Group G Preview: Can Brazil challenge Spain for first place?

JAKARTA (Indonesia) - Spain and Brazil enter the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 as the two favorites to advance from Group G and their head-to-head matchup will be that much more important, as this game will likely determine who emerges as the top team from the group.

The Favorite: Spain

At this point, it's no secret that Spain have a history of winning. World Cup winners in 2019. EuroBasket champions in 2022. This powerhouse is a beast any time they take the floor. It won't come as a shock to anyone: they are the clear favorites in Group G.

Spain have had a podium finish in eight of their last 10 FIBA events and will play with confidence from their previous success. Spain's golden generation of players led by brothers Pau and Marc Gasol are gone, and they've now mainly shifted to the younger core led by another set of talented brothers in Willy and Juancho Hernangomez.

Having someone like Sergio Scariolo at the helm is just another reason why the No. 1 team in the FIBA World Ranking Men, presented by Nike, are still the team to beat in this group.

Sergio Scariolo has a resume few can match in international basketball

The Underdog: Cote d'Ivoire

Things won't be easy for a Cote d'Ivoire team looking to win more than one game to achieve their best finish at a World Cup. They trimmed down their roster and will have some key players in Vafessa Fofana, Souleymane Diabate, Nisre Zouzoua, Maxence Dadiet and up-and-comer Assemian Moulare.

All five of these players - except Fofana - are guards. This will be a concern, as Cote d'Ivoire will have a tough time facing plenty of physicality and size in all three of their First Round games when they go up against Spain, Brazil and Iran.

The Pivotal Game: Brazil v Spain

Spain and Brazil will be considered heavy favorites to finish in the group's top two and advance from the First Round. These two teams will square off in their second game on August 28 in what should be a clash of titans.

Whoever loses this game, it will likely be their only loss in Group G and since results carry over from the First Round into the Second Round, that will make this showdown even more important, as the winner will be in a more comfortable position moving forward.

Every win will matter for the Second Round, especially because of the tough impending crossover games against two foes from Group H likely either France, Canada or Latvia.

The Open Question: Can Brazil knock off Spain and eventually reach the Quarter-Finals?

Veterans Vitor Benite and Marcelinho Huertas

The game between Spain and Brazil will go a long way in determining each team's chances of reaching the Quarter-Finals stage of the competition. Spain are a familiar face in the Quarter-Finals, but Brazil have only reached the Quarter-Finals twice in the last seven editions of the World Cup.

They'll be eager to get back to that stage and beating Spain in Group G to possibly get to 3-0 instead of 2-1 would be a big first step in getting there.

Brazil beat Australia on the road during their preparation games campaign with an amazing performance from forward Bruno Caboclo. Can he put on a display of that level again?

The Poll

 

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Don't forget to check the Team Profiles for Brazil, Cote d'Ivoire, Iran and Spain.

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