We are back with another prediction as we move on to the second round of group play in the 2023 FIBA World Cup. It's time for some Group K action as Georgia takes on Germany for their first assignment of round two. Check out our FIBA World Cup odds series for our Georgia-Germany prediction and pick.
Georgia finished with a 2-1 record in the first round of group play. They defeated Cape Verde, 85-60, in their tournament opener, then lost by 21 points to Luka Doncic and the Slovenians. Georgia secured its spot in the second round with a 70-59 win over Venezuela. The Georgians should enter the second round with some momentum after they took care of business against Venezuela. Tornike Shengaila, in particular, should come in with a ton of confidence after he scored 25 points in the 11-point victory.
Meanwhile, Germany swept through the first round of the 2023 FIBA World Cup. The Germans cruised past Japan, 81-63 to open the tournament, and dropped Finland 101-75 to close the opening round. Germany's biggest win, though, came against Australia. The Germans, who trailed by four entering the final period, used a 23-16 fourth quarter to ensure their first-place finish in the first round.
Here are the 2023 FIBA World Cup odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
2023 FIBA World Cup Odds: Georgia-Germany Odds
Georgia: +15.5 (-111)
Germany: -15.5 (-115)
Over: 164.5 (-115)
Under: 164.5 (-111)
How to Watch Georgia vs. Germany
Stream: ESPN+, Courtside 1891
Time: 4:30 AM ET/ 1:30 AM PT
*Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why Georgia Will Cover The Spread
Georgia expectedly enters this game as pretty significant underdogs against a German squad that boasts several NBA players. The Georgians do have a couple of active NBA players on their roster — Orlando Magic center Goga Bitazde and San Antonio Spurs big man Sandro Mamukelashvili.
Bitazde continues to be a consistent force in the middle for the Georgians. He tallied 11 points and 11 rebounds against Venezuela. Bitazde has now registered two double-doubles in the tournament so far. Meanwhile, Mamukelashvili cooled off in the win over Venezuela, but he did score 21 points during their loss to Slovenia. Nonetheless, he still finished the first round averaging 11.0 points through three games.
Tornike Shengaila ended up as Georgia's leading scorer after the first round. He tallied a total of 50 points through three games, with half of it coming in their win over Venezuela. Shengaila's 25 points came off a 9-of-17 shooting day from the field and 6-of-9 shooting from the free-throw line. He also added three assists and three rebounds. The 31-year-old has now led his team in scoring in two of their three outings.
The Germans could play this game short-handed as Franz Wagner continues to deal with an ankle injury he suffered in their opener against Japan. The Magic forward has missed the last couple of games for Germany. If he continues to sit out, Georgia might have a chance to make this more competitive.
Why Germany Will Cover The Spread
Meanwhile, Germany boasts a stacked squad with a myriad of NBA talent strewn across its roster. Talent should be their biggest advantage heading into their first matchup of the second round, where they will need to win by at least 16 points to cover the spread. Nonetheless, given the discrepancy, this should be doable for the Germans.
As expected, Dennis Schroder emerged as Germany's leading scorer through the first round. The Toronto Raptors point guard averaged 19.7 points through three games, including a 30-point explosion that propelled them to the thrilling win over Australia. FIBA Dennis showed up in that game as he went 10-of-19 from the field, drained five three-pointers, dished out eight assists, and tallied four steals.
As mentioned, Franz Wagner hasn't suited up in Germany's last two games due to an ankle injury. As such, his brother Mo Wagner has stepped up and finished as the team's second-leading scorer after three games. The elder Wagner 13.5 points and 5,3 rebounds in the opening round, which included a 25-point performance in their first game versus Japan.
Germany should enter the second round with a lot of confidence, especially since they took down No. 3 Australia. This team has been rolling since the EuroCup and even through the friendlies. Don't be shocked if they open round two with a banger.
Final Georgia-Germany Prediction & Pick
Go with Germany for this one. Apart from being absolutely stacked, the Germans have been playing with so much cohesion and chemistry, that they are able to hang with the likes of the United States and Australia. Germany may not have the big NBA names that other countries like Canada or Slovenia have, but they have an international star in Dennis Schroder who absolutely thrives on the global stage. This should be an easy cruise for Germany.
Final Georgia-Germany Prediction & Pick: Germany: -15.5 (-115)