Lithuania vs Estonia: Analysis and Prediction – Lithuania will play at home against Estonia in the EuroBasket Qualifiers Round 6.
Lithuania vs Estonia Odds
Lithuania Team News
Lithuania convincingly defeated Poland 82-48 in the previous game, away, bringing their record to 4-1 in Group H of the European Championship qualifiers. The key contributors to this victory were Eimantas Bendzius with 18 points and Regimantas Miniotas with 14 points. Lithuania has secured its place in the continental championship, and the upcoming match does not have any significant result in that sense.
Considering that they secured their EuroBasket ticket with two rounds to spare, the Lithuanians decided to field a mixed team against Poland and in the upcoming game against Estonia, as there were no EuroLeague players in the squad selected by coach Rimas Kurtinaitis. However, the strongest name on the list was Mindaugas Kuzminskas, a former NBA player whose veteran presence is very valuable to the Baltic team. They proved to be a powerhouse against some of their other opponents, as shown in their previous game against Poland, where they completely dismantled the hosts with a strong defense. Admittedly, Poland also didn’t play with their strongest lineup. The defensive capabilities of Lithuania in that game are clearly evident in the fact that no Polish player scored in double figures, and the hosts scored only 16 points in the second half, with just six in the fourth quarter. It’s hard to imagine a better performance from Lithuania’s national team. Eimantas Bendzius and Regimantas Miniotas have been Lithuania’s best players in the qualifiers so far and demonstrated that once again. Bendzius was particularly impressive, hitting six three-pointers out of nine attempts, while Miniotas caused more damage in the paint. Against such a combination, Poland simply had no answers.
In the upcoming match, Lithuania needs to pay attention to Maik Kotsar, as the former Baskonia player is definitely Estonia’s biggest threat. After their great success in qualifying for EuroBasket, Estonia wants to cap off their excellent story. If Lithuania maintains its recognizable defensive level, there shouldn’t be any issues.
Estonia Team News
In their previous game, Estonia defeated North Macedonia 84-65 on home court, reaching a 4-1 record in the group and securing their spot at EuroBasket, allowing them to approach the next match with a calm mind. The key players in this victory were Maik Kotsar with 16 points and Janari Joesaar with 14 points, which was enough.
Estonia is not a team with a strong basketball tradition, but it is definitely on the rise in recent years, and it’s not by chance that they will be playing in the European Championship this summer. Before the qualifiers began, there was skepticism about the team, with Maik Kotsar and Sander Raieste being the only well-known players, but over time, it became clear that Estonia is much more than just those two. Specifically, Kotsar has been able to receive solid support, primarily from Janari Joesaar, but also from Kristian Kullamae, who are both averaging over 12 points per game, with Kasper Suurorg not far behind at 12. Although they have had several players in good form, their low shooting percentages have been problematic, which led to doubts about their chances to secure a spot against the motivated Macedonians. However, despite not shining from long range with an 8/28 three-point shooting performance, they managed to find a way to outplay their opponent, thanks in part to T.J. Shorts. They achieved this with excellent defense in the second half, and especially in the third quarter, when North Macedonia couldn’t score more than 11 points, which proved to be fatal for them. Shorts and Nenad Dimitrijevic both scored 21 and 20 points, respectively, but with heavy minutes played (both 35 minutes) and somewhat lower shooting percentages, Estonia did a good job against them.
In the upcoming match, Estonia will need to play equally strong defense and also be effective in three-point shooting, as that will be the only way to compete with Lithuania, even though the favored opponent will be fielding a mixed team. Otherwise, it will be much harder for them.
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.
Lithuania vs Estonia H2H
The teams have played each other twice, and the record is 1-1.
Absences and Injuries
Domantas Sabonis, Jonas Valanciunas, Edgaras Ulanovas, Rokas Jokubaitis, Rokas Giedraitis, Arnas Butkevicius, Laurynas Birutis, and other players from the top leagues in the world will not be available for Lithuania, while Estonia should have no absences, though it might be expected that key players will have reduced playing time.
Lithuania vs Estonia Prediction
Lithuania’s granite defense, even against Poland when it didn’t matter for them, guarantees that they will have the same approach and strategy against Estonia. When you add the opponent’s shooting problems to the equation, despite this being a semi-exhibition game, a high-scoring game is not expected. Therefore, the only logical conclusion is that this matchup won’t be very efficient and that there won’t be free-flowing play.
Tip-off Time: Monday, 24.02.2025, 18:30 CET
Prediction: Under 153.5 points
Odds: 1.70
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 2025:
