Serbia vs Spain FIBA World Cup 2014: Game Grades, Analysis for Orlovi vs La Roja
Serbia hung in the best they could against the undefeated Spaniards through much of the game, but Spain's dominance on both ends was enough to defeat the Serbs, 89-73, to wrap up the group phase.
It was a chippy game towards the end, with Serbian coach Sasha Djordjevic being ejected after being assessed his second technical foul in the fourth. Referees and players from both sides got into it, but all parties seemed cordial by the final buzzer.
On the floor, Spain put on a clinic through most of the way, playing their aesthetically pleasing brand of high-pace, wide-open basketball while featuring their glut of NBA big men whenever possible. Serbia did its best to compete, and did so valiantly. But the Spanish talent won out, and it was evident in the final score.
Serbia Grades:
Bogdan Bogdanovic: B
Stefan Markovic: C-
Milos Teodosic: C
Miroslav Raduljica: B
Nemanja Bjelica: A-
Rest of Team: D
Spain Grades:
Ricky Rubio: A-
Pau Gasol: A-
Marc Gasol: A
Serge Ibaka: B-
Juan Carlos Navarro: B+
Rest of Team: B+
Bogdan Bogdanovic: B
Just 22, it's clear to see why Bogdan Bogdanovic was drafted in the first round of this year's NBA Draft. The 6'6" guard finished up with eight points, two rebounds and four assists on three-of-seven shooting. He made a pair of threes and helped keep Serbia within striking distance through most of the first half.
His four dimes led the team, and he was one of the only Serbian players capable of creating offense for himself. He launched five threes over his 24 minutes, and he was visibly forcing some shots as the Spain lead ballooned. The individual skills are clearly there for Bogdanovic, who currently plays for Fenerbahce Ulker, but Serbia just doesn't have enough talent to compete with a team like Spain.
Stefan Markovic: C-
Stefan Markovic did a decent job of setting teammates up most of the way, but either the Spain front line was able to gobble up any close attempts, or Serbs just weren't able to convert. By the time he started forcing action once the Spain lead inflated, he did more harm than good.
He connected on two of his four shots for four points and rounded out the score sheet with three assists and two rebounds. Markovic had a good feel for his teammates most of the way, but Spain's intensity on both ends was just too much to handle. He became sloppy as the game went on and the pressure mounted, resulting in a pair of turnovers and a team-worst minus-23 plus-minus rating.
Milos Teodosic: C
Averaging 11 points and five assists going into Thursday's game, Milos Teodosic has been a good all-around contributor thus far for the Serbs. But with the active Spain defense blowing most plays up before they can even start, Teodosic's impact was minimal.
He struggled shooting, going four-of-eight from the field, draining two of his five three-pointers. He racked up a pair of assists but turned the ball over just as many times. With Ricky Rubio, Jose Calderon and Juan Carlos Navarro on fire in the backcourt all game long, Teodosic clearly lost the head-to-head battle Thursday.
Miroslav Raduljica: B
With 14.5 points on average entering Thursday, Miroslav Radjulica was Serbia's leading scorer. The seven-footer put up 13 points and four rebounds Thursday, though Spain's versatile talent's near the rim made Raduljica pay time after time on both ends of the floor.
The Serbian team neglected the inside game much of the way, and finally began featuring him towards the end of the third quarter. By then, of course, it was too late. He was active in the screen game, but whatever impact he may have had against an inferior opponent was wiped out by the Gasols and other Spanish bigs.
Nemanja Bjelica: A-
As dominant as Spain was, they let Nemanja Bjelica slip through the cracks through most of the game. He finished the game leading Serbia in points and rebounds with 19 and 10, respectively.
The 6'10" forward made six of his 14 shots, and was a rare Serbian to find success inside the arc.
Rest of Team: D
Serbia has plenty of size on their bench, but nobody was quite able to contend with Spain's dominance down low. Nikola Kalinic was extremely ineffective over his 12 minutes, scoring just one point while grabbing two rebounds and turning it over once. Vladimir Stimac didn't get a chance until the waning moments of the third, but looked effective over his nine minutes. He shot three-of-six from in close for six points and grabbed three boards. Serbia was plus-seven with him on the floor in the second half.
Ricky Rubio: A-
In his 101st career game for the Spanish national team, Ricky Rubio played like a veteran despite his still-raw age of 23. He produced 12 points of his own—including an uncontested 15-footer in the first half to begin to bury Serbia. His six assists led the team, as did his plus-33 plus-minus rating.
He worked well with the bigs, featuring both Gasol brothers early and often, and constantly kicked out to his guard peers in transition. Rubio is still searching for his niche in the NBA, but he's one of the best point guards to suit up in international play today.
The most surprising part of his game Thursday was that he received a technical foul late in the fourth. He's gotten T'd up just six times over his three NBA years.
Pau Gasol: A-
Pau Gasol ended with the most offensive output for Spain, going for 20 points on six-of-11 shooting, including a perfect eight-of-eight from the line. Rubio was able to find him in his favorite spots, and when he was challenged by Raduljica or other Serbian bigs, he was quick enough to simply beat them to the rim.
He only grabbed four rebounds and had one assist, but with the way he was excelling with the ball, and with the way his teammates were performing around him, Gasol provided Spain with all they needed from him.
Marc Gasol: A
With his brother beside him in the paint, and several creating guards along the perimeter, Marc Gasol thrived from start to finish. He finished shooting five-of-six, going for 11 points and leading the team with eight rebounds. He had two assists and even drilled an impressive three-pointer when Spain were making their early, energizing push in the first quarter.
Along with his brother, the team's guards were able to find him in spots to thrive, and the Serbian bigs stood no match. The one-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year had no problem handling them on the other end, either, and swatted a block along the way.
Serge Ibaka: B-
Ibaka wasn't featured as much as the rest of the team's NBA bigs, but the 24-year-old still finished with four rebounds and a block, though he wasn't much of a factor offensively. His most noticeable offensive glimpse came in the second half when he clumsily pulled up for a transition three on the wing. It ended with a rebound that clanked out to nearly mid-court. Spain was actually minus-nine with him on the floor.
Juan Carlos Navarro: B+
The one-time NBAer finished as the second-leading scorer for Spain with 15, and connected on five of his seven attempts, including three of his four three-pointers. He handed out a pair of assists and pulled down two rebounds on the defensive end. Rubio had no problem finding him in transition, and he fit right into the fast-paced, wide-open Spanish attack.
Rest of Team: B+
Jose Calderon and Rudy Fernandez both contributed positively for Spain. They combined for 17 points, two assists and two rebounds, with Fernandez thriving in the fast break. With Rubio playing so well, Calderon wasn't relied on for much through the first three quarters. Sergio Llull played plenty of minutes but didn't fair particularly well with the ball, shooting 2-of-7.
Sergio Rodriguez, one-time NBA point guard and reigning Euroleague MVP, finished with two points and an assist over 15 minutes without a field goal.
Coming Up Next:
With group play finished up, Spain has finished first and Serbia fourth in Group A. Both teams move onto Madrid to play in the Round of 16. Serbia will take on Greece while Spain will face Senegal.
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