On September 11, Germany and Finland will meet in the EuroBasket semifinals. Here’s a look at the match and the best bets.
Germany
Germany has been impressive throughout the tournament, winning all their group matches comfortably, each by at least 19 points. In the playoffs, they faced Portugal first and won 85-58, pulling ahead significantly only in the last quarter.
Their match against Slovenia was intense. Germany started 11 points behind after the first quarter, but they slowly closed the gap. Despite trailing at the start of the final quarter, they secured a 99-91 victory.
Finland
Finland has surprised many in this tournament. They advanced from the group stage as expected but then stunned everyone by defeating favored Serbia 92-86 in the round of 16. They began with three consecutive wins but suffered losses to Lithuania and Germany, placing them third for the playoffs.
In the quarterfinals, they faced Georgia and won 93-79, marking their best performance in EuroBasket history. Lauri Markkanen of the Utah Jazz leads the team.
Head-to-head
The two teams met earlier in the tournament during the group stage. That match ended with Germany winning 91-61.
Prediction
Germany is the clear favorite in this matchup. Finland will need an extraordinary effort to win. Germany has a well-rounded team, with a strong roster and no reliance on a single star. I predict Germany will win with a -11.5 point handicap.