Turkey vs Serbia prediction and H2H — September 3, 2025
Turkey
Serbia
In the fifth round of the EuroBasket group stage, Turkey will face off against Serbia. The game will take place in Riga on Wednesday, September 3, with tip-off scheduled for 20:15 Central European Time. I'm backing a bet on the total points for this clash.
Match preview
Turkey has entered EuroBasket 2025 with a strong and balanced roster, headlined by their main star, Alperen Şengün. The Houston Rockets center is capable of dominating the paint, creating opportunities for his teammates, and scoring in a variety of ways. His versatility allows the Turks to adjust their tactics depending on the opponent, making them a tough team to predict.
Cedi Osman and Shane Larkin provide perimeter scoring and constantly threaten opposing defenses. Turkey frequently utilizes off-ball movement and high tempo in transition, enabling them to generate open shots and capitalize on fast breaks.
Against top-tier teams, Turkey can sometimes struggle under the basket and in perimeter defense. However, their ability to push the pace and the individual brilliance of their leaders make them dangerous opponents and set the stage for a high-scoring contest against Serbia.
Under Ataman's guidance, Turkey has looked excellent in this tournament and has already secured a playoff berth. Their only real competition in the group has come from Latvia, but so far, the Turks remain unbeaten.
Serbia remains one of the favorites at EuroBasket, thanks to their balanced squad and wealth of experience. Nikola Jokić is the game-changer, able to score, distribute, and control the tempo all at once. His presence allows Serbia to play a deliberate, half-court game and make the most of every set play.
Jokić is supported by Bogdan Bogdanović and Nikola Jović, forming a formidable perimeter trio. The Serbs excel at controlling the pace and managing their energy—crucial in a packed tournament schedule.
Serbia's main strength lies in their depth and the variety of offensive schemes at their disposal. The coaching staff can rotate players without losing quality, and the team adapts well to different in-game scenarios.
Throughout the tournament, Serbia cruised past Czechia, Portugal, and Estonia. Only Latvia managed to put up a real fight, but even they couldn't stop Jokić and company. In this final group-stage game, Serbia and Turkey will battle for first place.
Match facts
- Turkey has won seven games in a row.
- Serbia is riding a 16-game winning streak.
- Turkey averages 91 points per game, while Serbia averages 86.
Players to watch
One of the undisputed stars of the entire championship is Nikola Jokić. The Denver Nuggets center is in sensational form and posting phenomenal numbers. He's already recorded three double-doubles in this tournament, and in the clash with Latvia, he poured in an incredible 39 points.
H2H
Turkey last defeated Serbia in 2013 and has lost the last eight meetings since then.
Prediction
Given both teams' playing styles, we can expect an open, high-paced game with plenty of offense. Turkey is unlikely to stray from their fast-break philosophy, while Serbia has enough quality to keep up the tempo. I'm taking the over on a total of 160 points.
