Serbia vs Iceland

The story of the afternoon was written by Serbia’s quartet of Nikolas. Nikola Tanaskovic posted a game-high 23 points on 8/10 field-goal shooting through the first three quarters alone, needing only 17 minutes on the floor. Nikola Jovic added 21 points in 23 minutes despite navigating foul trouble throughout. Nikola Milutinov contributed 10 points and 7 rebounds in just 14 minutes off the bench.

Nikola Jokic, the Denver Nuggets superstar playing in his third qualifying appearance of the campaign, posted a typically understated stat line: 6 points, 13 rebounds and 6 assists in 23 minutes. Jokic’s floor game — directing traffic from the high post and picking apart Iceland’s zone looks — was the engine behind Serbia’s offensive rhythm.

The three-time NBA MVP opened the scoring with a short hook shot and proceeded to control the tempo. Iceland, who entered the window at 3-3, competed through the first quarter but found no answer once Serbia’s bench unit — led by Tanaskovic and Milutinov — raised the defensive intensity in the second period.

The game swung decisively in the second quarter when Serbia’s deep rotation took over. With Jokic on the bench, Tanaskovic scored 11 consecutive points in a three-minute burst that stretched the lead from single digits to 20. Iceland had no answer for his combination of strength around the rim and quick footwork in the post.

Serbia outscored Iceland 52-34 across the middle two periods, and their 57% two-point shooting for the game — matching their competition average — did most of the damage in that stretch.

Nikola Tanaskovic — The 23-year-old forward delivered his best outing of the qualifying campaign. A perfect 8/10 from the floor through three quarters, his 23 points came in just 17 minutes with a team-high scoring output.

Nikola Jovic (21 pts, 23 mins) — The Miami Heat forward attacked the rim repeatedly and knocked down outside shots despite carrying fouls. His ability to score in the half-court against Iceland’s set defence was a constant outlet.

Nikola Jokic (6 pts, 13 reb, 6 ast) — A quiet night by his otherworldly standards, but his +26 plus-minus in 23 minutes told the real story. The three-time NBA MVP’s passing unlocked Serbia’s shooters on the perimeter and his rebounding snuffed out Iceland’s transition chances before they materialised.

Nikola Milutinov (10 pts, 7 reb, 14 mins) — The Olympiacos centre was efficient in limited minutes, providing a physical presence inside that Iceland’s frontline could not match.

Serbia’s 86.5 points-per-game competition average undersells what they produced here. The 102-point output was their second-highest total of the qualifying campaign, driven by an effective field-goal percentage that comfortably exceeded their tournament averages.

The hosts’ 57% two-point shooting held up, but the real separator was volume: Serbia attempted significantly more shots than Iceland, a function of their offensive rebounding — Jokic and Milutinov combined for 6 of 13 offensive boards — and Iceland’s 15 turnovers.

Iceland’s competition-average 37.6% three-point shooting was a non-factor. The visitors attempted only 20 threes and converted at a rate well below their usual clip, unable to generate clean looks against Serbia’s size on the perimeter switches.

Serbia now sits third in Group J at 5-2 (11 points), level on losses with second-placed Italy (5-1) albeit having played one more game. The top three teams from each Second Round group qualify for the 2027 FIBA World Cup in Qatar. The current Group J standings: Türkiye 6-0 (12 pts), Italy 5-1 (11 pts), Serbia 5-2 (11 pts), Lithuania 3-3 (9 pts), Iceland 3-4 (9 pts), Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-4 (8 pts).

Iceland drops to fifth place. They host group leaders Türkiye on 31 August, while Serbia travel to Pesaro to face Italy the same day in a game with direct qualification implications.

The win extended Serbia’s all-time head-to-head record against Iceland to 3-0, following previous victories at EuroBasket 2015 (93-64) and during EuroBasket 2012 qualifying (114-58 and 91-78).

This was a mismatch of depth and quality. Serbia’s four Nikolas outscored Iceland’s entire starting unit, and the bench advantage was even more pronounced. Iceland competed for stretches but lacked the interior size and perimeter firepower to trouble a Serbian side that, even without a vintage Jokic performance, has too many weapons at this level. The trip to Pesaro on Monday will be a far sterner test.