QF: Croatia Vs Serbia

[Markoishvili]

Really interesting game. I would give a slight edge, maybe 55-45, to Serbia due to superior depth and more experience in games like this. On the other end Croatia is in better shape, already beating teams like Spain, Italy, Greece, Lithuania and Brazil, while Serbia is still searching for thier high-profile victory this summer.

As i see it, Serbia has the problem with Bojan/Saric combo defensively. Bogdanovic struggled against Lithuania when matched up against a guy of his size/strenght in Maciulis. Serbia has no that type of player. Bogdan is not as big and strong as Bojan, and if you put Kalinic on Bogdanovic, who could bother him with his tenacity and lenght, then there is noone to defend Saric since Bircevic and Macvan are not up to the par defensively. I guess you just hope that Saric has one of those games when he is missing jumpers left and right, and adjust accordingly.

Croatia on the other hand has big problem with Jokic-Raduljica duo. That could really decide the game. Bilan has been the most disappointing member of the Croatian national team, and he has struggled mightly in a friendly game against Raduljica prior to the tournament. Planinic is better defensively, but he is also not quite as big as either of serbian centers.

Two jokers are ofcourse Teodosic and Simon. Both are extremely important to thier teams with thier ability to run pick and roll and get the ball movement going. Croatia is going to try to stop Milos with two solid defenders with lenght in Ukic and Babic, while Serbia is equipeed to tire Simon out with thier assortment of speedy guard defenders.

[SashKX]

They are good, but given that they are close to their prime, they are not that strong. It is a medal candidate team, yet not as dominant such as the old Serbia teams so as to assure gold medals.

Add Boban and Bjelica and you can bet they would be dominant. We're playing with guys like Stimac and Bircevic here, so I'd say we're doing better than expected considering. If we had those two guys, I'd argue that team would be stronger than any we had in the past, seeing how game has developed, and whatever gap we had with USA has gotten smaller. Boban alone would make a massive difference for us at this tournament, especially against USA. Yes they miss a lot of folks too, but they wouldn't make a difference that Boban makes compared to Stimac, or Bjelica to Bircevic.

[Markoishvili]

Add Boban and Bjelica and you can bet they would be dominant. We're playing with guys like Stimac and Bircevic here, so I'd say we're doing better than expected considering. If we had those two guys, I'd argue that team would be stronger than any we had in the past, seeing how game has developed, and whatever gap we had with USA has gotten smaller. Boban alone would make a massive difference for us at this tournament, especially against USA. Yes they miss a lot of folks too, but they wouldn't make a difference that Boban makes compared to Stimac, or Bjelica to Bircevic.

I would take Jokic and Raduljica over Boban any day of the week and twice on sunday. Bjelica is missing big time though.

[Picek]

IMO Croatia is better option than Ltu for us. Only real problem can be Saric because of Bjelica injury and maybe Bojan.

We have huge advantage on PG and escpecially C.

not having Teodosić type of PG in this case could actually work in our favour.
like it did against Lithuania and Brasil.
against Lithuania yesterday and against Brasil before that we played almost half of the game without the real point guard in the game.
Babić, Simon, Bogdanović, Šarić, Planinić/Bilan.
Simon and Šarić can create, first is averaging more then 4 assists per game, Šarić more then 3.
Babić played at point in Cedevita and he is successfully doing it here as well, bringing the ball over and with his quickness punishing slow defences before they set.
he has been really good for us.
and the entire team has been really good at playing like that, without a proper PG in the lineup.
it will definitely be a great game but then again, all four quarterfinals should be.

Same is true for Croatia, although I think the Croats are less likely to be dominant on the long term. .

I do hope you are wrong as I don't see many teams having the prospects like we do.
and they are on a good way from being prospects to becoming great players.
if they put a lot of effort and work.
Ante Toni Žižić was already last year one of the best centers in ABA league.
Ivica Zubac in the Lakers should already in his first season see a lot of minutes on the floor.
Hezonja will mature even more in the years to come.
Bogdanović in his prime years and with 6-7 years more to come, Šarić is here for the next 10-12 years hopefully.
we are like always thin at PG but there are some interesting players who could possibly be good team players.
i'm not even mentioning Bender as I have my doubts about him playing for NT.
Arapović, possibly Slavica, I like how Božić looks etc.
of course, huge question mark is put over our team for the future qualifications considering we have many of them playing in NBA and they will not be available for qualifications.
but this team is supposed to shine in time for Tokyo olympics, and with spaniards on a downfall after Gasol&co retire, and frenchies on a downfall as well with Parker&Diaw retiring, european basketball map could be changed drastically.

reason for my optimism is also in the fact that now finally our basketball legends (Toni, Dino, Stojko etc) are working with players but are also integrated in our basketball federation and I do hope that one of them will become our new basketball federation president in the near future.
that wasn't the case in the last 20 years.
all three of them have worked together with this team, every player has been thankfull for their participation during the preparation for OQT.
that is something we missed.
of course, choosing a right coach will play a huge role in our NT future.
but whoever we chose it should be for the next 4 year period and continuity is something our basketball has missed.
regardless of how it finishes tomorrow the future is bright for us.
and I'm quite sure that on thursday morning around 5:30 (CET) it will be even brighter.

