Luka Doncic will now need to put in even more effort to get his native Slovenia into the Olympics after leading the Dallas Mavericks on an unexpected run to the NBA Finals. Slovenia has to qualify for the Olympics through an Olympic Qualifying Tournament since it did not receive a ticket during the FIBA World Cup last summer.
Losing to Croatia in their opening match dealt a serious blow to Slovenia’s prospects. After that loss, Slovenia found itself in a “blow-out-or-go-home” scenario rather than a “win-or-go-home” one. Slovenia had to defeat New Zealand by a minimum of 10 points in order to move on to the semifinals of the Olympic qualifying tournament, since the tiebreaker in the group stage is based on point difference. They succeeded in doing so on Thursday, winning 104-78. With 36 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists, Doncic took the lead.
So far, eight teams have secured spots in the Olympics. Since France was the host nation, it was automatic admission. After winning their way into the bracket were Canada, Australia, South Sudan, Japan, Serbia, Germany, and Team USA. Four spots remained open for the 12-team competition as a result. Four of the 24 potential teams will receive those berths based on the results of the Olympic Qualification events. Each of the six competitions that these 24 teams compete in is further split into two groups of three teams. Each group’s top two teams move on to single-elimination matches, where the final team standing advances to the Olympics.
It’s noteworthy that the two biggest players this week are competing in the same qualifying round. Doncic will play Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Greeks in the semifinals on Saturday as a result of Greece’s victory against Egypt on Thursday. Then one will head home. For a chance to compete in the Olympics, the other will probably take on Croatia, who has already defeated Slovenia.
Slovenia performed admirably in the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, coming in fourth place despite losing to Australia in the Bronze Medal Game. Clearly, Doncic was the squad leader. On that team, Doncic was by far the most well-known player; former Miami Heat guard Zoran Dragic and Nuggets forward Vlatko Cancar were vying for a distant second place. Even though the Olympics are still a few weeks away, some of the world’s top athletes are already vying to qualify.
READ MORE
BREAKING NEWS: Luka Doncic’s assessment of Klay Thompson demonstrates why everyone is misguided about him……
As part of a six-team sign-and-trade earlier this month, the Dallas Mavericks made their largest free agency acquisition in team history when they inked Klay Thompson to a three-year, $50 million contract.
The Mavs gained an unexpected second-round pick as a result of this trade that eventually became a six-team agreement. They made a great transaction by landing Thompson at this price.
With this acquisition, Dallas acquired one of the all-time great shooters, and Thompson is thrilled to be a member of the Mavs. At his inaugural press conference on Tuesday, Thompson made his first appearance in front of the media alongside Naji Marshall and Quentin Grimes. He had a lot to say about this new phase of his career.
Klay Thompson commends Luka Doncic for his capacity to “elevate” teammates.
Thompson is focused on winning his fifth ring, which is the most important thing to take away from his inaugural news conference. He discussed how he saw himself playing well with this group in the 2024 NBA Finals and had nothing but positive things to say about Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic, the dynamic pair that leads Dallas.
In addition to discussing how long their friendship dates back and how Irving was among the first to text him during his free agency, Thompson also discussed Doncic’s play and his feelings for the rising star in general.
After the deal, Doncic reportedly reached out to Thompson to express his excitement, and Thompson complimented him on his ability to “not be afraid of the situation.” He also complimented Doncic on his capacity to improve people around him.
Some pundits and experts have questioned this aspect of Doncic’s game, and one source even claimed that his teammates seem relieved when he leaves the court. Some people detest Doncic’s heliocentric playstyle, but Thompson’s assessment of him shows that these people are misguided.
One of the best passers of this generation is Doncic, and Thompson noted that he “elevates his teammates.” It is evident that Thompson understands how Doncic improves everyone around him, and it is important to take note of a commendation like this one from a Hall of Famer.
Players may eventually begin to regret their criticism of Doncic’s play style and impact on his teammates, as he is just going to get better and players are continuing to express how much fun it is to play with him.
Stay tuned for all the latest during the offseason and as the Dallas Mavericks prepare for the upcoming campaign with Luka Doncic, Klay Thompson, and the team.
Leave a Reply