The 2023 FIBA World Cup is only a few weeks away, and Team USA aims to bounce back after a disappointing seventh-place finish in the last tournament. Before the World Cup, the American team will play warm-up games in Spain and the United Arab Emirates.
The first warm-up game will be against Slovenia on Saturday. However, Slovenia’s star player Luka Doncic will not participate as a precaution due to an injury in a previous game against Spain.
Even without Doncic, the game provides an important opportunity for the American team to build chemistry and give new teammates some playing time together. Here’s what you need to know:
Team USA vs. Slovenia
- Date: Saturday, Aug. 12 | Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
- Location: Palacio de Deportes Maria Martin Carpena — Malaga, Spain
- TV channel: FS1 | Live stream: fubo (try for free)
- Odds: Not yet released
Roster
Storylines
In their first warm-up game for the World Cup, Team USA dominated Puerto Rico with a 117-74 victory. However, the upcoming game against Slovenia will be more challenging as they won’t have the same talent advantage. Nevertheless, Doncic’s absence makes it an easier contest for them.
Team USA has many young players who will experience serious international basketball for the first time, which is different from the NBA. It will be interesting to see how they adapt to this new environment against a Slovenian side that has extensive experience playing together.
Furthermore, as the games become more competitive, it will be intriguing to observe how the playing time is distributed among the players. In the game against Puerto Rico, with the exception of Josh Hart and Walker Kessler, all the players on the roster played between 10-23 minutes. This is expected to change as the tournament approaches, revealing whom head coach Steve Kerr truly trusts.
Prediction
Since this is only an exhibition game, making a serious prediction seems unnecessary. However, with Doncic out, it is likely that the Americans will win comfortably.
