One more match on the first day. Latvia against Turkey. Probably the most intriguing match of the first day. We are moving with Turkey Peru. Turkey has put together a very likeable team and they will even give Serbia a fight in their group. Larkin does not seem to be in his best form yet, but after good seasons, Osman and Sengun look really good. Bonaventura, who has played a lot due to injuries for the 76ers team, also seems to have improved, so this fantastic 4 should carry the Turks even with Ataman's tactics. They looked quite good in friendly matches. They lost to Lithuania at first, but they had just gathered for a training camp. Then came the loss against Germany by 2 points and 3 consecutive wins against Peru. They are a very solid team with a strong and mobile front line. If Larkin heats up, I believe this team can even compete for a medal.
Latvians are the most overhyped team for me. Now that they will be playing at home and have gathered their best team, a lot is expected from them. But will that put extra pressure on them and cause problems? It's an open question. Yes, they have Porzingis on the team, but his defense is a big hole at the moment, so it will be hard for him against Bonaventura or Sengun. They also have guard Zaigers, who even experienced an injury in a friendly match, so the question is how he will perform for the national team. They can shoot 3-pointers and run, but they are over-talented on the other side of the court. A big plus is their home arena. It should help with the atmosphere, but the question is whether it will be a hindrance in the first game. This is probably the most important match for potentially 2nd place in the group, so both teams should be fully focused.
However, I don't think Latvia's status as the favorite will help them in this match. They have always been used to playing under the underdog banner, and the Turks will triumph here. Their team composition seems more exciting to me and the higher odds are tempting to go with them. Good luck.
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