LYON (FRANCE) – Nikola Jokic made his return to the court, playing in front of a large audience for the first time in two months. He reminded everyone why he is considered one of the best, if not the best, players of the modern era. With Jokic playing a pivotal role, Serbia posed the biggest defensive challenge of the summer to Victor Wembanyama and the French team.
Serbia also showcased many strengths from their 2023 FIBA World Cup silver run and hinted that the potential absences of Nikola Jović and Dejan Davidovac might not be a significant issue for them.
Serbia led by 13 at half-time and eventually won this game with a score of 67-79.
The story of the game
Serbia started the game with a frontcourt featuring Jokic and Nikola Milutinov to counter the French double-headed monster of Wembanyama and Gobert. However, it was Ognjen Dobric who took the spotlight early on, hitting a couple of threes in the first quarter.
The French frontcourt worked well. Wembanyama scored a step-back three over Jokic, and Rudy highlighted the opening quarter with a turnaround jumper.
The French defense excelled at the end of the first quarter as they switched all positions and took a 5-point lead into the second quarter.
But Jokic changed the momentum in the second quarter, showing extreme determination and desire. He schooled his French opponents, getting the ball and successfully posting up Wembanyama.
The turnaround began on defense for Serbia, as they allowed France to score only 9 points in the second half.
Les Bleus got back to work in the third quarter, finding some tough baskets, and they cut the gap to 8 points entering the final quarter.
Jokic fouled out with 4 minutes to go in regulation, which opened up some space for France. They cut the deficit to as little as 4 points. However, Serbia’s ball movement in clutch moments and big threes by Petrusev and Bogdanovic ultimately won the game for them.
The player of the game
The three-time NBA MVP and arguably the best current player in the world, right? Nikola Jokic has won it all across the Atlantic Ocean, but he still has something to prove for his national team. This summer, it looks like Jokic wants it badly.
It seemed personal for him against Wembanyama and Gobert and he showed a lot of will and grit. His defense rarely makes the highlights, but he was a solid cornerstone under Serbia’s basket.
The Joker finished this game with 20 points and 12 rebounds in 30 minutes of action.
And we can’t wait for more of this, Nikolo!
Wembanyama had 14 points (3-8 FGs), 10 rebounds, and 3 assists.
The stats of the game
Who would’ve thought it was possible to score against France in the paint? In fact, Serbia racked up 40 points from that area of the court. Svetislav Pesic’s men turned France’s biggest advantage into their weapon, with not only Jokic and Filip Petrusev scoring there but also Bogdanovic and Aleksa Avramovic sneaking in regularly. Meanwhile, France managed to score only 12 points in this category.
Avramovic also once again captained their ball pressure, grabbing 3 steals out of the team’s 11. Dribbling against him will still be a nightmare for anyone come the Olympics.
The takeaways from the game
Serbia’s aggressive defense from last year hasn’t diminished, and now with Jokic dominating in the paint, they look impressive, don’t they? The Serbs appear fit and ready to go, as if the Olympic tournament were starting tomorrow.
Pesic must surely be pleased with what he’s seen so far. But will they be able to maintain their physical peak in two weeks’ time?
Their upcoming back-to-back preparation games against Australia and the USA next week will bring us closer to finding an answer.
France showed a lot of resilience when things didn’t go their way and proved that this team isn’t solely reliant on Wembanyama. However, they likely need to explore more options when Wembanyama is heavily guarded. Improving their half-court offense will be crucial. Less turnovers, more control and more aggressiveness.
Les Bleus will face Australia in Orleans next Friday in their penultimate preparation game.
FIBA