EuroBasket is approaching its final stages, with the last two games scheduled for September 14. The first match will be for the bronze medal, featuring Greece and Finland.
Greece
Greece was seen as a top contender even before the tournament began, thanks to the presence of NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo from the Milwaukee Bucks, along with two of his brothers. They performed well in the group stage, winning four out of five games, which secured them first place and a direct entry into the playoffs.
In the round of 16, Greece defeated Israel 84-79. They then faced Lithuania in the quarterfinals, winning convincingly with a score of 87-76. However, the semifinal against Turkey was a setback, with Greece losing 68-94, and Giannis had a quieter game than usual, contributing 12 points and 12 rebounds.
Finland
Finland, one of the host countries, had the advantage of home support during the group stage. They finished third, behind Germany and Lithuania, to secure a playoff spot. Few expected them to beat Serbia in the round of 16, but they surprised everyone by winning 92-86. Finland then faced Georgia in the quarterfinals, where they won 93-79.
In the semifinals, they played against Germany again but lost 86-98. Despite this, Finland has already achieved their best result in EuroBasket history, and a bronze medal would be the perfect conclusion. Lauri Markkanen, with his NBA experience, can be a key player for them.
H2H
There isn’t much recent history between the teams, as they last met eight years ago. However, Finland leads the head-to-head record 2-1.
Prediction
Finland is likely to bring more determination and energy to this match, but Greece is seen as a slight favorite due to a stronger roster. Given their recent loss to Turkey, bouncing back won’t be easy for Greece. While this match offers good betting opportunities, I’m going with Finland with a +5.5 points handicap before the game starts.