Luka Doncic made a spectacular Olympic debut with 48 points, tied for the second-highest total in men’s basketball history, to lead Slovenia to a 118-100 victory.
SAITAMA, Japan — Luka Doncic is only a 22-year-old Olympic rookie, a player who might still be a few years away from his best basketball. Sergio Hernandez doesn’t need to wait. «For me, I said this two years ago: He is the best player in the world, including the NBA,» Argentina’s coach said. «And if there was any doubt in my mind, there is no doubt anymore. He is the best player in the world.» Hard to argue after Doncic’s performance Monday at the Saitama Super Arena. Doncic made a spectacular Olympic debut with 48 points, tied for the second-highest total in men’s basketball history, to lead Slovenia to a 118-100 victory. In Slovenia’s first Olympic game ever, Doncic scored 31 points in the first half, putting him on pace to break the Games’ scoring record of 55 points by Brazilian Hall of Famer Oscar Schmidt in 1988. Though he didn’t have to do as much in the second half with Slovenia’s huge lead, the superstar guard for the Dallas Mavericks stayed on the floor well into the fourth quarter and ended up tied with Eddie Palubinskas, who had 48 for Australia in the 1976 Games in Montreal. There was still enough time left to break the record when Doncic checked out with a few minutes left, but he wasn’t interested in pursuing more points. «I don’t care about records,» he said.
