On September 7th Beijing time, Latvia lost 79-88 to Lithuania, failing to advance to the EuroBasket quarterfinals. Porzingis played at an elite level, making 10 out of 12 shots, scoring 34 points and grabbing 19 rebounds, marking his first double-double in the tournament, but the effort fell short. He gave an interview after the match.

“From the very start, having the chance to play in front of our home fans was an immense honor and source of pride,” Porzingis said. “The fans showed incredible passion for this event, their enthusiasm almost matching the excitement we had when we won the gold in 1935.”

“Everything was initially heading towards perfection, and we had the opportunity to achieve something extraordinary,” he added. “But sports are unpredictable; anything can happen in a single game. Until the very last moment, we believed in creating a miracle, but sadly, it didn’t happen today. It’s heartbreaking, but we have to accept the outcome and use it as motivation to move forward.”

During last season with the Celtics, Porzingis faced health issues in the NBA playoffs. He admitted that his physical condition has significantly improved while representing Latvia this time.

“Indeed, some days I still don’t feel perfect, and I’m working hard to get back to full strength,” Porzingis said. “But as the tournament progressed, my body felt better, and I knew I could handle the physical demands and push myself further. Today’s game proved that.”

“Things will only get better from here,” he continued. “Overall, this summer, playing alongside my Latvian teammates, returning home, and spending time with family has been wonderful. Of course, it would have been even better to end this journey on a more positive note.”

“I gave everything on the court,” said the new Hawks player. “This was definitely one of my best rebounding games in my national team career. But sometimes, even giving your all isn’t enough. Still, I believe none of us could say to our teammates, ‘We could have done more’—we left everything out there. Sometimes, even the maximum effort falls short. Tonight, Lithuania played better, and I salute them.”

Regarding the upcoming NBA season, Porzingis believes his national team experience this summer will serve as a “boost.” “Absolutely,” he replied. “I feel like every time I finish national team play, my NBA season improves. Because no matter how hard you train in the summer, nothing replaces real game experience—especially at such a high level and intensity. So now back in Atlanta, I’ll maintain good form and rhythm, ready to jump into the new season anytime.”

Although Latvia has been eliminated, Porzingis said he will continue to follow the rest of the European Championship and offered bold predictions about the remaining schedule and potential champion.

“Why can’t Lithuania win the title? It’s entirely possible. Like I said before, anything can happen in a single game,” Porzingis said. “Although Jokubaitis is injured and they lost a key player, others stepped up... So I sincerely hope they go as far as possible. Of course, Serbia and Germany are also strong teams, so let’s wait and see.”

Porzingis probably didn’t expect that Serbia would share a similar fate with Latvia, as in a following round of 16 match, Serbia was upset by Finland and also exited at the last 16 stage.