Atlanta Hawks star Kristaps Porzingis led Latvia to a narrow 72-70 EuroBasket 2025 win over Estonia, recording 26 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 blocks. After the game, Porzingis compared the tournament’s intensity to the NBA Finals.
Latvia star Kristaps Porzingis has drawn a striking comparison between the intensity of EuroBasket and the NBA Finals.
Speaking after Latvia’s 72-70 win against Estonia, Porzingis spoke about the intensity of the tournament and how it compares to the NBA.
"Yeah, the intensity is there, for sure. For some reason, it feels more... I don't know, tighter. The court feels tighter. Maybe because I have seven turnovers or whatever," he said during the post-match press conference.
"That's why I'm blaming it on the court. But... I think because of the intensity, and sometimes the basketball can get just a bit chaotic, it's important to slow down."
Porzingis highlighted the challenges of playing in a raucous arena, emphasizing the need for focus under pressure.
"And in these high-intensity games where it's so loud, you can't hear anything, there's a bigger chance for something to go wrong. So I think it's even extra important to keep a cool head in this kind of environment."
"To compare it, it's both high levels, high-level intensities, and those are the best kind of games to be a part of as a player,” he concluded.
He finished the game with an impressive 26 points, going a perfect 8-for-8 from inside the arc, while missing all four of his three-point attempts, and converting 10 of 13 free throws. In addition to his scoring, Porzingis grabbed 7 rebounds and swatted 2 shots.
Latvia, now holding a 1-1 record in Group A following their hard-fought win over Estonia, will face a tough challenge against Serbia on Saturday as they look to climb the group standings.
Meanwhile, Estonia will turn their attention to their next matchup against Czechia, hoping to bounce back and secure their first victory in the tournament.
Subscribe to BN+ and get access to exclusive content.