France vs Latvia FIBA World Cup 2023: Date, time, where to watch, live stream details and more
The FIBA World Cup 2023 is well underway, and spectators have already been treated to a spectacular start. It only continues to get hotter. France will go up against Latvia in a crucial matchup, and here is everything you need to know about the Group H matchup.
The game will take place at the Indonesia Arena in Jakarta on Sunday, August 27th, and it will begin at 8:30 p.m. GMT+7 or 9:30 a.m. EDT. For fans who want to watch the game, it can be livestreamed on Courtside 1891, which is available from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.
This will be the second game for both teams in the FIBA World Cup 2023, and their respective fans can expect them to play their hearts out.
How did both teams perform in their respective first games in the FIBA World Cup 2023 tournament?
France will be looking to bounce back after a tough loss against the Canadian National Team that saw them go down 95-65.
The French National team struggled from downtown, as they only converted on 21% of their three point shot attempts. They also struggled to get boards against Canada, as they were only able to grab 35 against Canada's 45.
The team mostly struggled to contain Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as he torched the French defense for 27 points, 13 rebounds, and 6 assists.
France was led by Evan Fournier, who tallied 21 points on an 8-for-19 clip. The only other two players two score in double figures for the French were Nando De Colo and Mathias Lessort, with 12 apiece.
Nicolas Batum, who has been one of France's scoring leaders in international competition, was notably absent. He failed to score and only took three attempts despite being on the court for almost 24 minutes in Canada's debut game in the FIBA World Cup 2023.
Meanwhile, Latvia had a dominant showing against Lebanon. They routed the Lebanese National team and ended the game with a final score of 109-70 to win their first game in. This opening day victory in the FIBA World Cup 2023 marks the biggest win in a debut game since Lithuania beat Korea 97-56 in 1998.
They ran away in the first half and never looked back, as they converted on 59% of their field goal attempts. However, they struggled slightly from the free throw line, as they only made 63% from the Charity Stripe.
The Latvians displayed incredible team basketball as six of their players scored in double figures. They were led by Dairis Bertans, who scored 20 points on a very efficient 7-for-8 shooting clip.
The Latvian team and its supporters certainly hope that the team can carry on this success when they go up against a stacked French team.
Also read: Lebanon vs Canada Basketball Preview: Prediction, odds, and more for the FIBA World Cup 2023