?It Doesn?t Matter?: Luka Doncic Picks Slovenian Victory Over Individual Records at Tokyo Olympics 2020

Earlier today, Luka Doncic made a huge statement on his Olympic debut. The Slovenian, who arrived in Tokyo on the back of an impressive NBA season with the Dallas Mavericks, led his country to victory against Argentina in their opening group match with the score reading 118-100.

Although the 22-year-old put in a stunning individual performance, he played the team game after the match.

Luka Doncic lauds team effort after Slovenia’s first win in Tokyo Olympics 2020

Doncic arrived in Tokyo after leading the Mavericks to another NBA playoffs appearance. Although he dazzled the masses in the post-season, his team couldn’t get past the Los Angeles Clippers in the first round. Despite leading 2-0, they lost the series 4-3.

After that disappointment, Doncic led Slovenia to their first-ever Olympic berth by helping them win the qualifying tournament held in the city of Kaunas, Lithuania. The Slovenians defeated Lithuania 96-85 to secure their place in Tokyo.

In Doncic, Slovenia has a lethal weapon that could help them clinch a medal. And the 22-year-old didn’t waste any time in showing his potential at the global sporting spectacle. He tallied 11 rebounds and five assists to go with a mammoth 48-point performance in their opening Group C match.

In fact, the 6’7″ point guard needed just eight more points to break the Olympic record for the most points in a single game. Although this statistic seemed impressive, Doncic admitted the victory for his team mattered more than individual records.

READ MORE: WATCH: Luka Doncic Begins His Olympics Debut With a Classic Step Back 3 vs Argentina

He said,?“I don?t care about records. We got a win, and that?s what we came here for. I think it was what ? three, four minutes? It doesn?t matter. We won the game.”

Doncic made 62% of his shots from the field

The Slovenian point guard put on a shooting clinic inside the paint, making 12 out of 15 shots from inside the arc. In addition, he also made six three-pointers from 14 attempts.

However, Doncic didn’t let his offensive masterclass stop him from defending. Along with three defensive rebounds, he also made three blocks during the 31 minutes he spent on court.

Slovenia will take on Japan in their next Pool C game on Thursday, July 29. Although they are debutants in Tokyo, Doncic’s presence makes them a legitimate contender for the men’s basketball gold.

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