Recap
Split have an excellent roster for the new season, significantly strengthening an already competitive squad. After confirming the returns of Lovre Runjić and Darko Bajo, they added American guard Trenton McLaughlin, Ivan Gulin and Lithuanian national team player Mindaugas Kačinas. They have also recently added a former NBA player Nick Johnson, who arrived only a few days ago and is already included in the roster, further increasing the team’s depth and overall quality. Their start to the domestic campaign has been equally convincing. Split opened the season with two big victories, defeating Dubrovnik 66-81 away from home before producing an even more dominant 94-73 win against Kvarner. Opava have a considerably more modest roster. They began their Czech league campaign with victories over relegation candidate Plzeň and Děčín, but have subsequently suffered three defeats, highlighting the limitations of their squad when facing stronger opposition. The difference in individual quality, squad depth and recent performances is significant. Split look clearly superior on paper and should have enough quality to control the game and cover the handicap comfortably.