(Getty)
And then there were four.
France, Serbia, Spain and Lithuania, regarded as four of the strongest contenders when the tournament began a little over a week ago, have advanced to the semifinals at EuroBasket 2015. On the line in both semifinal matchups is a spot in the 2016 Rio Olympics, as the top-two finishers automatically qualify for the Summer Games.
The favorites for those two spots are France and Serbia. The hosts have the best point guard (Tony Parker), best interior defender (Rudy Gobert) and tremendous versatility (Nicolas Batum, Boris Diaw). Serbia, led by Euroleague MVP and new Minnesota Timberwolves addition Nemanja Bjelica, is a well-oiled offensive machine that is first in the tournament in both points and assists per game. Neither team has lost thus far.
Of course, it would be a mistake to write off either Spain or Lithuania. Although both have struggled at times during the tournament, both have high-quality NBA big men who can take over any game. Spain’s Pau Gasol leads the tourney is scoring at 23.6, while Lithuania’s Jonas Valanciunas isn’t far behind at 17.2.
Here’s everything you need to know about the crucial matchups:
EuroBasket 2015 Schedule
(Getty)
Semifinals
Spain 80, France 75 (OT)
Lithuania 67, Serbia 64
Third-Place Game
France 81, Serbia 68
Championship
Spain 80, Lithuania 63
Watch EuroBasket 2015 Online
(Getty)
For those in the United States, all four remaining games can be watched live online at ESPN3. They are free to watch for anyone with an internet service provider, and a cable subscription is not needed. Click here for frequently asked questions about ESPN3.
For viewers in other countries around the world, the station that is providing your television coverage (check here to see what station that is in your country) may also provide a live stream on its official website, so be sure to check there.
Finally, viewers anywhere can watch all EuroBasket games with a subscription to LiveBasketball.TV. The subscription costs $9.99 per month.
Watch EuroBasket 2015 on Mobile
(Getty)
Mobile and tablet users can watch coverage of ESPN3 on the WatchESPN app. You can download the app for free in the App Store , the Google Play store, the Amazon App store or the Windows Store.
Users with a subscription to LiveBasketball.TV can also watch via their mobile device or tablet. Here’s more info on how to watch.
Comments