Италия vs Сербия Prediction 31 August 2026

The Italians have delivered mixed results so far. Yes, they put on a solid showing in a friendly against Estonia (83-61), but in their first official game of this window, they suffered a narrow defeat to Bosnia (76-78). It was clear the team struggled offensively in the opening half, managing just 27 points before the break. Similar issues could arise against Serbia: as long as their opponents have fresh legs, they’re likely to keep up with everything Italy throws at them. The Italians have brought a relatively decent roster, but even at home, putting up 80+ points seems a tough ask. Their best response to the favorites might come on the defensive end.

The Serbian national team have already played three games this August. Two were friendlies, splitting wins with France. Their qualification clash came against Iceland, and Serbia cruised to a 102-73 victory. The entire roster saw minutes, though there were some lapses-most notably, they managed just 18 points in the third quarter. That’s hardly surprising: even elite basketball stars tend to show a dip in efficiency during August. On top of that, Nikola Jokic isn’t quite ready for high-tempo basketball just yet, so Serbia are likely to operate at a slower pace. This could limit their offensive output, but defensively, the Balkan side should remain rock solid.