NBA: Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo do battle, Serbia tops Greece

Date:

Share post:


Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic and Milwaukee Bucks big Giannis Antetokounmpo, who have combined to win the past four NBA MVP awards, had a rare summer encounter on Thursday in international competition.

Jokic led host Serbia to a 100-94 overtime victory over Antetokounmpo’s native Greece in a FIB World Cup qualifying game in Belgrade.

Antetokounmpo scored 40 points in 40 minutes, becoming the first player in history to hit for 40 in a European qualifier game. He added eight rebounds and five assists.

But it wasn’t enough to prevent Jokic’s team from sealing the victory. Jokic finished with 29 points on 11-of-16 shooting along with eight rebounds and six assists. He knocked down a turnaround jumper off one leg over Antetokounmpo late in the game to put Serbia up by eight.

Greece managed to force overtime, but Jokic hit two shots over Antetokounmpo in the extra session.

Serbia improved to 2-3 in European qualifiers for the World Cup, which will be played in 2023. Greece is 3-2. They each have five games to go.

Jokic is the NBA’s two-time defending MVP, as he followed Antetokounmpo winning the award back-to-back in 2019 and 2020.

–Field Level Media

spot_img

Related articles

WNCAAB: Caitlin Clark offered $5M to play in BIG3 league

Iowa superstar Caitlin Clark has a $5 million offer on the table to join the BIG3 3-on-3 basketball...

NCAAB: Reports: SMU hotly pursuing USC coach Andy Enfield

SMU is getting closer to landing Southern California basketball coach Andy Enfield, multiple sources reported. Enfield has been the...

NCAAB: FAU hires Baylor assistant John Jakus as head coach

After working a dozen years for two of the most successful programs in the nation, John Jakus is...

NCAAB: Utah brushes aside VCU in NIT quarterfinals

Gabe Madsen scored 18 points and Branden Carlson added 17 to lead Utah to a 74-54 NIT quarterfinal...

FREE

Get the most important breaking news and analyses for Free.

Thank you for subscribing

Something went wrong.