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PARIS: Nikola Jokic recorded a triple-double as Serbia beat Germany 93-83 on Saturday to claim an Olympic men’s basketball bronze medal, avenging their defeat in last year’s World Cup final.
Jokic scored 19 points, added 12 rebounds and 11 assists, and helped Serbia earn a consolation medal after a heartbreaking loss to the United States in the semifinals.
Three-time NBA Most Valuable Player Jokic missed the 2023 World Cup, which Germany won for the first time, but Serbia grabbed the final podium spot thanks to the Denver Nuggets star’s arrival in Paris.
For Jokic, it was his second Olympic medal, having won a silver medal as part of Serbia at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Bogdan Bogdanovic was also a member of that team and scored 16 points.
Vasilije Misic and Jokic both scored 19 points, and six Serbian players scored in double digits as Serbia controlled the game from start to finish.
“Winning a bronze medal at the Olympics is a huge success,” Bogdanovic said.
“Of course, there is some sadness behind the game against the United States, but we can’t turn back. We can only be proud of what we have achieved today.”
Franz Wagner scored 18 points for Germany. His brother Moritz contributed 16 points, while World Cup champion Dennis Schröder had only 13 points.
“Obviously everybody is sad,” Schroeder said. “Everybody is unhappy right now, but we’ll move on.”
Serbia led 46-38 at halftime and stretched its advantage to 19 points in the third quarter, while Germany struggled to get closer.
Serbia lost to the United States by 13 points in the final quarter but made sure there would be no repeat of that mistake this time around as they denied Germany their first Olympic basketball medal.
— AFP
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