Preview EuroBasket 2025 Group A: Nikola Jokic's Serbia should stroll through the first round

The Eurobasket 2025 is just around the corner, and the teams in Group A have already started shaping their rosters and strategies in the preparatory friendlies. This group promises to be one of the most competitive and exciting in the tournament, featuring high-level teams like Portugal, Estonia, Latvia, Turkey, Serbia, and Czech Republic. Let's take a closer look at each of these teams, highlighting their top players and performance in the preparation matches.

Portugal

Portugal, although not one of the historical favorites in European basketball, has shown significant progress in recent years. With standout players like Neemias Queta (Boston Celtics), who will bring his presence in the paint, and Travante Williams, the team's offensive leader, Portugal arrives with a solid group eager to surprise. In the preparatory friendlies, Portugal had a mixed performance: they lost to Spain B by 74-76 and Argentina by 70-84, but stood out in victories against Iceland (83-79) and Sweden (78-61), proving they could be a surprise in the tournament.

Estonia

Estonia has been a very competitive team in recent tournaments, striking a good balance between youth and experience. Siim-Sander Vene and Kristian Kullamae lead this team, playing a crucial role both offensively and defensively. In the friendlies, Estonia started with a tough loss against Lithuania (89-68) but bounced back with victories over Israel (93-81) and Georgia (75-70). They also secured an exciting win against Sweden (87-88). With these results, Estonia is ready to compete in the group with the ambition of surpassing more renowned teams.

Latvia

Latvia is one of the strongest teams in this group, boasting top-level talent in players like Kristaps Porzingis (Atlanta Hawks), Davis Bertans (Dubai Basketball), and Rodions Kurucs (Baskonia). These players not only contribute to a brilliant offensive game but also excel on defense. In their friendlies, Latvia showcased a high level of play, notably defeating Slovenia (100-88). Despite losses to Italy (91-75) and Lithuania (105-109) in an epic overtime, their victories prove they are a dangerous team in this EuroBasket.

Turkey

With a golden generation led by Shane Larkin (Anadolu Efes) and Alperen Şengün (Houston Rockets), Turkey is one of the most talented teams in the group. In the preparatory matches, the Turkish team had ups and downs. After losses to Lithuania (70-91) and Germany (73-71), they bounced back with victories over Czech Republic (79-65) and Lithuania (81-84), showing their ability to compete at a high level. Furkan Korkmaz and Cedi Osman also make significant offensive contributions, making Turkey a team to watch closely in this Eurobasket.

Serbia

Serbia is one of the strongest teams in the tournament and is considered one of the top contenders to win EuroBasket 2025. With players like Nikola Jokić (Denver Nuggets), Bogdan Bogdanović (Los Angeles Clippers), and Vasilije Micić (Hapoel Tel Aviv), Serbia boasts one of the deepest and most talented rosters in Europe. In the friendlies, the Serbians showcased their superiority with overwhelming victories like against Bosnia and Herzegovina (126-89) and other notable wins against Slovenia (106-72) and Czech Republic (113-84). Serbia remains the top rival to beat.

Czech Republic

Czech Republic has seen steady growth in recent years, with players like Tomas Satoransky (Barcelona) and Vít Krejčí (Atlanta Hawks) leading the offense. However, in the preparatory friendlies, they did not impose their game as expected. They suffered defeats against Spain B (80-75) and Serbia (113-84) but also achieved notable victories like against Georgia (100-87). While their preparation was not flawless, Czech Republic has the potential to surprise if their key players perform at the expected level.

Schedule of Group A matches in Eurobasket 2025

Eurobasket 2025 will kick off with an intense schedule for the teams in Group A, who will face each other on the following dates and times (Spanish time):

• Wednesday, August 27

  • 13:45 – Czech Republic vs Portugal

  • 17:00 – Latvia vs Turkey

  • 20:15 – Serbia vs Estonia

• Friday, August 29

  • 13:45 – Turkey vs Czech Republic

  • 17:00 – Estonia vs Latvia

  • 20:15 – Portugal vs Serbia

• Saturday, August 30

  • 13:45 – Czech Republic vs Estonia

  • 17:00 – Latvia vs Serbia

  • 20:15 – Turkey vs Portugal

• Monday, September 1

  • 13:45 – Estonia vs Turkey

  • 17:00 – Portugal vs Latvia

  • 20:15 – Serbia vs Czech Republic

• Wednesday, September 3

  • 13:45 – Estonia vs Portugal

  • 17:00 – Czech Republic vs Latvia

  • 20:15 – Turkey vs Serbia

Group A of Eurobasket 2025 promises to be a fierce battle among teams with world-class players. From the offensive talent of Serbia and Latvia to the competitiveness of Portugal and Estonia, each game will be crucial in determining the fate of the teams in this tightly contested group stage. Stay tuned to the matchups to see which team gains the edge in this intense phase.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Previa Eurobasket 2025 Grupo A: La Serbia de Nikola Jokic debería pasearse en la primera ronda