Jokic’s Career-Best Performance Propels Serbia Past Latvia in EuroBasket 2025 Showdown

A Battle in Baltic Territory

In a thrilling encounter at Riga, Serbia secured a hard-fought victory against Latvia, winning 84-80 in front of 11,000 predominantly Latvian supporters. The match was particularly challenging for Serbia, as they had to cope without team captain Bogdan Bogdanovic, who was sidelined with a hamstring injury.

Jokic’s Masterclass Performance

NBA superstar Nikola Jokic delivered an exceptional performance, scoring 39 points and securing 10 rebounds along with four assists. This remarkable display set a new personal record, surpassing his previous best of 32 points for the Serbian national team.

Serbia maintained a comfortable lead for most of the game, thanks to impressive three-point shooting from their left-handed trio of Marko Guduric, Aleksa Avramovic, and Ognjen Dobric. However, the game’s intensity peaked in the final minutes when Davis Bertans hit a long-range three-pointer, reducing Latvia’s deficit to just four points.

Tournament Implications

The victory improved Serbia’s record to 3-0, securing their place in the Round of 16 regardless of their remaining Group A matches in Riga. Meanwhile, the tournament hosts Latvia saw their record fall to 1-2.

Looking Ahead

The EuroBasket 2025 tournament, being hosted across four nations – Cyprus, Finland, Latvia, and Poland – will reach its climax at Arena Riga in Latvia. After the group stage, teams will progress to the Round of 16 on September 6-7 in a single-elimination format. The successful teams will then advance to the Quarterfinals on September 9-10, followed by the Semifinals on September 12, with the tournament concluding with the Third Place Game and Final on September 14.