[1/2 Finals] Spain - Slovenia

[Killer Bob]

All Spanish bigs have, at least, decent foot speed and like running along the court. In Eurobasket 2015, Pau find countless transition points against young bigs such as JV and Gobert. Of course, Spain will do something and never let run&gun game since their backcourt players are smart and talented. I mean that if you try high tempo, Spain has better answer to this than slow and tough game.

I guess it's nothing to be done. Spain has already won the game.

[Oly_fan]

All Spanish bigs have, at least, decent foot speed and like running along the court. In Eurobasket 2015, Pau find countless transition points against young bigs such as JV and Gobert. Of course, Spain will do something and never let run&gun game since their backcourt players are smart and talented. I mean that if you try high tempo, Spain has better answer to this than slow and tough game.

The only way Pau finds transition points now is if he hasn't had enough time to get back in defence and Spain steals the ball.

[Joško Poljak Fan]

The problem with Spain is that most teams they face, consider slowing down and playing half court offense as the way to go, while Slovenia is best suited for pushing up the pace, wild ball. But Spain likes the wild ball and knows how to make it look like it's organised instead of wild.

The key won't be Rubio vs. Dragič, but more within the examples like our guards attacking on Gasol brothers through P&R. Marc can be heavily exploited at it. Defending that classicaly against Dragič is a bummer, defender getting below the screen gives him that very 3 pointers he lives from his whole career, otherwise he would never end up an NBA season with 3FG above 40%, let's be fair. Hernangomez bros would be noticably better at covering those options, but than again, even if great players don't give as much of an offensive edge on the other end. If Spain solves this P&R issue, they win with 99,99%, luckily enough for us, so far none of the teams did.

On the other side, Slovenian def rotation is far from perfect, we collapse often followed by either easy layups with no help stepping out or, with what Spain adores, that enjoyable ball movement for an eventual opened three point shot. We fared pretty well on denying the post game in some games, but than again those were the cases when the opposing guards were far from Rubio or Rodriguez level. While Dragič was occasional exceptional getting through set screens while defending P&R good luck with that when Marc is setting those. Which makes me remember one thing to be gratefull for, thank you God that Reyes retired from NT.
Spain will wear out Dragič, they've got the coaching, experience and the talent to do so noticably better than some other teams did. Luka isn't yet emotionaly stable, if things get going he can have a good game, however I've got a feeling he didn't yet learn how to overcome a bad start and not get provoked by it. He is a talented kid, but some things come mostly with experience. Consistency is definately one of those.

Spain are the clear favourites here, they do seem to switch gear only to the extent that it's enough to win, but that can be a double edge sword when one or two posessions turn the wrong way.


My additional question would be, which teams exactly from groups B, C, D are shineing all that much that group A should be considered the weakest out there? Don't get me wrong, it could very well be, I didn't have the time to watch every 2nd game on the tournament, as I used to. My experience from the past conversations over here for 14 years, is that actualy very few posters have ussualy watched enough games to make a realistic statement about it, but since I know there are always some of them, I am genuinly interested in THEIR opinion.

[Victorious]

People hear Spain and they say favourites. They're not really showing they are in a tier of their own in any of the 3 real games they've played.
The Gasols will get their own in offence surely. They also never leave the paint in defence. Dragic and Doncic can and will shoot off the dribble unlike Sinan Guler and Shroeder, Randolph will be getting open shots all night like Theis and Voigtmann were.

They'd be a really different and much faster team with Llull, Abrines and a healthy Rudy from 2 years ago but they have none of them.

If their opponents will lift their level, so will Spain. They never played at their best against Germany and Turkey. Also, Spain are playing as heavy favorites on every game. This has an impact on their performance.

[Burek]

Serbians think that Doncic is Serbian because his Grandfather was serbian (no Saša Dončič was born in Slovenia), Dragic is somehow Serbian because his father was Serbian, yet born in Slo etc. Kinda like Israel, if you prove one of your ancestors was Jewish you get their citizenship

A couple of years back I remember there were talks of bringing Frank Kaminsky to the Serbian team, as well. Him having someone in his family a Serb not sure who it was, but iirc the then head coach protested against bringing players from overseas, regardless if they have Serbian origin or not.

[Darrell Armstrong]

I wasn't to impress how you defend picks. Gasol brothers have similar problems than Marjanovic, they are just sitting there. If Doncic, Dragic, Randolph and Prepelic will have good night, you will suffer big. If not, who cares, Slovenia hasn't nothing to lose in this one.

Absolutely agree.

[Killer Bob]

About rebounding. Slovenia is second in defensive rbd. and 3rd in total rebounds. Spain is first. It looks a bit strange, but if we know Doncic is 6th rebounder in the Eurobasket, it makes more sense.

[Darrell Armstrong]

My additional question would be, which teams exactly from groups B, C, D are shineing all that much that group A should be considered the weakest out there?

No way group A was weakest. Have you seen group C? Except Spain, no other team would have made it out of group stage if added to any of the other groups.

[fasoulaki]

About rebounding. Slovenia is second in defensive rbd. and 3rd in total rebounds.

who is first?

[Darrell Armstrong]

About rebounding. Slovenia is second in defensive rbd. and 3rd in total rebounds.

Guess who's first?

[fasoulaki]

Guess who's first?

Iceland?

[Obina]

Easy win for Spain, but i hope i am wrong..

[Oly_fan]

If their opponents will lift their level, so will Spain. They never played at their best against Germany and Turkey. Also, Spain are playing as heavy favorites on every game. This has an impact on their performance.

The bold part is just an assumption. I'm talking about what they're showing now. If Pau Gasol scan defend the pnr like a dog as he did at times in 2015, it's a different story. So far he hasn't so that's an exploitable weakness and the name of the team doesn't change it.

[Oly_fan]

Guess who's first?

Who's first if we exclude 3 or 4 of Spain's group games?

[Killer Bob]

Guess who's first?

Spain. I edit later my answer. But my point is Slovenia is not let's say 20th in rebounds. Maybe we have not the best centers, but Doncic is doing pretty good job in this department. Better than any spanish player, if I may add.