Well, the first day is wrapped up and we have two teams carrying a lot of momentum into the next game. I'll let others talk about Slovenia. Just allow me to gush over how good this Spain NT is for those who pay attention to little details.
First, the offensive play. Spain is one of the few teams that can field a drive&dish PG (Rubio and Rodríguez) alongside a high-post distributor (Marc and Pau) and rotate them all game long. And then add a tertiary ballhandler (Llull, who today had a couple brilliant assists for Pau) when needed. This combination creates endless possibilities off the pick and roll, and ensures a safe recipient for the ball even against aggressive defences. Combine this core with slashing bigs like Claver or Garuba (who couldn't finish today, but will improve), and outside threats like Abrines, Abalde or Rudy (I know they missed a lot of open threes today, they will eventually make those) who know their spots and never stop moving. All these options doesn't mean we cannot go through scoring droughts, particularly when the coach is trying wild lineups looking to get everyone involved. But when the pieces click Spain can put the pedal to the metal and go on scoring binges. Or slow it down and just get by hustle plays when the game demands it.
But my favourite side of the ball has been defence lately. It's a pity we don't have Juancho here, because the level Claver is playing right now, it would be a pleasure watching them switch both forward positions like they could read each other's mind. Abalde is trying, but it's not the same. Anyway, it's great to see some very complex defensive systems being applied. At this level you can only do that if you have a big commitment from the players. Seeing Pau spending his few minutes on the floor away from the ball, but active in defence is something I wasn't expecting. And if Pau is giving his best effort, no one on this team is going to hold back. If we can achieve the same intensity and consistency we had in 2019, there's no opponent we can't challenge. And it looks like we're getting there, in spite of some players still having a lot to learn (like Garuba).
And last, but not least, the way Scariolo is bringing up the new generation of Spanish players is commendable. He's willing to sacrifice some points of advantage by giving meaningful minutes (not just garbage time) to the youngsters, instead of running the dependable vets to the ground. Letting them play through their mistakes can pay off later when we may need someone to get hot and get our offence out of a hump. And keeping the old horses fresh and injury-free is a nice bonus, too.
Very happy right now.
