latvia Prediction
Even though Georgia boasts players like Shengelia, Mamukelashvili and Bitadze, it will be difficult for them to mount any significant resistance against Latvia at this moment. If Bertans and his teammates find even decent shooting percentages from three-point range, they can quickly create a substantial lead. Once Latvia pulls ahead by double digits, Georgia will lack the shooting arsenal to come back and complicate matters.
Tip-off Time: Tuesday, 02.07.2024, 18:00 CET
Prediction: Latvia -6.5
Odds: 1.86
Sportsbook: 22Bet
*Odds are active at the time the article is published
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