Slovenia Rides Luka Doncic's Historic 47 Points in Win Over France
Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic put together a masterclass scoring display with 47 points to lead Slovenia in a 88-82 win over France in EuroBasket 2022. He added seven rebounds, five assists, and four steals in 38 minutes of action.
Doncic's scoring display was the second-highest scoring performance in EuroBasket history but is the most points by a player in a single game in the last 65 years. The performance came after Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 41 with Greece to tie for the highest scoring performance since Dirk Nowitzki dropped 41 with Germany in 2001.
It was clear from the opening tip that Doncic made it a point to set the tone in the scoring department. He racked up 27 points in the opening half alone and didn't leave game action for the first 19:23 of action until he got hit in the head diving for a loose ball.
Perhaps most impressive of all, Doncic accomplished this offensive display against a defense that is anchored by Rudy Gobert. He shot 15-23 (65.2 percent) from the floor, 9-12 (75.0 percent) on two-point field goals, 6-11 (54.5 percent) from 3-point range, and 11-12 (91.2 percent) on free throws.
Much like how it went during the Mavericks' first-round playoff series against the Utah Jazz, Doncic utilized a spaced out unit to maximize pressure for Gobert. it didn't matter if Gobert played in drop coverage, switched the screen, or stayed home on a shooter, Doncic made France pay for not being able to contain him individually.
Doncic had played Slovenia's initial EuroBasket games with a focus on facilitation. Against tougher competition like Germany and France, he made it a clear priority to be aggressive with scoring. It started with a 36-point performance against Germany on Tuesday.
Slovenia finished their five games of group play with a 4-1 record, which earns them the top seed from Group B. Now, they will face the fourth seed of Group A.
You can follow Grant Afseth on Twitter at @GrantAfseth.
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