With the second round of the 2019 FIBA World Cup Qualifiers starting on Thursday, Greece and Serbia square off in Heraklion, Crete, in one of European Basketball’s traditional derbies.
The Greeks are undefeated (6-0) and want to beat the Serbians and come one step away from securing their qualification to the 2019 FIBA World Cup. The team’s roster includes the majority of EuroLeague players, while Tyler Dorsey of the Atlanta Hawks will also be available.
Although Giannis Antetokounmpo didn’t join the team eventually, Greece have a talented and deep roster that can beat both Serbia and Georgia and remain on top of Group L.
The Greeks were decimated by France in the last preparation game (84-68), with Nicolas Batum and company exposing the Greek players’ defensive flaws.
However, they are expected to play much better in front of a sold-out crowd on Thursday night, and will rely on Nick Calathes and Giorgos Printezis to make the difference, especially offensively.
On the other hand, Serbia had to deal with many issues during the training camp. Coach Sasa Djordjevic had to wait until the last moment to find out who will be available to play.
Nikola Jokic, Milos Teodosic and Boban Marjanovic will not compete in the 2019 FIBA World Cup Qualifiers. However, Bogdan Bogdanovic and Nemanja Bjelica will be present in the matches against Greece (on Thursday) and Estonia (on Sunday).
The conflict between the EuroLeague, the NBA and FIBA has negatively affected the Serbian national team, yet coach Djordjevic remains optimistic for the upcoming matches.
The 51-year-old coach will depend on Miroslav Raduljica’s post-up game as well as the team’s three-point shooting. The roster consists of versatile players that can make the difference in more than one positions.
Serbia (4-2 record) have to win Greece on the road, otherwise their match against Estonia in Belgrade will be of paramount importance in their effort to advance to the World Cup.
With that in mind, Thursday’s match is expected to be of high quality and intensity, as both teams have great motivation to earn the victory in one of Europe’s traditional rivalries.
