In the opening game of the World Cup, Finland will face Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist Australia. Due to the injury, the team is missing one of Markkanen’s possible overcoats, Jock Landale.
Roope Visuri,
Antti-Jussi Sipilä
Susijengi will start the World Basketball Championships in Okinawa, Japan on Friday, August 25. In the opening match, they will face medal favorite Australia. The match starts at 11:00. You can see Susijengi and Lauri Markkanen’s highlights fresh on the website and in the app.
OKINAWA.
Lauri Markkanen stepped in front of the entire Finnish media for the first time on the eve of the World Basketball Championships.
The questions to Markkanen focused a lot on how the Finnish star evaluates his opponents.
Australia and Germany, the two World Cup medal favorites in Finland’s group, are missing one possible Markkanen overcoat: Australia Jock Landale and Germany Maxi Kleber.
Markkanen believes that both Australia and Germany will offer difficult moments.
– There are good defenders in the teams. If we go to play 1vs1 basketball, they have good team defenders. We need to create advantages and multiply them. It also helps individual playing compared to giving the ball and starting to stand, Markkanen described to Urheilu.
Last year, on the eve of the World Championships, Markkanen heard some hard news. He had been traded from Cleveland to Utah. Life changed for a moment. However, it was not visible on the floor, when Markkanen actually started his current rise to become one of the best players in the World Championships from the European Championships.
At that time, Markkanen was a little annoyed. Have you had to get angry about something?
– Sasu tries hard to annoy, Markkanen laughed at Urheilu’s question.
– It’s not that kind of anger. And I don’t know if there was actually anger the last time either. Of course, that trade then motivates. However, now there is the same desire to show, even though the trade has not happened. I hope that doesn’t happen.
Then Markkanen set a tough prospect for himself.
– There is a hunger to show what you are capable of and what our team is capable of. Let’s go win all the games. That’s motivation enough. No separate motivators are needed at this level.
The coast holds the keys to Australia’s downfall
The playmaking legend and current member of the coaching team has been responsible for the Australian scouting of the Finnish national team Teemu Rannikko.
Rannikko considers the bronze medalists of the Tokyo Olympics two years ago to be the top team in the world, with many strengths. The coast brings out two NBA guards By Josh Giddey and by Patty Mills.
Among them, Giddey is a young NBA star in his twenties. Patty Mills, on the other hand, is a 35-year-old NBA veteran.
– Giddey runs the game and Mills is one of the best players in national team basketball. The Australian game revolves around them, Rannikko says of the 2014 NBA champion.
Coast also praises Australia’s ball movement in attack. According to Ranniko, Australia’s passing skills are very good.
According to Ranniko, the fact that Australia can put five players over two meters on the field also poses its own challenge.
– They have toughness at both ends of the field, Rannikko points out.
In terms of Finland’s victory, however, Rannikko sees the key thing in defending one’s own actions.
– We have to get to the open field to attack. We need to get into quick attacks and run the field. In playing five-on-five, we are not strong against Australia. You have to get successes through the defensive end, Rannikko says.
Rannikko also sees how Australia defends Markka as one of the important things.
– Of course, we have guessed how they will defend Lauri and how it affects our playing. We have thought about attacking through their defense, says Rannikko.