EuroBasket Daily Preview: Doncic Begins Revenge Battle, Giannis Leads Team Against a Super Dark Horse

On August 28, 2025, Beijing time, the second day of EuroBasket action unfolds. Both Doncic and Giannis will appear for the first time in this tournament. Slovenia goes up against Poland, with Doncic launching his revenge fight; Greece takes on Italy, and Giannis faces a formidable underdog. Below is the detailed preview of six matches—

August 28, 20:00: Israel vs Iceland

Israel’s offense is well-balanced and multi-faceted, while their defense remains solid. Avdija, the Trail Blazers player, is the core of the Israeli team. Notably, limiting opponents’ scoring has always been a distinctive feature of their play.

Iceland’s basketball team, relying on efficient fast breaks and aggressive rebounding, may not be as weak as expected. However, their defense has vulnerabilities, especially frequent mistakes in perimeter defense, which could limit their overall performance.

These two teams have met three times before, with Israel winning twice, but Iceland claimed victory in their most recent encounter.

FIBA fan vote predicts winning chances: Israel 92.9%, Iceland 7.1%

August 28, 20:00: Georgia vs Spain

Georgia’s EuroBasket warm-up performances have been quite poor, losing all six warm-up games. However, their key player Shengelia returned only late in the preparation. Even so, consecutive losses to Estonia, Czech Republic, and Poland have been disappointing for coach Jikich. Besides Shengelia, Georgia will also rely on Mamukelashvili.

As the defending EuroBasket champions, Spain’s warm-up results have also been disappointing, with only one win and five losses. Several veteran players have left the team, and Spain’s performance will largely depend on the Hernangomez brothers and Grizzlies forward Aldama.

So far, the two national teams have met four times, with Spain holding a 3-1 record. Their latest meeting was at the 2022 EuroBasket, where Spain defeated Georgia 90-64.

FIBA fan vote predicts winning chances: Georgia 3.8%, Spain 96.2%

August 28, 23:00: Belgium vs France

Since 2011, Belgium’s men’s basketball team has never missed a EuroBasket tournament. Ismael Bako, with extensive European league experience, is the most watched player on the Belgian squad, and fans expect him to take a leading role on defense.

Among the 12 players who won silver at last year’s Paris Olympics, seven (Wembanyama, Gobert, Batum, Nando de Colo, Fournier, Léo Westermann, and Ntilikina) will not appear on this year’s EuroBasket roster. France will rely more on players like Sar, Lissach, Coulibaly, and Yabusele. Despite this, the team remains a strong contender.

In their last 10 head-to-head matches, France has won 8 times. Belgium’s last victory over France dates back to 2012.

FIBA fan vote predicts winning chances: Belgium 0.8%, France 99.2%

August 28, 23:15: Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Cyprus

Bosnia’s coach revealed that key big man Nurkic returned in poor physical condition, so his actual impact as the team’s “offensive and defensive pillar” remains uncertain. On paper, Bosnia’s current roster is weaker than expected months ago.

Most Cyprus players have spent their careers in the domestic league, reflecting a general lack of top-tier talent. Their naturalized center, Darryl Willis, posted the best stats in warm-ups and is one of the few bright spots for Cyprus.

Bosnia and Cyprus have only met twice before, both during the 2025 EuroBasket qualifiers. Bosnia won both games decisively: one by 108-62 and the other 99-66, with margins exceeding 30 points, demonstrating a significant strength gap.

FIBA fan vote predicts winning chances: Bosnia 99%, Cyprus 1%

August 29, 2:30: Slovenia vs Poland

Slovenia’s EuroBasket roster is arguably one of the weakest in recent major tournaments. However, Doncic’s participation is a huge boost for coach Sekulic. Besides the Lakers superstar, there are very few quality players available. Milan club refused to release Josh Nebo and Cencyar, and Zoran Dragic was excluded for disciplinary reasons. Ball possession will likely stay mostly with Doncic, and when opponents double-team him, hitting open shots will be a crucial responsibility for his teammates.

Poland suffered a major blow during preparations: Sohan, once highly regarded as the team’s leader and core forward, is confirmed out due to injury. Poland will likely rely more on Ponitka and Lloyd.

Over the past 20 years, the two teams have met six times in official matches, with Slovenia leading 4-2. However, their last encounter was in the previous EuroBasket quarterfinals, where Poland eliminated Slovenia. For Doncic, this will be a revenge game.

FIBA fan vote predicts winning chances: Slovenia 92%, Poland 8%

August 29, 2:30: Greece vs Italy

Greece’s EuroBasket preparations have been full of challenges. They waited a long time for NBA clearance to have Giannis join warm-ups. During this period, the team showed inconsistent form: some impressive wins over strong opponents, but also surprising losses. Currently, the Greek squad is strong, featuring Giannis, Sloukas, and Tyler Dorsey, ensuring solid offensive firepower.

Italy is seen as a dark horse in this EuroBasket. Although Belinelli and Datome have retired from the national team, the younger generation is ready. Italy’s core is the offensively talented Fontecchio. Veterans like Melli and Spissu are also expected to play important roles.

During warm-ups for this EuroBasket, the two teams met twice, each winning once. Their last official match was at the 2022 EuroBasket, where Greece narrowly defeated Italy 85-81.

FIBA fan vote predicts winning chances: Greece 83%, Italy 17%