Nikola Jokic posted the fifth triple-double in men’s Olympic basketball history on Saturday as Serbia defeated Germany in the bronze medal game, writes Sam Amick of The Athletic. The Nuggets star had 19 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists and led Serbia to a 93-83 victory in a battle of teams coming off heartbreaking losses in the semifinal round.
Two other NBA players had prominent roles in Serbia’s victory, which brought the nation its second Olympic men’s basketball medal. Hornets guard Vasilije Micic also scored 19 points, while the Hawks’ Bogdan Bogdanovic, Serbia’s captain and career leading scorer in Olympic competition, added 16.
“It was difficult to sleep (after the Team USA loss),” Bogdanovic admitted. “We didn’t sleep that day, that night at all. It was a late game, but the next day, we all wake up and (Serbian coach Svetislav Pesic) was ready with the (team) meeting. He was ready with the same meeting that he did the whole year — a little bit longer, of course. But that was his way. We believed. We didn’t complain. We weren’t late. Yeah, we play together. We win together. We lose together. We are together. We celebrate together.”
Serbia took advantage of hot shooting to build an early lead, making 12 of its first 17 shots. They were up 46-38 at halftime and broke open the game with an 18-7 run in the third quarter that pushed the lead to 19 points. With Dennis Schröder, Franz Wagner and Moritz Wagner all struggling to make shots, the Germans weren’t able to make a serious run after that.
“We weren’t going home without a medal, especially after what happened two days ago,” Serbian big man Filip Petrusev said. “We owed it to ourselves. We owed it to the country, to the people that supported us. Two days ago, the whole country was so proud of us, so we had to bring something home. That was the mentality. You all saw it two days ago against the best team ever (in Team USA), maybe, that needed all kinds of help, and maybe luck a little bit (to win). … But I just hope this is not our last time altogether. I think this team can … in the future, be even better. This might be one of the best teams Serbia ever had.”
It was a disappointing outcome for Germany, whose men’s basketball team has still never medaled in Olympic competition. After going unbeaten in last year’s FIBA World Cup, the Germans looked like the most serious challenger to the U.S. through group play, but back-to-back losses mean they’re going home empty-handed.
Despite the outcome, the 30-year-old Schröder told reporters that he’s far from finished with international competition, tweets Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.
“Coach, I said I’m going to play until 40,” he said to Gordon Herbert at the post-game press conference. “I don’t know why they’re asking me this. I’m playing until I’m 40. That’s my goal. Hopefully, if I play until 40, my teammates can play until 36-37 and make it special.”
The game may have been the last Olympics appearance for Pesic, whose contract as coach of the Serbian national team has expired. He talked about his future following the game, relays Kevin Martorano of Sportando, saying he’s unsure what he’ll do next, but he hopes to have a role in continuing to build Serbian basketball in advance of the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
A new country has entered the ring! It’s Sebia from the top rope! Goebbels and his cronies never stood a chance!
Eastern Europe stays owning the Germans
Serbia is not eastern Europe.
Sure it is. And Chicago is in the midwest.
For Chicago I know it is in Illinois and if its in Midwest I do not know, but Serbia for sure is not eastern Europe but its South East which is far away from Easter Europe. It’s same as saying that Alabama and Maine are eastern USA states.
Okay southern Europe makes sense. I see what you’re saying.
Serbia is absolutely an Eastern European country. The eastern bloc comprises the area east of the Mediterranean. North and south are not relevant. Southern Europe is generally referred to as places like Italy and Greece. You may not like it, but Serbia is practically the definition of Eastern Europe.
Likewise Chicago is a midwestern city. The regional perspective has nothing to do with the geographical center of the United States and is instead from the perspective of the east coast.
Always remember, geographical terms predate the complete mapping of the world. You may not like it or agree, but that doesn’t make it false.
Also same ethnicity as the Russians. Both are considered Slavic
What? Serbia is South Slavs, Russian eastern. This is exactly the same as saying England and Germany are same ethnicity.
I’ve always liked you Highwaymenace !!
Please tell me more about a country where I was born.You understand that Serbia is on Balkan peninsula and we have Mediterranean climate. Serbia never was definition of Eastern Europe. Neither cultural or geographical. Yes Serbia is a slavic country, so is Croatia or Montenegro or North Macedonia and neither of this countries are Easter Europe. South Europe is Italy and Greece while Balkan Peninsula is between this 2 countries. So Serbia is by far not absolutely Eastern Europe.
Ah and one more thing I forgot. Eastern Bloc countries has nothing with geography, they were called like that because SSSR ruled over them. Majority of them are from East Europe but there was some that are not from East Europe.
Yeah, according to the Eastern Bloc definition, Slovenia would be Eastern Europe and Austria Western Europe, which makes no sense if one would look at a map.
Serbia “captures “??
Weird verb to choose