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Luka Doncic's Slovenia will lock horns with Patty Mills' Australia in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics bronze medal match.
The Boomers were beaten comprehensively by Team USA, losing the game 97-78. Meanwhile, Slovenia fought till the end, ultimately succumbing to a 90-89 loss to France.
Match Details
Fixture - Slovenia vs. Australia | Olympics 2021 Men's Basketball.
Date & Time - Saturday, August 7, 7:00 AM Eastern Time (Saturday, August 7th, 4:30 PM IST)
Venue - Saitama Super Arena, Saitama, Japan
Slovenia Preview
Slovenia put in a valiant effort against the French, but Nicolas Batum's buzzer block effectively sealed their fate.
Luka Doncic registered the first Olympics triple-double since LeBron James did it at the 2012 London Olympics, but it wasn't enough to take the Slovenians to the finals of the event.
Slovenia will now set their eyes on the bronze medal, and head coach Aleksander Sekulic will expect major contributions from Klemen Prepelic and center Mike Tobey, both of whom have been in brilliant form for Slovenia.
Slovenia's rebounding and three-point shooting were major reasons behind their loss against France, and they will need to improve on those two fronts if they are to bag the bronze medal.
Team News: Slovenia
Luka Doncic appeared to have an injury in the fourth quarter of the semi-finals game against France, and no update has been given on his situation yet. If the injury is not serious, he will start in the backcourt along with Jaka Blazic.
Zoran Dragic will start at small forward, while Denver Nuggets' Vlatko Cancar will take up the power forward position.
Mike Tobey will start at center, with Kremen Pepelic and Edo Muric coming off the bench to play significant minutes.
Slovenia Predicted Lineup
Point Guard - Luka Doncic l Shooting Guard - Jaka Blazic l Small Forward - Vlatko Cancar l Power Forward - Zoran Dragic l Center- Mike Tobey
Australia Preview
The Boomers looked in control of their destiny in the semi-finals matchup against the USA but took their foot off the pedal in the third quarter, which led to Kevin Durant and co. going on a 32-10 run.
The Aussies' offense wilted under pressure once Team USA started playing aggressive defense, and they will have to do a better job on that end in the bronze medal game.
Patty Mills, who scored 20 points against the USA and has arguably been the best player in the tournament, will once again be tasked with leading the team's offense.
The Australians shot just 40% from two-point territory, and that number will have to go up significantly against Slovenia.
Team News: Australia
Patty Mills and former Cleveland Cavaliers star Matthew Dellavedova will take up the point guard and shooting guard positions, respectively. Utah Jazz veteran Joe Ingles will start at small forward, while Nick Kay will take up the power forward spot.
Aron Baynes is set to be unavailable due to a neck injury; hence Jock Landale will start at the 5. NBA stars Dante Exum and Matisse Thybulle will come off the bench to split minutes with the starters.
Australia Predicted Lineup
Point Guard - Patty Mills | Shooting Guard - Matthew Dellavedova | Small Forward - Joe Ingles | Power Forward - Nick Kay | Center - Jock Landale
Slovenia vs. Australia Match Prediction
Slovenia has looked like a well-drilled unit so far, and expect them to give the Boomers a run for their money. Luka Doncic and co. are slight favorites going into this bronze medal clash, and expect them to clinch a narrow win.
The Australians have been extremely reliant on Patty Mills' prowess, which might lead to them coming up short against Slovenia.
Where to watch Slovenia vs. Australia game?
The 2021 Tokyo Olympics is being covered in Australia on Channel Seven, 7two, and 7mate. Fans can also watch the match on streaming platform 7Plus.
In America, the Games are being shown exclusively on NBC and their various streaming platforms. In India, the Sony Sports Network and OTT platform Sony Liv are broadcasting the action.
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