EuroBasket Daily Preview: Five Teams Competing for Two Advancement Spots, Jokic vs. Shengkun for Group Leader

On September 3rd, Beijing time, the EuroBasket group stage will proceed, with 12 teams already qualified for the round of 16: Serbia, Turkey, Germany, Finland, Greece, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Slovenia, France, Israel, and Italy. On this matchday, Montenegro, Great Britain, and Sweden will fight for one qualification spot, while the winner between Estonia and Portugal will also secure a place in the next round. Previously undefeated Turkey and Serbia, both 4-0, will face off in a heavyweight clash, with Shengkun and Jokic battling for the top spot in the group.

September 3rd, 18:30: Montenegro vs. Great Britain

Montenegro suffered heavy defeats against Germany, Finland, and Lithuania. Although they managed a hard-fought win over Sweden, the victory was far from easy, making the upcoming game against Great Britain a crucial "do-or-die" match to determine if they advance to the next stage.

In contrast, Great Britain’s EuroBasket journey has been almost devoid of positives. They have lost to Germany, Finland, Lithuania, and Sweden, holding a 0-4 record in the group stage with the worst point differential of -136 among all teams. Their chance to advance is purely theoretical.

The two teams have met only twice before, both in 2020, with each side winning once, leaving their head-to-head record even.

September 3rd, 19:45: Estonia vs. Portugal

Estonia currently holds a 1-3 record in the group stage. Their upcoming match against Portugal will directly decide their advancement. To make matters worse, Estonia’s head coach Heiko Rannula faces a severe personnel crisis — captain Siim-Sander Vene suffered a knee injury against Latvia, and Sander Raieste unexpectedly left the game in the first half against Turkey due to injury.

Portugal started the group stage with a win over the Czech Republic but quickly faced setbacks with three consecutive losses to Serbia, Turkey, and Latvia.

This matchup between Estonia and Portugal will determine the last team to qualify for the round of 16 from Group A — the loser will be eliminated, while the winner secures a spot in the knockout stage. So far, the two teams have met six times, with Estonia holding a slight edge with four wins. Their most recent encounter was in 2016 when Estonia defeated Portugal 82-63 at home.

September 3rd, 21:30: Lithuania vs. Sweden

Despite the absence of Jokubaitis due to injury, Lithuania has successfully shaken up Group B. A win in the upcoming crucial game would guarantee Lithuania second place in the group, providing a more favorable matchup in the round of 16 draw. The team boasts a strong inside presence skilled in rebounding, combined with smooth passing that allows every player to pose a threat from outside — a key factor in all their victories.

Sweden has shown some bright spots in this EuroBasket. Although their only win so far is against Great Britain, giving them a 1-3 group record, they still hold hope of advancing to the round of 16.

The two teams have met officially only once before, back in 1995, when Lithuania defeated Sweden 96-73.

September 3rd, 23:00: Czech Republic vs. Latvia

In this EuroBasket, the Czech team is clearly weakened by the absence of key players Vesely and Satoransky. Many hoped Krejci could inject new energy into the squad, but the NBA player’s performance has fallen short of expectations. The Czech Republic currently stands at 0-4 and has already been eliminated from contention for the round of 16.

Latvia failed to beat the strong teams Turkey and Serbia but still advanced as the third-place team in their group. In their most recent match, they defeated Portugal, marking their second group stage win after a tough victory over Estonia.

In their three previous official encounters, Latvia holds a slight advantage with two wins and one loss.

September 4th, 01:30: Finland vs. Germany

In the EuroBasket group stage, Finland struggled in their opener against Sweden but then comfortably defeated Great Britain and Montenegro. Their fourth group game was the toughest so far — against Lithuania — and the loss ended Finland’s unbeaten summer run. Now, to avoid advancing as the third-place team (which could mean facing Serbia or Turkey in the round of 16), Finland must beat Germany. The ranking rules are: if Finland wins by more than 11 points, they secure first place; if the margin is 11 points or less, they finish second; if they lose, they end in third place.

Germany’s men’s basketball team has a clear goal for this EuroBasket: to hold both the World Cup and European Championship titles simultaneously. Before the tournament, they were widely regarded as favorites, with only Serbia seen as a slightly stronger contender. Germany is very close to clinching first place in the group: even if they lose to Finland, as long as the defeat margin is 11 points or fewer, they will top the group. Although theoretically possible to drop to third, it’s highly unlikely given their strength and the improbability of losing by over 30 points.

In their three previous official meetings, Germany has won all games, holding a dominant historical advantage over Finland.

September 4th, 02:15: Turkey vs. Serbia

Turkey started strong by defeating Croatia, then went on to beat the Czech Republic, Portugal, and Estonia, achieving a perfect 4-0 record to reach the round of 16. They will battle Serbia for the top spot in the group — a win would mean facing a relatively weaker opponent in the knockout stage. Shengkun, nicknamed the "Little Jokic," will face off against Jokic in a highly anticipated duel.

Serbia entered this EuroBasket as the top favorite for the title. Their current 4-0 group record shows consistent performance, though some issues have emerged. Key player Bogdan Bogdanovic suffered a hamstring injury and will miss the rest of the tournament. Serbia’s future success hinges on how well they fill the gap in the backcourt, with the biggest responsibility likely falling on Misic, despite his current form not being at its best.

In their six previous official meetings, Turkey has lost every time, with Serbia maintaining a commanding historical edge in their head-to-head record.