Slovenia continues to look strong in Olympic basketball with Luka Doncic

Luka Doncic (Google Images)

Luka Doncic might even look better with Slovenia in the Olympic men’s basketball tournament after two games than he has over the last two seasons with the Dallas Mavericks. On Thursday, Doncic had 25 points as Slovenia pounded Japan 116-81.

Just how good has this Slovenian Stud been in the Olympic men’s basketball tournament? After two games, Doncic has 73 points.

Ok, yes, Doncic had 23 fewer points against Slovenia than he had against Argentina. However, the fact that Slovenia has won by a total point score of 53 points over the first two games of the Olympic men’s basketball tournament is American-like (or with the exception of the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens and the early going of the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2021 anyway).

One must realize the two wins over Argentina and Japan were Slovenia’s only two victories at the Olympic stage–ever. They were unsuccessful in qualifying for every Olympic Games from 1992 to 2016. Prior to the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, Slovenia was part of the old Yugoslavia that had Olympic success. Yugoslavia won the gold medal at the boycotted 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow. In the gold medal game, Yugoslavia beat Italy 86-77.

Argentina has a rich basketball history themselves as they won the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. Argentina, Yugoslavia and the Soviet Union are the only countries besides the United States too have won Olympic gold in men’s basketball. When the Soviets won the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich their gold medal game against the United States was considered controversial, as there were issues with the time clock late in the second half.

It should now be mighty interesting to see if Doncic is able to continue his Slovenian magic as the Olympic men’s basketball tournament proceeds. Slovenia next plays European power Spain on Sunday.

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