Group A, Gameday 1: Croatia - Israel

[Picek]

Last time these two teams met was two years ago in Spain:
http://www.eurobasket2007.org/en/cid...171-E-3-1.html

Israel won that game with a great effort from Green, Tapiro and Roberts..

Tapiro and Roberts aren't here this time.

in Spain Israel had a momentum and form on their side because of the additional tournament they played in and won..
that got them going..
Croatia wins this time... 8-12 point win..

[wardjdim]

Croatia in double digits imo

[Mindozas]

~ +10 for Croatia

[pohani komarac]

Well let's say we are small paper favorits, but knowing our mentality when we play "paper underdogs" i don't know what to expect and also I must admit I don't know to much about this year israeli team besides some most known their's individuals. I hope deserved slap from Israeli team last EB wasn't worthles and we learned lesion. On paper we look litle bit "taller" and we have slow bigs who mostley lives under the rim. So we must slow down tempo and look for advatage in low post and force them to tight up their D and folowed by nice shooting day from wings that should be like 80% done job in ofensive end. On D I don't know what to expect since like I said I don't know much about Israelis but most of our problems in prep games were defending pick and boxing out on glass cosed by slow and unathletic bigs not named Kasun. Since they are "small" i also expect them to be agressive on ofensive glass and in this two areas we need to be most focused. Our wings should help our bigs and colect rebounds when bigs protecting space. Individual potential missmacth problems we could have at PF where Eliyahu could do great damage to us. Anway most of our players are now to big competitions more expirianced and I belive we will take Israel more seriusly and we will win this one.

Edited: Hope this is better

[Alyosha12]

Well let's say we are small paper favorits but knowing our mentality when we play "paper underdogs" i don't know what to expect and also i must admit i don't know to much about this year israeli team besides some most known their's individuals. hope deserved slap from israeli team last eb wasn't worthles and we learned lesion. on paper we look litle bit "taller" and we have slow bigs who mostley lives under the rim. so we must slow down tempo and look for advatage in low post and force them to tight up their D and folowed by nice shooting day from wings that shoould be like 80% done job in ofensive end. on D i don't know what to expect since like i said i don't know much about israelis but most of our problems in prep games were defending pick and boxing out on glass cosed by slow and unathletic bigs not named kasun. since they are "small" i also expect them to be agressive on ofensive glass and in this two areas we need to be most focused where our wings should help our bigs and colect rebounds when bigs protecting space. individual potential missmacth problems we could have at pf where eliyahu could do great damage to us. anway most of our players are now to big competitions more expirianced and i belive we will take israel more seriusly and we will win this one.

Auch... man did i just smash my face in this giant wall of text...

[pohani komarac]

Auch... man did i just smash my face in this giant wall of text...

did you? why?

[ArkadiosV2]

did you? why?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paragraph

[g.g]

Auch... man did i just smash my face in this giant wall of text...

Me too, by the time I finished< I have forgoten the names of the teams.....must be my old age group
Israel has not have the team this year aginst Croatia....but....I am alaways not sure about the Croatian opening games.

[pohani komarac]

sorry! it was always bothering for me

[Cibos]

I'll take any kind of victory in opening match. +1 if it has to be

[felix_r]

I hope we will play well, like always, when nobody thinks we can win

[GarciaFan]

I hope we will play well, like always, when nobody thinks we can win

Well said last time we defated Serbia and Croatia and lost to Portugal.
I think the game will be close and we will win the end

[MaccabiTA]

lets be honest, croatia is much more talented and way stronger.
BUT as i guess everybody watched few last EBs we got probably the biggest fighting spirit, we never give up and believe it or not we kinda like it better to be the underdog.
the logic answer would be croatia but if i was croatian i wasn't taking that game as an obvious victory, you'll be have to work hard!
anyway i still think we would win (yea it's only because im Israeli )

[De Ridder]

Croatia +10

[Ifthenelseend]

Anything under +15 for Croatia will be surprise for me, anyway my prediction +20 for Croatia

[Markoishvili]

Anticipating close game in the 1st half with Croatia breaking the game open in the 2nd half due to thier superior depth, especially in the frontcourt where Tamir, Eliyahu and Kozikaro will have tough time.

[T.W.Is.M.]

Israel will fight no matter what. But at the end I think Croatia will win it. They r better and deeper as a team and although Israel will cause some problems, I think Croatia will get what they want. I expect a single-digit difference, yet close to 10 points for Croatia.

[phonix]

Croatia earn with 15++ differences

[ArkadiosV2]

I missed Yaniv Green

[ArkadiosV2]

Offensive rebounds killing Israel. Israel 8 DR and Croatia 12 OF!

20 points from 2nd chances...