- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander opened up on how Canada limited Luka Doncic
- The guard gave praise to teammates Dillon Brooks and Luguentz Dort
- Luka Doncic only shot 40% from the field against Canada
Though NBA basketball hasn’t started yet, there is still international basketball that is being played right now. The 2023 FIBA World Cup is on right now, and one of the recent matchups involved Canada facing off against Slovenia. The matchup was notable as it featured two of the elite stars in the NBA, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luka Doncic.
Canada ended up winning the contest 100-89, with the team notably being able to hold Slovenian superstar Luka Doncic to 26 points on 8-20 shooting (40%), with 3 turnovers on the night as well. After the game, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander spoke out about how the team managed to stop Luka Doncic, noting that the team had to “mix it up” while adding that they have “two really high-level defenders” in Luguentz Dort and Dillon Brooks.
“I think we just kept comin’,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “Obviously we have two really high-level defenders, probably two of the best in the world at their positions, and we just wanted to keep throwing bodies at him, keep throwing him different looks. Obviously a player of that caliber, you have to mix it up for him.”
1-on-1 with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander after his historic performance, and leading Canada to the semi-finals of the FIBA World Cup for the first time ever — pic.twitter.com/hPjJQDevBN
— Arash Madani (@ArashMadani) September 6, 2023
Though Luka Doncic didn’t have his best game, he scored the same amount as the rest of the Slovenian starters combined. The team was bolstered with 22 points from Klemen Prepelic off the bench however, but clearly that was not enough to defeat Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Canada. Gilgeous-Alexander was outstanding himself, putting up 31 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 assists while shooting 8-12 from the field and 14-16 from the free-throw line.
Canada can potentially move on to the finals by beating Serbia in the semi-finals, and they definitely have the talent to do so. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will have to be elite offensively once again, and we’ll see if he’s able to do so.
Luka Doncic Has Complained About The Officiating Against Canada
Though the game seemed to be officiated fairly, it seems as though some had issues with the officiating. Luka Doncic has already called out the officiating between Slovenia and Canada after his team’s elimination, claiming that the referees told one of his teammates that they wouldn’t call a foul on Dillon Brooks because he complained to them.
“The referees told one of the guys: ‘We’re not gonna call a foul on [Dillon Brooks] because he’s coming at us.’ … I know I complain a lot, but I don’t think it’s fair.”
The goal for the referees in every game is to officiate to the best of their ability and not be influenced by players’ complaints. Even if the referees missed one call, Slovenia still had a chance to win as the score was 50-50 at halftime.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Could Become The First Player To Sign A $400 Million Contract
There is no doubt that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is one of the premier young players in the league today. In fact, CBS Sports predicted that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will be the first star to sign a $400 million contract in the future, and if the league continues growing, it is entirely possible.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s production is definitely worth it, as the guard averaged 31.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game for the Oklahoma City Thunder last season. If he can keep it up then he will surely cement himself as a superstar in the league, and we’ll see what happens in the future.
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