Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the EuroBasket match.
In the opening round of EuroBasket, Latvia will host Turkey on home court in Riga. A partisan home crowd should be an advantage, which could help Latvia secure a result.
Latvia
Latvia have brought a battle-hardened roster to the tournament. The undisputed star is the Boston Celtics centre Kristaps Porziņģis, who has finally shaken off his injuries. That trio with Rolands Šmits and a backcourt scorer who put up 37 points against Italy can trouble any defence, and the rest of the role players are ready to put in the hard work on defence.
Turkey
Turkey have a similar make-up. The team’s leader is the Houston Rockets centre Alperen Şengün. In his last two outings he averaged 25.5 points and eight rebounds. Do not overlook Cedi Osman. He has been with the squad since the first warm-up game and is averaging 15.2 points.
Latvia vs Turkey Prediction
We are set for a clash between two evenly matched opponents; however, home court advantage makes Latvia the favourites. We fully agree, because the players have strong motivation not to let the home crowd down. We are backing Latvia.
