Parker can lead France to EuroBasket glory

The 38th FIBA EuroBasket tournament gets underway Wednesday (4th) from Slovenia and will come to a conclusion on the 22nd with 24 teams scheduled to compete.

Bookmakers make Spain the 9/4 (CORAL/william hill) favourites as they look to claim the title for the third successive time following success in 2011 in Lithuania and 2009 in Poland. The Spaniards are packed full of NBA talent with Marc Gasol, Ricky Rubio, Jose Calderon and Victor Claver currently playing in the NBA and Rudy Fernandez and Sergio Rodriguez former players. It is a squad of real talent and it would be a shock if they did not feature in the final though I am willing to take them on.

France were the runners-up in this event in 2011 and they will hope to go one better this time around. A lot will depend on the health of Tony Parker though there is little doubt that when fit the San Antonio Spurs guard will be the elite player on show in this tournament. Such was the form that Parker was showing at the end of the season that I think France could be the value selection at 5/1 (STAN JAMES/william hill). The form of Parker combined with the improvement in support players such as Nicolas Batum and Boris Diaw means that this could finally be the year they land a major trophy.

Greece are another side who are expected to go well with bookmakers having the same price as France at 5/1 (paddy Power). The Greeks are ranked fourth in the World in the FIBA rankings which is the second highest of the European sides behind Spain. Greece will live and die on their shooting and two guard Vassilis Spanoulis is the main danger.

Lithuania are another side who could well and they can be backed at anything from 6/1 to 14/1 (YOU WIN). Lithuania made the quarter-finals of the Olympics in 2012 going out to Russia while they did won the Euros in 2003 when the event was held in Sweden. The side has two current NBA players in Donatas Motiejunas (Houston Rockets) and Jonas Valanciunas (Toronto Raptors) while Linas Kleiza played there last season. I think they should be backed to finish in top three at 2/1 (sportingbet) over Greece.

The other sides who could threaten the medals are Slovenia (15/4-BWIN), Serbia (19/4-BWIN), Turkey (6/1-sportingbet/BWIN) and Russia 8/1 (BWIN). Of the four it may be Russia who look the best priced seeing as they won this event in 2007 and took Bronze in 2011. In the Olympics they reached the semi-finals before running into Spain and they sit sixth in the FIBA rankings. The big blow is that they will be without FIBA Europé Player of the Year for 2012 Andrei Kirilenko with the NBA star announcing his retirement from international Basketball to spend more time with his family.

At bigger prices try a little interest on Montenegro to finish in the top three which can be backed at 22/1 (BWIN). The absence of star Center Nikola Pekovic is a blow as is promising young big man Marko Todorovic being injured. They do though still have the talented Nikola Vucevic who was impressive for the Orlando Magic last season and he has some good shooters around him. They beat Serbia home and away in qualifying and the rest of the squad has enough talent that they could spring some shocks. At worst that 22/1 becomes a great back to lay option if they reach the knockout stages and get a favourable game.

BEST OF THE BETS

GOLD: France to win the tournament, 5/1 (STAN JAMES/WILLIAM HILL)
SILVER: Lithuania to win a medal, 2/1 (sportingbet)
BRONZE: Montenegro to win a medal, 22/1 (BWIN)

Go To bet365

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02/09/2013     © Frixo 2026