"Nuggets and Bucks management sweating praying neither of them get hurt like Chet", "Jokic unlocking his inner Dirk lol" - Fans on Nikola Jokic putting the moves on Giannis Antetokounmpo at FIBA WC qualifiers
The FIBA World Cup European Qualifiers saw a battle between NBA giants Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo. With the two MVPs engaging in a fierce showdown, fans couldn't resist from posting their reactions on Twitter.
The European qualifiers are underway just ahead of the 2022 EuroBasket tournament. With two of the best players in action, the Serbia-Greece matchup was bound to be exciting. It definitely lived up to its billing as Serbia won 100-94 in overtime.
Serbia took an early lead as they dominated the first quarter. However, a persistent effort by the Greek side saw them tie the game in the fourth quarter.
Nikola Jokic with the ridiculous shot over Giannis in Serbia's overtime win!
Jokic: 29 PTS, 8 REB, 6 AST
Giannis: 40 PTS, 8 REB, 5 AST
https://t.co/c55Tiz92ol
Nikola Jokic put up 28 points, eight rebounds and six assists in the win. Antetokounmpo dominated with a 40-point outing, along with eight rebounds and six assists.
The marquee matchup caught fans' attention as they took to Twitter to express their reactions. Here are some of the best tweets:
@ClutchPointsApp The Sombor Shuffle came out to play
@BleacherReport @MozzartSport Jokic owning giannis nothing new
@BleacherReport Hell of a battle between the two superstars today
https://t.co/1iRL0QoX52
@BleacherReport @MozzartSport Giannis better
@BleacherReport @MozzartSport Jokic clears that run and dunk merchant
@BleacherReport @MozzartSport Giannis cooked Him
@BleacherReport @MozzartSport Jokic unlocking his inner dirk lol https://t.co/5QI84jDuxm
@BleacherReport @MozzartSport Two best players in the world
@BleacherReport @MozzartSport Love this. COMPETE
@BleacherReport @MozzartSport Giannis taking Lβs as always
@BleacherReport @MozzartSport https://t.co/xPb8C6yNBU
@BleacherReport @MozzartSport Jokic is a SKILLED MONSTER. He owned him with that.
@TheHoopCentral Does this mean itβs a white mans sport? https://t.co/26xwcdL4GT
@TheHoopCentral Better atmosphere than any NBA game ever
@TheHoopCentral LFG THATS MY JOKIC
@TheHoopCentral The NBA needs a british announcer, makes things more exciting
@TheHoopCentral @2Girls1Peli Jokic is clearly the best player in the league
@TheHoopCentral But giannis is the best player in the league??? I think not ππ
@TheHoopCentral Jokic got 0 defense ππ
@TheHoopCentral Nuggets and Bucks management sweating praying neither of them get hurt like Chet https://t.co/sEaNINfjNL
Serbia saw solid contributions from players such as Ognjen Jaramaz and Vladimir Lucic. Highly sought after Euroleague MVP Vasilije Micic, however, struggled to score big, ending with nine points.
Also Checkout:- Giannis Antetokounmpo Brothers
Meanwhile, Greece saw valuable contributions from Tyler Dorsey and Thanasis Antetokounmpo. Unfortunately, other than the Antetokounmpo brothers and Dorsey, no other Greek player scored in double digits.
Although Greece lost the game, they are still ranked second in their group. Having accumulated three wins and two losses, Greece will look to improve their record when they face Belgium next.
Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Luka Doncic representing their countries
The NBA has seen the rise of international players in the past few years. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokic have won back-to-back MVPs in the past four years. Other international talents like Slovenia's Luka Doncic and Cameroon's Joel Embiid aren't far behind.
Doncic, Antetokounmpo and Jokic have been brilliant for their respective countries in the FIBA European Qualifiers. With EuroBasket on its way, they have put their best foot forward.
The European Qualifiers will continue until February 2023. With only 12 countries receiving a spot in the 2023 World Cup, there's a lot on the line. Players like Doncic, Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo have made it a point to suit up for the national team whenever possible. This has led to European countries catching up with the U.S. in competition.
As for the 2022 EuroBasket, Jokic, Antetokounmpo and Doncic will hope to lead their teams to wins in their respective tables. Greece are set to play Croatia in the first game of the group stage. Serbia will face the Netherlands, while Slovenia will play Lithuania.