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Latvia will take on Lithuania in the final preparation game for both teams just three days before the start of the FIBA World Cup 2023.
Both teams have already travelled to Asia as they wrap up their preparation for the major FIBA tournament.
Latvia rallied to an 84-72 victory over Puerto Rico on Sunday, which helped them stay undefeated in preparation games so far. They will look to end their training camp in the best way possible, as they are preparing for their first FIBA World Cup appearance.
On the other hand, Lithuania defeated Puerto Rico as well on Saturday (80-93), with NBA star big man Jonas Valanciunas leading the way with 20 points. The Lithuanians have lost only twice in the 10 preparation games they have played so far and will seek another win before travelling to Manila, Philippines for the group stage.
Latvia vs Lithuania game details
Date: August 22, 2023
Time: 7:00 AM ET (7:00 PM local time)
Venue: Chinese Taipei
Latvia is dealing with the absence of superstar big man Kristaps Porzingis. The newly-acquired Boston Celtics power forward will skip the tournament as he is dealing with plantar fasciitis in his right foot. The injury will keep him out for the next four to six weeks and certainly limits Latvia's ceiling in the tournament.
With Porzingis out, we expect the Bertans brothers, Dairis and Davis, to take over while Arturs and Rodions Kurucs will also have a key role in the lineup.
Meanwhile, Lithuania saw a lot of key players skip the tournament, but still managed to put together a talented squad. They will now seek to make up for a disappointing FIBA EuroBasket campaign last September, where they failed to reach the Top-8.
With Sacramento Kings superstar Domantas Sabonis out, Jonas Valanciunas is the one that has taken over, while EuroLeague stars Ignas Brazdeikis, Rokas Jokubaitis and Donatas Motiejunas will act as the supporting cast.
We should expect a close game, with Lithuania as the favorite to win and end Latvia's 5-0 run in preparation games. It will not come as a surprise if the two coaches protect their key players as we are less than 72 hours before the start of the tournament.
Where to watch
Latvia vs Lithuania will be available via FUBO and the official streaming channel of FIBA, Courtside 1891.
Latvia is in Group H in the FIBA World Cup opening round
Latvia is part of Group H in the FIBA World Cup openng round and will take on France, Canada and Lebanon. They will play Lebanon in their opener on Friday.
The absence of Kristaps Porzingis certainly limits the team's chances for a deep run in the tournament, as the Latvians will play two of the favorites for a podium finish, the French and the Canadians.
Lithuania is in Group D in the FIBA World Cup opening round
Lithuania is in Group D in the FIBA World Cup opening round and is scheduled to play Montenegro, Mexico and Egypt. Their opener will be against Egypt on Friday.
The Lithuanians are the favorites to finish on top of the group, so any other result will come as a major surprise.
