EuroBasket Daily Preview: Jokic Aims for a Strong Start, Sengun and Porzingis Face Off in the Paint

On August 27, 2025, the EuroBasket tournament will begin its opening day, with Jokic aiming to start strong and Sengun facing Porzingis in a paint duel. Below is the detailed preview for the six matches —

18:30 on the 27th: Great Britain vs Lithuania

The core players for Great Britain include the inside presence Olaseni, renowned for his control near the rim, alongside Miles Hesson and Yeboah. However, aside from these three, the rest of the squad lacks the strength to compete at such a high level as EuroBasket. In the previous edition, Great Britain finished last in their group; to avoid repeating that outcome, they will likely need a miracle.

Lithuania is not fielding its strongest lineup, as Kings star Sabonis is absent from the tournament. Nevertheless, the team still features players like Valanciunas, Jokubaitis, Tubelis, and Giedraitis, maintaining enough quality to challenge any opponent.

The two teams have only met once before in EuroBasket history, back in 2011, when Lithuania defeated Great Britain 80-69.

FIBA fan voting predicts the win probability: Great Britain 1.2%, Lithuania 98.8%

19:45 on the 27th: Czech Republic vs Portugal

After losing key players Satoransky and Vesely, there is significant uncertainty about how well the Czech team will gel. Among the current roster, Krejci, who had a solid NBA season with the Hawks, is expected to take on a leading role.

Portugal’s key figure is Celtic center Keita. Notably, this team has qualified for EuroBasket again after a 14-year absence.

The Czech Republic has won all four official matches against Portugal, though their last official meeting was over a decade ago. However, Portugal did secure a victory in a friendly match a few years back.

FIBA fan voting predicts the win probability: Czech Republic 84.1%, Portugal 15.9%

21:30 on the 27th: Montenegro vs Germany

Montenegro’s game plan will revolve around Bulls star Vucevic. Although the team may lack many star players, they have the potential to advance from the group stage. To do so, they must outperform Great Britain and Sweden in the group — teams Montenegro is capable of handling.

Germany’s main strength lies in the strong chemistry among players: their core lineup has played together for years, achieving a level of cohesion far beyond most opponents. Within this balanced squad, Franz Wagner and Schröder are undisputed leaders. Their contributions were key to Germany’s 2023 FIBA World Cup victory.

These two teams have met five times in total, with Germany winning three of those encounters, including their last EuroBasket meeting.

FIBA fan voting predicts the win probability: Montenegro 1.3%, Germany 98.7%

23:00 on the 27th: Latvia vs Turkey

For Latvia, the most crucial player is Porzingis. In recent years, injuries have kept him out of many national team games, but this time he is fully prepared for EuroBasket. Latvia’s roster also includes several players capable of shooting from beyond the arc.

Turkey’s absolute core is Sengun, whose matchup with Porzingis draws attention. Additionally, Turkey’s Larkin and Osman are expected to play important roles, while Korkmaz needs to deliver more consistent performances.

In official matches over the past decade, Latvia has won four out of five encounters against Turkey.

FIBA fan voting predicts the win probability: Latvia 60.5%, Turkey 39.5%

01:30 on the 28th: Sweden vs Finland

Sweden returns to EuroBasket after 12 years. Their key player, Laasonen, just completed a season with the Miami Heat and is a regular part of their rotation. Despite the challenge, he will try to lead Sweden into the knockout stages.

Finland’s greatest asset is Markkanen, who has shown impressive form during preparations, scoring over 40 points in multiple games. He and Doncic are among the top favorites to be the tournament’s leading scorers.

In official matches over the last 15 years, Finland holds a 2-1 record against Sweden.

FIBA fan voting predicts the win probability: Sweden 2.2%, Finland 97.8%

02:15 on the 28th: Serbia vs Estonia

Serbia is the biggest favorite to win this year’s EuroBasket. They finished the warm-up games with a perfect 7-0 record. They have MVP candidate Jokic and sharpshooter Bogdan, who is expected to shine. Another player to watch is Jovic from the Miami Heat.

As for Estonia, this might be a tough opening match. Their starting center Kotsar has recently been sidelined with a shoulder injury, which has weakened Estonia’s competitiveness.

The two teams have faced each other four times in official matches, each winning twice, but their last meeting was six years ago.

FIBA fan voting predicts the win probability: Serbia 98.5%, Estonia 1.5%