FIBA World Cup 2023 Quarter-Finals: Qualified Teams, Schedule, Predictions

With the second round of the 2023 FIBA World Cup concluded, only eight teams are left in the race for the gold medal. Leading the pack is the United States, and there’s the exciting prospect of a potential all-North American final, as Canada has also made it to the quarterfinals.

Quarterfinal Schedule:

• September 5 (4:45 a.m. ET): Lithuania vs. Serbia (-2.5)
• September 5 (8:40 a.m. ET): Italy vs. United States (-14.5)
• September 6 (4:45 a.m. ET): Germany (-7.5) vs. Latvia
• September 6 (8:30 a.m. ET): Canada (-5.5) vs. Slovenia

For the United States, their journey in the World Cup has largely been smooth sailing. They won their three first-round games with an average margin of victory of 34 points. However, they faced a reality check on Sunday with a 110-104 loss to Lithuania. The Americans were down by as many as 21 points in the first half but mounted a spirited comeback in the second half. Lithuania’s dominance on the boards, out-rebounding the U.S. 43-27, exposed the American team’s lack of size, and Jaren Jackson Jr., a crucial rim protector, had a tough game with five personal fouls.

It’s worth noting that the United States isn’t the only team with issues to address, despite reaching the quarterfinals. Slovenia, led by Luka Dončić, had a strong start, taking a 25-11 lead over Germany after the first quarter. However, Slovenia couldn’t sustain the momentum, and Germany secured a convincing 100-71 victory, with Dennis Schröder recording a double-double performance of 24 points and 10 assists.

Slovenia faces a challenging quarterfinal matchup against Canada, who eliminated the defending champions, Spain, with an 88-85 win. Dillon Brooks tied the game with a deep three-pointer with 1:19 left on the clock, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander broke an 80-80 tie with a long two-pointer.