The Slovenian men's basketball team suffered a bad start in the Paris Olympics qualifying round! On the evening of July 2, Beijing time, in a key battle in the Greek division, the Slovenian team led by NBA Mavericks star Luka Doncic lost to the Croatian team 92-108, which made people sigh: How did this "European golden boy" suddenly become a "blacksmith"?
To say that this game is like an absurd comedy.
Doncic seems to have eaten a secret "discus", missing all 9 three-point shots, and escaped a "three-point insulator".
How did this NBA superstar, who is usually dominant, become a "professional iron striker" today? Could it be that he accidentally stepped on the Croatian team's lucky grass before the game?
Don't think Doncic just didn't score three-pointers, but he showed what it means to be in a "slump" in all aspects.
He shot just 8-of-23 from the field, and his shooting percentage was so low that it made people wonder if he was wearing contact lenses.
Although he finally scored a triple-double of 26 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists, behind this gorgeous statistic, there is a dazzling -24 plus/minus, the lowest in the game! This makes people want to ask: Doncic, Doncic, are you here to play or to brush up on the data?
On the other hand, in the Croatian team, Saric seemed to be hanging, and easily scored 19 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists and 3 steals in 32 minutes.
Zubac was even more efficient, scoring 18 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists in 18 minutes, which was like playing an arcade game.
In this game, Doncic is like a top student who strayed into the exam room, usually 100% in the exam, but today he can't answer anything.
In the first quarter, he shot 1 of 9, and 0 of 9 three-pointers, this kind of performance made even amateur players laugh out loud.
Could it be that he accidentally drank fake wine before the game? Or was it lowered by whom?
You know, this is not an ordinary friendly match, but a life-and-death battle related to the Olympic ticket! The Slovenian team's loss is really "hanging by a thread".
Because in this region, there is also a Greek team led by the Alphabet brothers, and only the champion of the region can directly qualify for the Olympic Games.
Now that Slovenia have lost to Croatia, they will have to pray for a miracle if they want to qualify.
Doncic's performance this time is like a schoolboy who has just learned to play basketball, even if he doesn't shoot, he has to continue shooting.
Where is this NBA superstar, he is clearly a "blacksmith apprentice"! If it weren't for the support of 10 of 11 free throws, I am afraid that I would not even be able to score 20 points.
What's even more laughable is that Doncic seems to have been "infected" with some kind of magical iron-striking ability.
Could it be that he recently got involved with the Warriors' Klay Thompson? Why did you suddenly learn the ability to shoot brainlessly and strike iron crazily? This kind of "skill" is really better not to learn!
Seriously, seeing Doncic's performance like this, Slovenian fans are afraid that their hearts will be so painful that they can't sleep.
originally thought that with NBA superstars in charge, this Olympics would be stable, but who knew that the first game would overturn.
This is good, if you want to enter the Olympics, I am afraid you have to ask God to worship Buddha.
But then again, Doncic is still young after all, and there will inevitably be ups and downs.
It's just that the timing of this choice is so bad that it's like suddenly getting amnesia the day before the exam.
Hopefully, this is just a temporary trough and not some long-term "iron syndrome".
For the Slovenian team, the current situation can be said to be quite awkward.
To qualify for the Olympics, they will have to win one more game in their group to finish second in the group.
Then they have to challenge the Greek team and Brother Alphabet who are likely to win first place in the other group.
If you win by luck, you will have to fight Croatia again.
It's almost like playing Super Mario, and every level is devil's difficulty.
To be honest, seeing Doncic's performance this time, I can't help but ask: Did you forget your talent in the Mavericks' locker room? Or did you lose the "Superstar Mode" switch? In any case, Doncic in this game is as if he was dropped by an alien and is completely unrecognizable.
Of course, we can't expect too much of Doncic.
After all, he is also a human, not a robot, and there will always be times when he will not play properly.
It's just that the timing chosen this time is so bad that it's like suddenly suffering from stuttering on an important date.
Hopefully, this is just an accidental blunder, not some kind of long-term "state crisis".
For Slovenian fans, the only hope now is that Doncic can quickly get back into shape.
Otherwise, they might actually have to watch someone else compete in the Olympics in front of the TV.
This feeling is probably more sour than eating a whole lemon, right?
But then again, that's how dramatic the game of basketball is.
Who would have thought that Doncic, known as the "James of Europe", would actually drop the chain in such an important game? It's almost as unbelievable as seeing Superman suddenly forget how to fly.
For Doncic personally, this game was undoubtedly a huge blow.
From the superstar in the NBA to the "Iron King" in the Olympic qualifiers, this contrast may be difficult for even him to accept.
I wonder if he will sneak into the locker room and cry after the game?
Seriously, seeing Doncic behave like this, I can't help but want to give him a big hug and tell him, "It's okay, buddy, who hasn't had a time when they are out of shape?" Just come back next time! "It's just, poor Slovenian team, I'm afraid there will be no next time.
The victory was undoubtedly a huge surprise for the Croatian team.
Who would have thought they would be able to beat a Slovenian side with Doncic in their hands so easily? It's almost like David defeating Goliath, except that this time "David" seems to be taller and more powerful than "Goliath".
I have to say that this game taught us a vivid basketball lesson: no matter how strong a star is, if he is not in good shape, he can become a burden to the team.
