Slovenia will be TOUGH! Dragic is an absolute beast. Delly will have his hands full with him (maybe another reason we need to take Damian Martin - ha ha!)

I'm kind of glad that we've got them first up. It will ensure the guys are focused from the get go.

Great write up LC. Between the Dragic and Lorbeks, Slovenia have a very good side.

The boomers starts have been very poor. At the 2012 Olympics the Boomers played poorly in their opening game against Brazil but only one week later looked much improved to win against Russia.

Perhaps they have insufficient time against quality opposition as a team during pre-tournament games. What ever it is, it doesn't seem to matter who they open against the problem is with the Boomers.

http://turkey2010.fiba.com/pages/eng/fe/10/fwcm/p/eid/4728/gid/A/grid/64/rid/6945/sid/4728/game.html

Here's a link to the boxscore the last time Slovenia and Australia played at the 2010 FIBA world Champs, embarrassing performance.

Thanks Lance_Uppercut but while I would love to take the credit for that preview, it was not written by me! Rather Craig Rayner, who will be previewing all of Australia's preliminary round opponents ahead of the World Cup, put together that fantastic piece.

Next up he will be putting the spotlight on Lithuania.

Dragic and Lorbek brothers will be tough. I think Vart might be on the money needing Martin, if not just for this game against Slovenia alone!!!

Well the Slovenia game is of huge importance.. with the team we have we SHOULD take down Mexico/Korea, we are probably favourites against Angola but thats only 60/40 without Mills.. We want 1st or 3rd in the group to avoid USA until a very unlikely medal clash. Lithuania without Mills is likely to prove too hard. We have to be out for blood against Slovenia to set ourselves up to over achieve. We will definitely need damien martin.

I think Ayon is out of the World Cup, which would really hurt Mexico.

I agree with all the comments about our recent slow starts in major tournaments, but by all reports it sounds like Lemanis is trying to rectify this. He is planning to base the Boomers in the AIS facility in Italy prior to the World Cup, using it as a training base from where they can fly out and play practice games against quality European opposition.

There is no longer such a thing as an easy win at a World Cup!

3 wins are likely to be enough, however even with Mills and Bogut missing, we have a very good team and should be able to compete against everyone in our group. Anything can happen.

We really don't know how the team will go until we see it play against real competition. Mills is a great player, but I suppose they might find some way to cover the loss by committee

There's no such thing as weak draw at the World Cup these days.

People look at a team like Korea and think 'they're no good', but the reality is they finished ahead of China at the Asian Championship, so they must be half decent.

I know it isn't built up the same as the soccer world cup, but coming off the under 17 worlds and being broadcast on the ABC, surely we can expect some media coverage and get people down under interested in this tournament...

I know the games are a little late, but around mid night - 1.30am isn't horrible, I wonder if they will replay games and if the news reports will give basketball at least some credit as the other world game?!

Bear, three of our pool games are actually prime-time 8.30pm AEST. Perfect for all hoops fans!

Thanks Vart, heres Lemanis comments last year regarding basing the Boomers in Italy before the world cup

"Part of the plan next year would be to take the team to the mini-AIS training facility at Varese in Italy for 2½-to-three weeks before the World Cup and be based there," Lemanis said.

"We could fly out, seek a few games, come back and train, seek games, come back and train."

Any idea who they will be playing to the lead up as practice?

I believe we will have tournaments mainly in Lithuania (v hosts, ukraine and finland) and France (v the hosts, Turkey and Phillipines) as well as a further game v France and one v Angola.

Things may have changed in the weeks since this was reported but should be something along these lines.

Thanks Avv

From an Aussie viewing perspective, we are very lucky to have the timeslots we have to be able to watch a number of early games in primetime tv.

The Boomers second opponent in Spain is Korea...

2014 FIBA World Cup: Group D Preview - Korea

After the Boomers open their 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup campaign in what promises to be a testing encounter against Slovenia, they will follow up the next day in what could already be deemed a must-win match against Korea. As all Group D teams will be aiming to avoid finishing fourth in the group which would mean a probable matchup against Team USA in the next round, the games against the group's lesser ranked opponents simply must be taken advantage of with 31st ranked Korea falling into this category.

Stay tuned: the next preview is on Australia's arch-nemesis Lithuania!

Group D preview of a talent-laden Lithuania is now up on PnR:

2014 FIBA World Cup: Group D Preview - Lithuania

If the Boomers have an international basketball rival aside from the Tall Blacks of New Zealand, it surely is the mighty Lithuania.

Preview of Australia's Group D opponent and current FIBA Americas champions Mexico is now up on PnR.

2014 FIBA World Cup: Group D Preview - Mexico

The Australian Boomers penultimate match in the group stages of the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup is against a team whose last match at a World Championships as far back as the 1974 World Championships. Interestingly enough, their last game that year was actually a win against Australia!

#TeamPnR's Craig Rayner takes a look at the games played by Australia's Group D opponents over the past week.

2014 FIBA World Cup: Group D friendly fire begins

While many countries began training camps this week with their full squads in preparation for the 2014 FIBA World Cup for men, Australia's Group D opponents in Spain have already shifted their preparations into playing friendly matches in various tournaments across the globe.

The final team Australia face in Group D at the 2014 FIBA World Cup is Angola.

Craig Rayner takes a look at the 2013 Afrobasket champions for #TeamPnR:

2014 FIBA World Cup: Group D Preview - Angola

Australia's fate could hinge on their last Group D match at the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Spain and it could come with a great sense of déjà vu as they take on Angola as the knockout stage looms.

Thanks guys, really looking forward to these games!
Go Aussie...

#TeamPnR's Craig Rayner provides an update on Australia's Group D opponents and their friendly games played over the past week.

Mexico, Lithuania and Australia in friendly form

Of the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup Group D teams in friendly matches this week Mexico has grabbed the headlines by winning Centrobasket on their home floor in Nayarit, Mexico.

#TeamPnR's Craig Rayner provides another update on all the teams Australia takes on in Group D at the FIBA World Cup.

2014 FIBA World Cup: Lithuania remain undefeated in Group D preparations

Lithuania have not only placed their 2014 FIBA World Cup Group D opponents on notice that they mean business, but indeed all nations competing in Spain as a result of not yet dropping a single match in their preparations. The European powerhouse has managed to win their first nine contests with their rotations starting to take shape, spearheaded by the return to action of center Jonas Valanciunus.

#TeamPnR's Craig Rayner takes a final look at Australia and their Group D opponents ahead of the 2014 FIBA World Cup that gets underway this weekend.

2014 FIBA World Cup: Group D preparations conclude, attention turns to Spain

With Lithuania losing their PG to injury and Slovenia losing Lorbek, there is little separating them and Australia.

Last chance to get some background on Australia's opponents in Spain...