[pohani komarac]

Croatia has more big prospects then Serbia, but it's wrong to predict future of NT's becasue we never know who will reach potential, who will be new "Ilglauskas" and not to mention that talent is not all. I would give 10 primadonna like Tomic for one Planinic

Good thing that core of this team except Simon and Ukic are very young, but after Ukic we have huge gap at PG spot.

Back to present, this team unlike previous look mentally tough and I belive they can beat Serbia

[Straight forward]

With current shape of Croatia I wouldn't be surprised their in semis. On other hand, Serbia is more experienced and could be more steady at the clutch if the game goes down to last seconds. Very interesting match.


I agree with Picek. Croatia's future looks very good. One of those national teams who could really rise, huge upside. It might not happening, but they can be that next great NT. Their prospects are not only talented and highly projected, but also high IQ, every all rounded players - Saric, Bender, Arapovic and the same Hezonja (just that he will need some time to manage his current youthfull stupidity ).

[reamily]

This might be the new Spain-France rivalry in the european basketball as I will see the two to be the frontrunners for the 2021 eurobasket..

[Obina]

This might be the new Spain-France rivalry in the european basketball as I will see the two to be the frontrunners for the 2021 eurobasket..

With Bjelica and Marjanovic we can be frontrunner for next year.

[reamily]

With Bjelica and Marjanovic we can be frontrunner for next year.

I am more keen on your forwards(Zagorac et al.) rather than boban..as they can really make it easy for Jokic..

[Obina]

I am more keen on your forwards(Zagorac et al.) rather than boban..as they can really make it easy for Jokic..

I always prefer more present than future.

We will see development of Jokic, Zagorac, Simanic, Guduric and also Bender, Zubac, Saric, Hezonja in Croatia.

Jokic and Saric are already great players.

[reamily]

I always prefer more present than future.

We will see development of Jokic, Zagorac, Simanic, Guduric and also Bender, Zubac, Saric, Hezonja in Croatia.

Jokic and Saric are already great players.

If we keeping it simple, Saric is the key on how far this team can go as like Bogdanovic(serbian), Hezonja can be a huge plus or a liability..

Its nice to see Serbia in the big stage again, about damn time some talented players in Serbia deserve to be in the NBA (I know NBA is nt the only league but)and earn great money, I think should already forgive what Darko have done

[CHBB]

Playing vs Bilan and Planinic, there is no way we will focus on Bogdanovic as a center of our gameplan. The ball is going inside to establish the presence.

Defensively we are going to focus on stopping Saric, he will be the key guy for them. We are weakest at PF and they are going to use him to attack us, like they did to Jankunas, Kuzminskas and Sabonis. He plays faceup like a guard, so they will focus on that.

I'm not talking about defensive gameplan. I'm talking about the X-Factor for each team. Both players when hot can win a game offensively.

[Italian Pride]

Croatia has better prospects in Europe for the next Olympics cycle and if these young players will grouw up like we expect now they will be the most dangerous team in Tokyo 2020 for U.S.A without doubts!

I think Serbia is slightly better for their deep bench!

Definitely will be a great game

I expect great game for Bogdanovic(the serbian) and Hezonja!

[CHBB]

With current shape of Croatia I wouldn't be surprised their in semis. On other hand, Serbia is more experienced and could be more steady at the clutch if the game goes down to last seconds. Very interesting match.


I agree with Picek. Croatia's future looks very good. One of those national teams who could really rise, huge upside. It might not happening, but they can be that next great NT. Their prospects are not only talented and highly projected, but also high IQ, every all rounded players - Saric, Bender, Arapovic and the same Hezonja (just that he will need some time to manage his current youthfull stupidity ).

I completely agree. I've been saying since 2014 that Croatia has that kind of potential, though back then they didn't have a true big man prospect other than Bender. Serbia too just keeps producing solid NBA prospects year after year.

This might be the new Spain-France rivalry in the european basketball as I will see the two to be the frontrunners for the 2021 eurobasket..

Completely agree. To me only France and maybe Greece can compete with their talent in the future. Well maybe Lithuania too as like Serbia they just continue to produce NBA prospects.

[reamily]

With the win by Serbia on the womens side does show you that the seeding they have is just what they have planned..