Slovenia’s last exhibition game before the FIBA EuroBasket tipped off Sunday against tournament favorite Serbia, and the matchup quickly turned one-sided. Serbia rolled to a 106-72 victory despite a 17-point effort from Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic.
Doncic opened with 11 first-quarter points, keeping Slovenia within 10 after 10 minutes. Serbia then seized control, outscoring Slovenia by 18 in the second period to lead by 28 at halftime and never looked back.
The Dallas Mavericks star finished with seven rebounds and four assists but continued to struggle from long distance, converting just 2 of 10 three-point attempts. He went 7 for 9 at the free-throw line while facing constant double teams designed to take the ball out of his hands.
Serbia’s balanced attack was led by Miami Heat forward Nikola Jovic, who recorded 18 points and seven rebounds. Los Angeles Clippers guard Bogdan Bogdanovic added 14 points, and three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic closed with 10 points, seven rebounds and four assists. The win capped an undefeated exhibition slate for Serbia, while Slovenia ended its tune-ups with a single victory.
Slovenia heads to EuroBasket group play in Group D alongside France, Iceland, Poland, Belgium and Israel. The team opens the tournament on Aug. 28 against Poland, then meets France on Aug. 30 and Belgium on Aug. 31.
Source: Lakers Nation
