Slovenia’s Luka Doncic reacts during the men’s preliminary round group C basketball match between Argentina and Slovenia of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama on July 26, 2021. (Photo by Aris MESSINIS / AFP)
TOKYO—The Slovenian men’s basketball team rolled past Argentina 118-100 in their Olympic debut on Monday as Luka Doncic scored 48 points to come close to breaking the single-game scoring record for the tournament.
Argentina may have the Olympics pedigree, with a gold and a bronze medal to their name, but newcomers Slovenia showed no hesitation out of the gate, taking an early lead on four straight three-pointers including three by Doncic.
By half-time Doncic, the Dallas Mavericks star, already had 31 points, accounting for half of his team’s scoring as they led 62-42 and never looked back.
Luka Doncic Olympics debut:
31 PTS
8 REB
3 AST
4 3PT
11-17 FGin the first half. pic.twitter.com/AVXkjf4obY
— StatMuse (@statmuse) July 26, 2021
Doncic finished on 18 for 29 shooting, including six three-pointers, and added 11 rebounds and five assists.
Luis Scola, playing in his fifth Olympics for Argentina, led his team with 23 points.
Brazil’s Oscar Schmidt holds the single-game record with 55 points set in 1988 versus Spain. Doncic’s 48 points ties him for second place with Australia’s Eddie Palubinskas in 1976.