Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic’s quest to lead Slovenia to the Olympics fell short as they suffered a 93-65 defeat to Greece in the Olympic qualifier at Peace and Friendship Stadium on Saturday. Doncic recorded 21 points, seven rebounds, and five assists but checked out early with Slovenia trailing significantly.
Giannis Antetokounmpo’s impact, coupled with strong support from his teammates, proved too much for Slovenia. Greece’s frontcourt size and defensive strategy aimed to contain Doncic and disrupt Slovenia’s offense. Antetokounmpo, guarding Josh Nebo at times, exploited his size advantage early, scoring the first five points and helping Greece establish a 13-0 lead.
Slovenia’s scoring drought ended with Doncic’s pick-and-roll finish, but Greece maintained control, closing the first period with a 32-14 lead. Antetokounmpo’s breakaway dunk and technical fouls on Slovenia’s Zoran Dragic and coach Aleksander Sekulic extended Greece’s advantage to 42-19.
Doncic hit key shots, including a step-back three-pointer, narrowing the gap to 47-33 at halftime. Greece started the second half strong, but Doncic’s deep shots kept Slovenia within striking distance. Despite Doncic’s efforts, including five three-pointers, Greece’s defensive pressure and scoring runs extended their lead to 66-50 by the end of the third quarter.
A 16-3 run by Greece in the final period sealed Slovenia’s fate, with Doncic exiting the game to applause from Slovenian fans. With Slovenia eliminated from Olympic contention, Doncic now focuses on preparing for the 2024-25 NBA season.
