On August 6th, Serbia’s basketball team made a remarkable comeback from a deficit of 24 points to defeat Australia’s team in overtime by a score of 95-90, advancing to the quarter-finals.
In this game, Nikola Jokic played for 38 minutes as a starter. He made 9 out of 18 shots, with no three-pointers and 4 out of 4 free throws, scoring 21 points, grabbing 14 rebounds, assisting 9 times, making 4 steals, and blocking 2 shots, with a plus-minus rating of +17.
The media has been buzzing with commentary about this match.
@Xue SijiaMRPG: Jokic dominated the last two minutes of overtime. You can treat yourself to a Coke after this performance.
@Biepaogangzi: Serbia really pulled through! Coach Jokic is amazing! Serbia has completed a huge comeback of 24 points!
@Zhou PengDaveeeeee: Facing a 24-point deficit, Serbia won by 5 points in overtime, advancing to the quarter-finals. A stunning turnaround!
Coach Lanbao and Mike Wei can now prepare for the new season.
@YushuTiShiXujingyu: With 21 points, 14 rebounds, 9 assists, 4 steals, and a plus-minus rating of over 20, Jokic is simply incredible. He led the comeback, being omnipresent throughout the game. In the final stages, he repeatedly scored decisive points. In terms of individual impact on the team in this tournament, Jokic is the strongest.
@SanTuDaZhi: A 24-point comeback, bringing Serbia back to the Olympic quarter-finals since Rio.
An Australian sideline turnover was reminiscent of something familiar.
@Kong Dezhen: Facing a combined explosive performance from Mills (26 points) and Giddey (25 points), the game went into overtime. Serbia managed to hang on!
A key factor was the disqualification of Landale, which allowed Jokic to dominate in overtime. Two crucial plays and two critical defensive stops helped him finish with 21 points, 14 rebounds, 8 assists, 4 steals, and 1 block, rescuing the team from the brink of defeat. Although Bogdan struggled with his shooting and Milicic was uncertain in critical moments, Serbia’s overall play was clearly superior to that of Australia. The kangaroos had 14 assists and 20 turnovers, while Giddey had 7 turnovers and Mills had 4 turnovers. After Serbia increased its physical presence, it exerted significant pressure on Australia.
While Australia could have performed better, one must acknowledge that Serbia has faced many big moments, and Jokic has proven exceptionally tough. Serbia is eagerly awaiting the United States.
@BasketballCircleZhaoTianzhang: A tricky sideline play doomed Australia’s chances. Serbia, trailing by 24 points at one point, achieved a remarkable comeback and advanced to the quarter-finals. One cannot help but admire the players’ composure and the high level of athletes’ familiarity with the laws of sports, which allows them to maintain a very stable mindset, slowly chipping away at the deficit.
Jokic stepped up, grabbing offensive rebounds for second-chance opportunities, orchestrating the team, making crucial plays, and even defending Mills in the final moments. You might not have noticed his presence in the first half, but he ended up with a near-triple-double of 21 points, 14 rebounds, and 8 assists.