Latvia vs Lebanon: Analysis and Prediction – Latvia and Lebanon will play first round game on the FIBA World Cup 2023.
Latvia vs Lebanon (1/2): 1.06 / 9
Asian Handicap (-15.5 / +15.5): 1.83 / 1.90
Total Over/Under (164.5): 1.87 / 1.89
*Odds are active at the time the article is published
Latvia Team News
Latvia played six preparation games. They beat Sweden, Georgia, the Dominican Republic, Finland, and Puerto Rico, and lost to Lithuania in the last match before the tournament. In that clash, they experienced a debacle, as the rivals were leading by as much as 61:26 at halftime. Also, Latvia played the first four games in front of home fans, in Riga. That certainly contributed to a better results.
The injured Kristaps Porzingis is not available, so Roland Smits stood out as the most notable in the preparations and will be one of the main players for Latvia at the upcoming World Cup. He will try to transfer the form from the successful EuroLeague season in Zalgiris to the next period. They will be supported by the Bertans brothers, Davis and Dairis, who can do serious damage to any rival if they catch the shooting rhythm.
Latvia came to the tournament with very good momentum, when we consider the qualifications. They won first place in the group with Serbia and ensured first participation in Mundobasket. They are much better than Lebanon in every part of the game. In this match, unlike some previous ones, shooting form should not be decisive. Lebanon has no way to defend Latvia’s inside game either. Therefore, the team led by Luca Banchi is a big favorite in this match.
Lebanon Team News
Lebanon played five friendly games. They beat Iran and Egypt and lost to Ivory Coast, Mexico, and the University of Arizona at the last check. Such results are not bad, taking into account the quality of Lebanon’s squad, which seems to have played to its potential in the previous period.
Wael Arakji is the first name of the team. Last year, he was most responsible for Lebanon winning silver at the FIBA Asia Cup, as he was named the tournament’s most valuable player. He finished the qualifications with an average of 16.8 points, and with 18 points he was the most efficient against Egypt. The second scorer in the same qualification was Amir Saoud, who recovered from injury. Another interesting name is Omari Spellman, a naturalized American and the 30th pick in the 2018 NBA draft. He was also notable against Egypt with 17 points, to be even better against Arizona, and finished the game with 21 points, along with nine rebounds.
Despite some quality, Lebanon was not very lucky. In addition to Latvia, the group includes one of the biggest favorites for a medal, France and Canada, so any victory for the Asian team would be a miracle. The placement at the FIBA World Cup is already a great success for this national team, which will certainly finish the competition after the first stage.
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Latvia vs Lebanon H2H
Latvia and Lebanon have never played each other.
Absences and Injuries
Due to injury, Kristaps Porzingis will not be available for Latvia in the upcoming tournament. Lebanon’s medical team has given the green light for Amir Saoud to play in the first game.
Latvia vs Lebanon – Prediction
Latvia must win this match because, in the next two rounds, a very difficult schedule awaits them. For any thinking about the next phase, there should be no negative surprises here. Latvia has more attacking options, but also a better contact game, which is not at the level of its opponents. It is difficult to expect that Lebanon could make it difficult for the rival’s shooting positions because of this, and the Bertans brothers can’t wait for such situations.
The assumption is that Latvia will find open looks easily. As a consequence of all that, a convincing victory will follow with a higher number of points than the offered handicap.
Tip-off Time: Friday 25.08.2023, 11:15 CET
Prediction: Latvia -15.5
Odds: 1.83
Sportsbook: 22Bet
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