"You have better defenders in the NBA, but here in Europe the team defense is more impressive" - Luka Doncic explains the difference between the defense in the NBA and EuroBasket
Luka Doncic recently highlighted the difference between the defense in the NBA and the EuroBasket. The Slovenian said the NBA has better individual defenders, but Europe has better team defense.
Doncic struggled in the first three games of the EuroBasket before a breakout performance against Germany on Tuesday. The Dallas Mavericks superstar put in a poor performance in Slovenia's loss to Bosnia and Herzegovina on Sunday.
He finished the game with 16 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. He shot 44.5% from the field, but went 0-for-8 from beyond the arc. He also had five turnovers in the 97-93 defeat.
However, Luka Doncic bounced back against Dennis Schroder's Germany on Tuesday. The Mavericks guard exploded for 36 points, 10 rebounds and four assists in the 88-80 win. It was Doncic's career-high for the tournament and his second-best performance behind the 41-point effort at the 2020 Olympics.
In the postgame interview (h/t EuroHoops), Doncic was asked about the difference between the defense in the NBA and the EuroBasket. The 23-year-old said:
"I think you have better defenders in the NBA obviously. But here in Europe, the team defense is more impressive obviously. Because of the smaller court, you don't have the three-second violation. So I think the team defense is very important."
It's not the first time Luka Doncic has lauded the international game. Doncic said in an appearance on "The Old Man and the Three" podcast with JJ Redick earlier this year that it's easier to score in the NBA than in the EuroLeague.
"Basketball in EuroLeague, it's more team basketball, it's more tactics, and you have less time," Doncic said. "NBA is tougher to play because you have many players that are basically impossible to guard. But I would say that scoring is easier in the NBA just because of the different rules. The amount of space, the time, so that's why I said it's easier to score in the NBA."
"Scoring 30 points in a EuroLeague game, it's harder than in an NBA game, 100% percent. I'm just saying this because of the rules."
Luka Doncic looking to win back-to-back EuroBasket championships
Luka Doncic was not an NBA player when he helped Slovenia win their first ever EuroBasket championship in 2017. But he is now one of the best players in the world and will be looking to lead Slovenia to their second consecutive EuroBasket title.
Slovenia are in Group B with Bosnia and Herzegovina, France, Germany, Hungary and Lithuania. They have already qualified for the Round of 16 after wins against Lithuania, Hungary and Germany. Doncic is currently averaging 21.5 points, 7.8 points and 7.3 assists in the tournament.
Elsewhere, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokic are taking over for Greece and Serbia, respectively. Antetokounmpo had a 41-point game against Ukraine, while Jokic casually dropped 29 points and 11 rebounds in a win over Israel.