Watch the magic: Doncic responds to ''overrated'' chants with 31 points
STOCKHOLM (Sweden) - Over 8,500 fans were in the Hovet arena, trying to help Sweden get that elusive win to push them through to the Second Round. They tried playing mind games with Slovenia's Luka Doncic.
STOCKHOLM (Sweden) - Over 8,500 fans were at the Hovet arena, trying to help Sweden get that elusive win to push them through to the Second Round. They tried playing mind games with Slovenia's Luka Doncic, but the superstar just smiled and let his basketball do the talking on the court.
Slovenia defeated Sweden 84-81, and Doncic did his usual thing. The 23-year-old had 31 points on 10-of-20 shooting from the field, with 10 rebounds, 6 assists and 2 steals, giving him efficiency rating of 32, a game-high by some distance.
He laughed off the "overrated" chants, sharing a moment with another Dallas Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki, who was sitting courtside in Stockholm.
Dirk joining in on the "overrated!" chants to Luka 😂😭#FIBAWC | #WinForAll pic.twitter.com/YYUJRkC4Hu
— FIBA Basketball World Cup (@FIBAWC) July 3, 2022
Sweden could not do anything to stop Doncic on the night.
They backed off, he got four three-pointers. They came close, he hit them with his wide array of crossovers and dribbles. They doubled him, he found Mike Tobey with his lob passes. And even when he was hit with hard fouls, he was still able to get the lucky bounce on the rim.
Doncic was helped by the Dragic brothers. Zoran and Goran found a bucket each when it seemed Sweden could pull off a comeback late in the game, and once Ludvig Hakanson and Pelle Larsson missed their potential game-winning three-pointers, Doncic was there both times, to secure the rebound.
Slovenia finished the First Round at 4-2 thanks to Doncic's 52 points, 18 rebounds and 16 assists over the last three days and will continue their journey to the World Cup in August, having qualified as the second-placed team in Group C.
Relive his heroic performance from Stockholm, right here, right now:
FIBA