For those who tend to forget, this preparation for EuroBasket 2022 is short-circuited with the qualifications for… the 2023 World Cup. We saw France make the Czech Republic dance the rumba on Wednesday evening, and as part of these qualifiers, a huge clash took place yesterday between two of the favorite nations for the European title: Greece and Serbia. Spoiler, the match was absolutely incredible.
It was not a friendly match and for good reason, Serbia in particular badly needed a victory to relaunch the Group I standings, currently dominated by Latvia, Greece and Belgium. The Serbs and Turkey are in ambush because, yes, this group is incredibly dense and will leave one or two very large nations in world basketball on the floor. Kristaps Porzingis had done the job earlier against the Turks and the Serbs therefore had to win, helped by almost 20,000 molten fans for a first record: that of the biggest crowd ever recorded for a “simple” qualifying match, a record standing at 14,500 since the day before at the AccorHotel Arena. A first record because another will fall in the evening, that of the greatest number of points scored in a world qualifying frame, a record now owned by a certain… Giannis Antetokounmpo, author last night of a point at 40 pawns at 14/25 in shooting.
That’s for the history books, and know that in the end and after a fight ended in extra time, the Serbs finally achieved their goal of victory, not without difficulty and thanks in particular to a Nikola Jokic also in great shape. . 29 points at 11/16, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, an incredible shot in the money time of regulation time, and the genius of the double MVP then responded to the power of the Greek Freak, author all evening of a few cannon shots of which he has the secret. We then think the match folded at this moment of the evening but Giannis or the almost house sniper Tyler Dorsey will decide otherwise to offer us five minutes of rab…
[????LIVE] ???? Qualification CDM FIBA 2023
???????????????? JOKIC IS COMPLETELY CRAZY!!!! WHAT A SHOT! pic.twitter.com/kVzsKI06Ud— NBAextra (@NBAextra) August 25, 2022
A 100 to 94 victory after 45 minutes of very very very high level, and a confrontation which suggests that this looming Euro could place itself very high in the history of this competition thanks to all these giga-stars present and therefore a plateau probably higher than ever. Gentlemen the French, the dream is allowed, but you will have to play the best basketball of your life to get a medal.
[???? RÉSUMÉ VIDÉO] ???? Qualification CDM FIBA 2023
???????????????? Duel of giants between Nikola Jokic’s Serbia and Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Greece!
???? It was the Serbs who won in overtime 100-94 in a match that should not be missed!https://t.co/votiNjXaSN— NBAextra (@NBAextra) August 25, 2022