Nikola Jokic's teammates, Aleksa Avramovic and Filip Petrusev, talked about Jokic's 39-point performance against Latvia, claiming the Nuggets star left them speechless.
Nikola Jokic put on a show that, for NBA fans, might seem routine. But on the EuroBasket stage, such performances appear only once a tournament—or even rarer.
Player of the Game
Nikola Jokic
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Nikola Jokic
Points
Accuracy
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The Serbian superstar finished the game against Latvia with 39 points (15/26 FG, 1/4 3PT, 8/8 FT), 10 rebounds, and 4 assists, clinching the EuroBasket playoff berth for his country.
With this 39-point performance, Jokic set a new all-time EuroBasket single-game scoring record for a Serbian national team player, breaking his own mark set in 2022.
"I don't have any words," Serbian guard Aleksa Avramovic told BasketNews when asked about Jokic's performance.
The 30-year-old also became just the fourth player in the last 30 years to record multiple EuroBasket games with 30+ points and 10+ rebounds.
The exclusive list includes Dirk Nowitzki (5), Pau Gasol (4), and Lauri Markkanen (2).
"He's our leader," Filip Petrusev told BasketNews. "When we see him lead the way and do all the things he's doing, even over two or three defenders, it gives everybody else the motivation to step up even more. That's why it was a great team victory tonight."
Throughout the game, Serbia struggled to find momentum, especially when Jokic was on the bench.
At times, it looked like he was back in Denver—carrying his team on his shoulders. Still, Petrusev doesn't see that as a major concern.
"We know how valuable Nikola is, and we just try to help him as much as we can," Petrusev said. "Obviously, when he's not on the court, everybody else needs to step up—and that's what we do, you know."
"That's what we try to do. He's our best player, but I don't think we have any concerns, he added.
Jokic also spoke after the game. But as always, it was his actions on the court—not his words—that did the talking.
Serbia Needed Everything From Jokic To Beat Latvia
Edvinas Jablonskis
Edvinas Jablonskis began his basketball coverage career in 2017. Starting as a Daily Writer for BasketNews.lt, he steadily climbed the ranks and became a Daily Editor for BasketNews.com in 2021, a position he continues to hold. Over the years, Jablonskis has covered multiple EuroLeague Final Fours and international tournaments, including the FIBA EuroBasket, FIBA Basketball World Cup, and FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament.
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