Lithuania vs Serbia: Analysis and Prediction – Lithuania and Serbia will play a quarterfinal game at the FIBA World Cup.
Lithuania vs Serbia Odds
Lithuania vs Serbia (1/2): 2.03 / 1.78
Asian Handicap (+2.5 / -2.5): 1.75 / 2.05
Total Over/Under (165.5): 1.7 / 1.83
*Odds are active at the time the article is published
Lithuania Team News
Lituania is likely one of the most pleasant surprises of this FIBA World Cup, alongside Latvia. They’ve won all five of their previous matches, including their recent encounter with the USA national team.
In the absence of many important players, Jonas Valanciunas is indeed the key player for the Lithuania. As we saw in the match against the USA, he established his rhythm right from the start and entered the game with tremendous energy, setting the tone for the beginning of the match. He is the team’s top scorer and rebounder. Alongside him, Rokas Jokubaitis plays a crucial role in orchestrating Lithuania gameplay. One significant quality of this team is the well-distributed playing time and the valuable contributions from almost all bench players. Even 10 players have an average playing time of more than 14 minutes. Lithuania has been shooting exceptionally well from beyond the arc in this tournament, ranking among the top teams in this regard.
Three-point shooting will be crucial in this matchup. Serbia has struggled to defend the three-point shot, while Lithuania has shown strength in that area, with all their players capable of shooting from beyond the arc. The duel between Valanciunas and Nikola Milutinov could indeed be a deciding factor. It’s expected that Lithuania center will bring a lot of energy, as he has done so far, and establish his rhythm from the start. Head coach Kazys Maksvytis doing a fantastic job in guiding the team. On the other hand, there have been concerns about the coaching performance of Serbia head coach, Svetislav Pesic. All of these factors will likely play a role in determining the winner of this matchup.
Serbia Team News
Serbia has played four excellent matches and one very bad. Their defeat against Italy put them in a situation where they had to win against the Dominican Republic to advance to the next stage. They managed to do that without any problems, and now they are set to face the Lithuania in the quarterfinals.
Bogdan Bogdanovic, much like the Serbian national team, has had an outstanding performance in four matches, and that’s where Serbia didn’t face any problems. However, he had a notably poor game against Italy, which immediately resulted in Serbia’s defeat. Nikola Milutinov has been performing at a double-double level, and it’s evident that he thrives in the role of the team’s primary center. The biggest challenge for Serbia is the absence of a traditional playmaker, and this might become more apparent in the quarterfinals. Stefan Jovic is having a very good tournament, but it remains to be seen how he will perform when pressured and when facing aggressive defense from the Lithuanian players.
The biggest problem for Serbia in the quarterfinals will be defending the three-point shot, as we mentioned, Lithuania has been shooting an impressive 46% from beyond the arc in the tournament. Nikola Milutinov will have to give his maximum effort and battle with Valančiūnas as much as possible. Rebounding is a crucial factor, where he will need the assistance of his teammates to prevent Lithuania from getting second or third-chance opportunities, which usually result in punishment. It’s of crucial importance for Serbia what kind of performance Bogdan Bogdanovic will deliver with the Bogdanin good form, Serbia can achieve a lot.
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Lithuania vs Serbia H2H
These two teams have played eight head-to-head matches, and Serbia has won five out of those eight encounters.
Absences and Injuries
Serbia is missing several players, including Nikola Jokic, Vasilije Micic, Vladimir Lucic, Nikola Kalinic, and Nemanja Nedovic. Lithuania is also weakened. Domantas Sabonis, Edgaras Ulanovas, Rokas Giedraitis, and Lukas Lekavicius are not playing for Lithuania in this FIBA World Cup.
Lithuania vs Serbia Prediction
There are very realistic chances that this match, besides determining the FIBA World Cup semifinalist, will also decide who will be the representative of Europe at the Olympic Games. The Lithuanians will be highly motivated to continue their excellent performances and winning streak. So far in the tournament, they have looked better than their rival. Serbia appears powerful against weaker opponents, but when facing a team like Lithuania, problems arise. With Lithuania’s advantages in shooting and depth, it’s believed that they can secure a win.
Considering all these factors, we believe in a Lithuanian win but leave open the possibility of a loss by up to one point.
Tip-off Time: Tuesday 05.09.2023, 10:45 CET
Prediction: Lithuania +1.5
Odds: 1.75
Sportsbook: 22Bet