Latvia played Serbia in what was an instant classic EuroBasket game featuring two of Europe's finest big men. Facing Nikola Jokic and a loaded Serbia roster, Kristaps Porzingis had a quietly effective night despite going 0/4 from deep. Latvia ultimately fell short, losing 80-84 after an electric comeback in the late fourth quarter.
Porzingis's versatility was on full display today, playing excellent defense on both the perimeter and paint while demonstrating the strain his talent places on opposing defenses. He was the clear leader of the Latvian squad in a relatively low-touch outing, influencing the game through less-traditional ways.
Despite being one of the world's best shooters, Porzingis has not made a shot from beyond the arc in EuroBasket 2025, going 0/12 through three games. While this sounds alarming, Porzingis has still played well in two games against Estonia and Serbia.
Of course, Porzingis needs to start making his threes for Atlanta's trade for him to pay off. Shooting is a notoriously fickle stat, however, particularly coming off an offseason where Porzingis prioritized his physical fitness over basketball ability.
Porzingis showed what he brings to Atlanta this game
European competition is a difficult lens to evaluate NBA players through. The competition is lower level in a vacuum, yet there is a much greater emphasis on team basketball. This leads to teams making the most of their lower talent level and challenging NBA players in ways more representative of playoff basketball, where teams have seven games to tailor the perfect gameplan in a series.
This unique setting has provided the perfect canvas for Porzingis to show Hawks fans how he will look in Atlanta next season. Playing primarily out of the post, pick and roll, and off kickouts to the perimeter, Porzingis has not only performed individually, but has opened opportunities for his teammates.
Latvia led a thrilling comeback at the end of the game, in which Porzingis played a significant part despite not scoring. He initiated the comeback with a textbook assist from the post after the defense overcommitted to him. This came immediately after he played excellent physical defense on Nikola Jokic, who made his frustration known after missing his post layup attempt.
Down four with 20 seconds left, Porzingis found himself isolated against a quicker Serbian wing. Porzingis played this critical mismatch to perfection, cutting off the drive then blocking the corner three point attempt with just 0.7 seconds left on the shot clock. While Latvia couldn't convert on the following offensive possession, sealing their loss, this is in no way Porzingis's fault.
It is worth mentioning that Porzingis looked noticeably more fatigued today than in his first two EuroBasket matchups. This makes sense, as this was the tail end of a back-to-back just months removed from a post-viral syndrome diagnosis that left Porzingis in poor physical shape.
Still, Latvia had to substitute Porzingis for a quick pit stop with just 5 minutes left in the game. While he returned two minutes later, the Hawks would like him to be able to finish these critical stretches of the game. With more reps under his belt, Porzingis's health should return to pre-viral levels, but Atlanta may consider benching Porzingis on back-to-backs if this phenomenon proves to be more than just a one-off incident.