EuroBasket Daily Preview: Doncic Battles Avdija as Three Teams Vie for Final Two Spots

On September 4th Beijing time, the EuroBasket group stage enters its last matchday, with Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, and Spain each standing at 2-2. These three squads will battle for the final two spots to advance. Other games also have notable highlights. The duel between Lakers’ Doncic and Trail Blazers’ Avdija draws much attention.

September 4th, 8:00 PM: Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Georgia

Bosnia and Herzegovina’s basketball team has performed fairly well. They won their opener against Cyprus, then lost to Spain and Italy, but capitalized on Greek star Giannis Antetokounmpo’s rest in the previous game to pull off an upset, beating Greece 80-77 and securing control over their own qualification fate. Ultimately, Bosnia’s 2-2 record is built on solid defense and smart offensive decisions.

Similar to Bosnia, Georgia’s basketball team has also impressed in their first four EuroBasket games. They shocked Spain in their opener, and in the match against Greece, coach Jikic rested key players, resulting in a loss. However, Georgia quickly bounced back with an easy win over Cyprus in their latest match.

Bosnia and Georgia have met only twice in official matches, both in 2012, with each team winning once.

September 4th, 8:00 PM: France vs Iceland

France’s basketball team, with a 3-1 record, has already qualified and positioned themselves advantageously. Despite a surprising loss to Israel, they comfortably defeated Belgium, overcame difficulties to beat Slovenia, and then narrowly edged Poland thanks to an outstanding performance from Yabusele.

Iceland is still seeking its first-ever EuroBasket victory, currently sitting last in Group D with a 0-4 record and already eliminated from advancing. They have lost to Israel, Belgium, Poland, and Slovenia, but in each game, they showed moments of threat and competitiveness despite lacking consistency and overall roster strength.

The two teams have faced each other only once in an official match, with France winning 115-79 in 2017.

September 4th, 11:00 PM: Israel vs Slovenia

Israel’s basketball team, at 3-1, has secured a spot in the round of 16, but their final group standing remains undecided. Interestingly, Israel still has a chance to claim first place in the group or drop as low as fourth, making this upcoming game crucial for them.

Slovenia, with wins over Belgium and Iceland, currently stands at 2-2 and has also qualified for the round of 16. Their final group position depends on this match’s outcome—losing would mean finishing fourth, while a win could elevate them to third. What stats will Doncic put up in this final group game?

The two teams have met only once before in an official match, with Slovenia winning that encounter.

September 4th, 11:15 PM: Italy vs Cyprus

Italy lost their opening game to Greece, with Fontecchio shooting just 1 for 11, but then won three consecutive matches against Georgia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Spain. Notably, in all three victories, Italy came from behind—even trailing Spain by 13 points at one stage—but managed to reverse the situation and secure wins.

Cyprus is the weakest team in this EuroBasket, suffering comprehensive defeats in their first four games against Bosnia, Spain, Greece, and Georgia, all clearly stronger teams. It is expected that Cyprus will finish the tournament with a 0-5 record.

Italy and Cyprus have never faced each other in an official basketball match before.

September 5th, 2:30 AM: Poland vs Belgium

Poland secured early qualification to the round of 16 by defeating Slovenia, Israel, and Iceland in their first three games. In the fourth round, they suffered their first loss against France in a key group match. Poland’s chances of topping the group are slim—they would need to beat Belgium and rely on France losing to Iceland, which is highly unlikely.

Belgium has already been eliminated and is one of the most depleted squads in this EuroBasket: two NBA players who could have significantly boosted the team did not participate; additionally, one of their core players, Obasohan, was also absent from the tournament.

In their last five official head-to-head matches, Poland has won three times against Belgium.

September 5th, 2:30 AM: Spain vs Greece

Spain lost 63-67 to Italy in their last game, mainly due to offensive struggles—they were completely dominated in the paint by Italy. The Hernangomez brothers’ poor performance was key, combining for eight missed shots and only one point throughout the match. To threaten Greece, Spain’s core players must all perform at their best. Spain will battle Georgia and Bosnia for two qualification spots.

Greece rested Giannis Antetokounmpo in their last game and lost to Bosnia, but the upcoming match against Spain is critical: a win secures the top spot in the group, while a loss might drop them to fourth, complicating their path in the knockout stage. Giannis is confirmed to play against Spain, and Greece will fight hard for victory.

This will be the 10th major tournament meeting between the two teams since the 21st century began, with Spain holding a commanding 8-1 record over Greece in previous encounters.