The stage was set for Serbia to finally claim the European crown they had chased for years. With Nikola Jokić in his prime, a legendary coach on the bench, and a squad that had recently pushed the United States to the brink at the Olympics, everything pointed toward a deep run at the 2025 EuroBasket. Instead, on a surreal Saturday night in Riga, the tournament favorites were dismantled by a fearless Finnish team that had already been written off twice in the preliminary round. The final score, 92-86 in favor of Finland, sent shockwaves through the basketball world and left one of the most talented Serbian generations facing an uncertain future.

Jokić's heroic effort not enough

Nikola Jokić, the three-time NBA Most Valuable Player, did everything humanly possible to keep Serbia alive. He played nearly 34 of the 40 minutes, finishing with 33 points, eight rebounds, and four assists. On numerous occasions, the 30-year-old center reversed seemingly lost situations, dragging his team back into contention with his characteristic blend of silky footwork, court vision, and calculated aggression. Yet even his brilliance could not overcome the collective fire of the Finnish underdogs.

It was a scene repeated again and again: Jokić would sit down for a brief rest on the bench, already exhausted, only for coach Svetislav Pešić to point at him and send him right back onto the floor. Serbia needed every second of their superstar to avoid embarrassment, but in the end, even Jokić's superhuman output was not sufficient.

Finland's fearless approach

Finland entered the round of 16 as a clear underdog. They were crushed by Germany in the group stage and also lost to Lithuania, scraping into the knockout rounds on the back of a narrow win over another opponent. But against Serbia, the Finns played with an invincible mentality. They dominated the offensive glass, grabbing second-chance opportunities that demoralized the Serbian defense. Their ball movement was crisp, their shots fell at crucial moments, and they showed no fear of the basketball titans standing across the court.

The standout moment came from Miikka Muurinen, a 17-year-old prodigy born in 2007. Muurinen had the audacity to launch a three-pointer directly over Jokić, with the ball kissing the net to the delight of the Finnish bench. That basket captured the essence of Finland's performance: young, fearless, and utterly disrespectful to the supposed hierarchy of European basketball. Muurinen is already regarded as a future NBA draft pick, and his confidence in that moment symbolized a changing of the guard.

Pešić refuses to blame underestimation

After the game, Serbia's head coach Svetislav Pešić faced the media, but not with the defiant tone many expected. He started his address by congratulating Finland, acknowledging their deserved victory. Then he dissected the reasons for the loss: "Finland grabbed more offensive rebounds, and we lacked aggressiveness," Pešić said. "Did we underestimate Finland? I say clearly: no!"

Yet when asked what he told his players in the locker room afterward, the 76-year-old coach appeared startled. "Nothing," he said, pausing briefly. "What should I say?" That moment of helplessness from one of the greatest coaching minds in European basketball history was more telling than any tactical breakdown.

A legendary coach at a crossroads

Pešić is a living legend in the sport. He won the European Championship with Germany in 1993, the country's first and only continental title. In 2002, he led Yugoslavia to the World Championship, cementing his status as a master tactician. His defensive systems have confounded the greatest players and teams of the past three decades. Known as a harsh disciplinarian, he has nonetheless evolved with the times, adapting his approach to modern basketball. Many believed he was the perfect guide for Serbia's golden generation.

That generation has experienced a series of painful near-misses. At the 2022 EuroBasket, Serbia suffered an unexpected defeat to Italy, which was initially seen as a temporary setback. A year later, without Jokić, Pešić led the team to the World Cup final, only to be overpowered by a magnificent German side. At the 2024 Paris Olympics, Jokić returned, and Serbia looked unstoppable, coming within minutes of defeating the American "nightmare team" of LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant in the semifinals. They ultimately lost that heartbreaker and had to settle for a bronze medal after dismantling Germany in the third-place game.

A season of high hopes and crushing injuries

Heading into the 2025 EuroBasket, Serbia was the undisputed favorite. The squad had prepared impressively, winning the Supercup in Munich with a dominant victory over the reigning world champions, Germany. Players were healthy, cohesion was strong, and the hunger for a title was palpable. But the tournament turned sour from the beginning. Bogdan Bogdanović, the team's second biggest star, suffered a thigh injury early on and was forced to leave the team. His partnership with Jokić had been virtually unstoppable, and his absence changed the entire dynamic of the offense. Additionally, several other players battled minor injuries, and a virus reportedly swept through the camp—a collection of problems that would hamper any team, but one that a side like Serbia was expected to transcend.

Tactical tinkering backfires

Against Finland, coach Pešić appeared unusually indecisive. He experimenting with lineups, deploying multiple big men around Jokić in an attempt to dominate the rebounding battle. This tactic, however, clogged Serbia's offensive flow and allowed Finland to settle into a rhythm. The usually fluid Serbian offense looked stagnant, relying too heavily on Jokić's improvisations and isolated plays. Meanwhile, Finland's quickness and spacing created constant problems for the taller Serbian lineup.

In the closing minutes, Serbia still had a chance to win. But the ball inexplicably stopped going to Jokić. Instead, Marko Gudurić took three consecutive wild three-point attempts, all of which missed badly, effectively sealing Serbia's fate. Pešić, the demanding coach who has punished players for far less, watched without intervention. His lack of reaction was perhaps the most alarming sign of all.

Serbian media fury and fallout

The aftermath was brutal. Serbia's tabloid "Kurir" branded the performance a "disgrace," while the news portal "Sportal" attacked both the players and the coach, writing: "The best defenders did not look like themselves. Coach Svetislav Pešić made it clear changes were needed, but there were no improvements." On the press bench, frustrated Serbian journalists pounded tables, shouting tactical advice that was never heeded.

For Jokić, who turns 30 in 2026, the future with the national team is now uncertain. He has accomplished almost everything in the NBA, but a major international title with Serbia has eluded him so far. One Serbian media representative commented that he would not blame Jokić if he never wanted to play for the national team again after such a night. The same question hovers over Pešić, who might have coached his last major tournament. His contract as head coach will likely be reviewed, and the next big international event is the 2027 World Cup in Qatar.

A tournament without its favorites

Finland's victory was not the only shock in the tournament. Defending champion Spain, who arrived with a young and relatively inexperienced roster, had already been eliminated earlier in the knockout stage. With Spain and Serbia both gone, the EuroBasket title race has become wide open. Several teams that were previously considered outsiders now see a golden opportunity to claim continental glory.

But while the tournament continues for another week, the most monumental sensation has already occurred. Serbia's dismissal at the hands of Finland will be remembered for decades—not only as a colossal upset, but as the moment when one of European basketball's greatest generations and coaching legends might have come to a sudden, tragic end.

Source: Spiegel News