Doncic's performance in this game is simply a negative teaching material for "how not to play".
Hopefully he can learn from this defeat and play better in the future.
Overall, this match shows us how unpredictable sports can be.
Who would have thought that the highly-anticipated Slovenian team would overturn in the first game? Who would have thought that Doncic would have such a bad performance? That's the beauty of sports, it's always full of surprises and surprises.
For the Slovenian team, the current situation is indeed not optimistic.
However, there is hope.
Maybe in the next games, Doncic can find his form and lead the team to create miracles.
After all, in the world of sports, never say never.
Let's wait and see if this "golden boy of Europe" can shine in the face of adversity.
Doncic's defeat not only cast a shadow over the Slovenian team's Olympic journey, but also makes us wonder: can the aura of a superstar really guarantee the team's victory?
Obviously, the answer is no.
Basketball is a team sport, and even if you have a superstar who can score 50 points in a single game, if the other players don't play properly, or if the team doesn't work well, the end result can be a fiasco.
Doncic's performance this time is like a living example that tells us that no matter how great a star is, he also needs the support of the team.
One netizen expressed his opinion on this: "To be honest, I think Doncic's poor performance this time is not entirely his own problem.
When you think about it, he has just finished a long season in the NBA, and he has come to the Olympic qualifiers non-stop, and the physical and mental fatigue can be imagined.
In addition, the rhythm and style of his play in the NBA and the national team are completely different.
Suddenly having to adjust to the rhythm of the international arena will inevitably be a little uncomfortable.
I feel that instead of criticizing Doncic, it is better to give him some time to adjust.
After all, his strength is beyond doubt.
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This netizen's point of view is indeed worth pondering.
Doncic does face a lot of pressure and challenges.
From the NBA arena to the international arena, it is not only a change in the style of the game, but also an adjustment of the psychological state.
Imagine if you had just finished a marathon and were immediately asked to run a 100-meter dash, would you be able to perform at your best?
However, some netizens held a different view: "I think Doncic's performance this time is too disappointing.
As a superstar, he should be able to adapt to a variety of playing situations.
Take a look at how other NBA stars have played on the international stage, and they've faced the same transition issues, but many have been able to adjust quickly.
Doncic's performance this time, to put it bluntly, is a lack of preparation and a bad mentality.
As the heart of the team, he should take more responsibility instead of making excuses.
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This view is not unreasonable.
As a top player, you really should have the ability to adapt quickly to a variety of playing conditions.
However, we also can't ignore the uniqueness of each person.
Some players may need more time to adjust, but that doesn't mean they're not as good as they are.
Some netizens analyzed the game from another angle: "I think everyone focused on Doncic and ignored the excellent performance of the Croatian team.
The play of Saric and Zubac was simply fantastic! They have a tacit understanding, full offensive firepower, and good defense.
I think it's not so much that Doncic is out of shape, it's that Croatia played a perfect game.
That's the key to their victory.
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This point reminds us not to always focus on the losing side.
The outstanding performance of the Croatian team also deserves our attention and appreciation.
This also proves once again that the victory or defeat of a basketball game often depends on the performance of the whole team, not just the individual performance of a certain star.
Another netizen made an interesting point: "Have you ever thought that maybe Doncic's 'bad' performance this time may become a 'shot in the arm' for the Slovenian team?" Come to think of it, this loss could have woken up the whole team to realize that Doncic alone wasn't enough.
Maybe in the next games, we will see a more united and hard-working Slovenian team.
Sometimes, failure can be a catalyst for success.
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This is a very interesting point of view.
In sports, we often see some teams or athletes explode stronger after a setback.
Perhaps, this defeat can really be a turning point for the Slovenian team and allow them to perform better in the next games.
In any case, this game gave us a vivid basketball lesson.
It tells us that even the best of the best players can have their moments when things go berth; Even the strongest teams can drop the chain at a critical moment.
That's the beauty of sport: always uncertain, always looking forward to the next game.
The most important thing for Doncic and Slovenia now is how to learn from this loss, adjust their form and prepare for the next game.
After all, the door to the Olympics is not completely closed, and as long as there is a glimmer of hope, they should give it their all.
Finally, one netizen's comment may be the most representative of the hearts of most fans: "No matter how Doncic performs this time, we should give understanding and support."
As fans, we certainly want to see our favorite players play well every game.
However, we also have to understand that they are people first and stars second.
It's normal to have ups and downs.
I'm sure Doncic will learn from this loss and have better performances in future games.
All we have to do as fans is continue to support him and believe in him.
After all, true fans should not only cheer when a team wins, but also encourage a team when it loses.
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These words speak to the true meaning of sportsmanship.
Win or lose, what really matters is the spirit of never giving up and the love of sports.
For Doncic and Slovenia, the loss may have been just a minor episode in their careers.
What matters is how they learn from it and how they can show themselves stronger in future competitions.
And for us fans, maybe we should learn to look at the outcome of the game with a more inclusive mindset.
After all, the charm of sports lies not only in victory, but also in the spirit of never giving up and the pursuit of dreams.
Let's look forward to Doncic and Slovenia having better performances in the next games, and let's continue to enjoy the joy and passion that basketball brings us.