Portugal entered their matchup against Serbia determined to show they belonged at this level, and for nearly two quarters, they did just that.
They stayed within striking distance, fighting hard on both ends, and even had stretches where it looked like they could make things uncomfortable for the EuroBasket contenders. But when Nikola Jokic decided it was time to take control, the balance shifted decisively.
Serbia went on to win 80-69, moving to 2-0 in Group A ahead of Saturday’s highly anticipated showdown with hosts Latvia. Portugal, after their spirited effort, fell to 1-1.
The key moment came late in the first half and early in the third quarter. Diogo Brito’s hot shooting gave him 14 quick points, and with Neemias Queta finishing inside to make it 37-33, Portugal had closed the gap to just four.
At that point, the upset seemed possible. Then Jokic flipped the switch.
“Dosta je bilo,” he declared – “That’s enough” in Serbian – before unleashing a personal scoring burst. He scored from everywhere: attacking the rim, finishing with floaters, knocking down a three-pointer, and even throwing down a dunk.
In total, he poured in 13 consecutive points, stretching Serbia’s lead to 50-35 and effectively breaking Portugal’s resistance. That run carried Serbia comfortably through the second half, even though Portugal kept competing until the end.
Jokic’s stat line reflected his dominance. In just 23 minutes, he tallied 23 points on an efficient 8-of-10 shooting, with 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks.
His efficiency rating of 35 was unmatched, earning him TCL Player of the Game. It was also his second double-double of the tournament, and his sixth in his last seven EuroBasket appearances.
Portugal, however, earned credit for their fight. They forced Serbia into 15 turnovers and managed to slow their opponent’s fluid style for stretches. But Serbia’s superior ball movement ultimately made the difference, as they recorded 23 assists compared to Portugal’s 16.
Despite the win, Serbia did face setbacks. Filip Petrusev’s day ended less than five minutes after tip-off due to a disqualifying foul, while Bogdan Bogdanovic appeared to suffer a hamstring injury before halftime and never returned.
Vasilije Micic was also limited to just nine minutes, leaving the rotation thinner than usual.
Brito carried Portugal with 22 points and 9 rebounds, while Queta was held to just 6 points in 21 minutes, unable to fully impact the game against Serbia’s size and experience.
Looking forward, Serbia will take on Latvia in a crucial clash, while Portugal prepares for their next test against Türkiye.
After the game, Nikola Jovic looked ahead to the matchup with the hosts.
“They too have a short time to recover, they did play before us today, but two hours more or less, I’m not sure it’s gonna matter that much. They had a tough close game against Estonia, we had a tough game against Portugal, but I’m sure it’s going to be a good game.”
Diogo Brito also addressed the Petrusev incident that led to the Serbian big man’s ejection.
“It’s true that I did a very hard box-out on him, but I think it’s still a basketball play. His reaction was a bit hot-headed, he did punch me in the belly. I’m sorry he got ejected, but it was the refs’ decision and there’s nothing much I can do about it.”
Serbia maintain their perfect record, but it's not all good news as Bogdan Bogdanovic did not play in the second half.https://t.co/IhDe4oThLc
— FIBA EuroBasket (@EuroBasket) August 29, 2025
