2023 FIBA World Cup Group D Predictions, Picks, and Preview: Teams, Key Players, Odds, and Schedule

• The 2023 FIBA World Cup Group D features Lithuania, Montenegro, Mexico, and Egypt
• Lithuania are favored to advance as group winners because of their depth
• Nikola Vucevic is tasked with leading Montenegro in the World Cup
• Mexico will rely on shooting guard Pako Cruz in the group stage

The 2023 FIBA World Cup is upon us.

Excitement is building for the biggest basketball event of the year, with the tournament set to begin today.

Let us preview the four teams in Group D.

Lithuania

Lithuania head into the World Cup as the favourites to win Group D, thanks to their depth.

The Lithuanians may be missing the services of Sacramento Kings star Domantas Sabonis, but they still have a loaded lineup for the World Cup.

New Orleans Pelicans big man, Jonas Valanciunas will lead the team. He averaged 14.5 points in his two appearances in the qualifiers.

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He also recorded a monster double-double in the exhibition match against Finland, scoring 21 points and grabbing 16 rebounds, per Eurohoops.

They are pegged at -250 to finish as Group D winners.

Montenegro

One team that can surprise in this tournament is Montenegro. They have one of the best big men in the world in their lineup in Nikola Vucevic.

He averaged 17.6 points and 11.0 rebounds per game last season for the Chicago Bulls.

Teaming up with Vucevic is longtime Montenegro player Bojan Dubljević, who last played for Valencia, per FIBA.com.

They are pegged at +300 to finish as Group D winners.

Mexico

For Mexico to advance to the next round, they will need Pako Cruz to explode from the perimeter.

He buried 46.3 percent of his threes on 8.4 attempts per contest for Mexico in eight appearances in the qualifiers.

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Cruz led the team in scoring during that span, averaging 17 points per game. Mexico will need his outside shooting for them to record an upset against the tall lineups of Lithuania and Montenegro.

They are pegged at +800 to finish as Group D winners.

Egypt

Ehab Amin will be the one tasked to lead Egypt in the group stage.

He led the team in scoring in 11 appearances in the qualifiers, averaging 14.5 points per game.

Amr Abdelhalim is expected to help Amin with the team’s offence. He scored 42 points in their final qualifier against South Sudan.

They are pegged at +4900 to win Group D.

Group D Schedule (EST)

August 25

Mexico vs. Montenegro (4:30 a.m.)

Egypt vs. Lithuania (8:30 a.m.)

August 27

Montenegro vs. Egypt (4:30 a.m.)

Lithuania vs. Mexico (8:30 a.m.)

August 29

Egypt vs. Mexico (4:30 a.m.)

Montenegro vs. Lithuania (8:30 a.m.)

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Writer's Prediction

Lithuania will finish top of Group D, with Montenegro joining them in the second round.

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