I sneaked in to see what's with Puerto Rico and I definitely put them into the same tier with Italy and to certain extent it may even turn out to be more dangerous. In WC they beat DOM REP in the same fashion as Italy, they beat China, but lost to Serbia and Italy. However, they been lacking their best player, PG
Jose Alvarado. Pelicans didn't let him play in NT because of stress reaction in his tibia which forced him to miss the end of the season. He has a role with Pelicans and last season he was playing solid 21,5mpg, 9ppg, 3as. He dropped 38pts in one NBA game. Only 25yo, growing player, was cooking 21,5ppg for PR in FIBA Window. Another NBA player yet to play for PR NT is 21yo youngster
Julian Strawther. 3 weeks ago he dropped 21pts for the Nuggets. He's a swingman, can play as a big SG who can shoot and drive. Both didn't play in WC and likely to suit up for Olympic qualifying tournament I think.
Looking at WC 2023, they had true leader
Tremont WATERS who has been at the end of the NBA teams benches for some years and now playing China. He was dropping 20pts, 9as and 21eff in WC which is huge. Also only 25yo. Another strong guard was
Jordan HOWARD, 11,4ppg in WC, but he's coming to his prime at 27 and putting 14ppg in ACB this season.
So these 4 guards, specially Alvarado, Strawther, Waters are real ballers, NBA material generally speaking. All are young and becoming better which makes them even more dangerous. They also have a good young forward, 23yo George Conditt IV, who had 15,8eff in WC 2023. He plays in the G League.
They don't have impressive bigs, their best one is Ismael Romero who plays in Local PR league, but was solid in WC. However, PR was a good rebounding team in WC, standing at 10-11 spots.
Scoring wise PR was just behind LTU in WC (here have to said Lithuania choked in some games, as the one against Latvia). They turn the ball over quite a bit, and not the best facilitating team. Their problem probably are usual - lack of discipline and probably more balance between interior and perimeter game.
Nevertheless young, growing, talented team which can really hurt you if those guards will start cooking. I;m looking forward if those 3 NBA level guards are suiting up. I think we can beat them being a better, and much more disciplined and experienced, but it's not gonna be easy.
PS: Both Alvarado and Waters are super crafty midgets. Maksvytis has to pack at least one from D. Giedraitis/Marciulionis to Puerto Rico, otherwise these guards will make Maksvytis look silly just as Serbian guards did. Against those, you have to throw some-one like Giedraitis out there. Butkevicius/Dimsa stand no chance in that category, I don't even speak about slow ass Normantas. Maybe Maksvytis will throw Lekavicius, that's better against such type, but Lekavicius is not at the level of Giedraitis/Marciulionis defensively.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tD5TO2AxmUk&ab_channel=NBA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMrXsuw1jyA&ab_channel=FIBA-TheBasketballChannel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4Ia_0dCEys&ab_channel=FIBA-TheBasketballChannel