All-Star Rockets big man Alperen Sengun nearly notched a triple-double during Turkey’s 92–78 win over Czechia on Friday, writes Edvinas Jablonskis of BasketNews. Sengun finished with 23 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists.
Turkey head coach Ergin Ataman, who previously expressed a belief that there’s not a significant difference in the levels of play in the NBA and EuroLeague, doubled down on that assertion after Sengun’s big game.
“I saw on social media, both in the United States and in Europe, people writing about my statement on the difference between the EuroLeague and the NBA,” Ataman said post-game, per Jablonskis. “Give me Alperen Sengun at Panathinaikos and we will beat the Houston Rockets.”
Sengun followed up that Herculean effort with a 20-point, seven-rebound, five-assist showing in a 95-54 blowout of Portugal Saturday, per Sportando’s Alessandro Maggi. Turkey will now square off against Serbia for their group’s top spot in the Round of 16.
There’s more out of EuroBasket:
- Jazz star forward Lauri Markkanen has been in the midst of a superlative tear throughout EuroBasket and in the tournament’s warm-up games so far. The seven-footer notched 43 points in just 23 minutes for his native Finland in a 109-79 blowout of Great Britain, per Eurohoops. He followed that up with a double-double in an 85-65 victory against Bulls center Nikola Vucevic‘s Montenegro on Saturday, reports Maggi.
- Three-time MVP Nuggets center Nikola Jokic helped propel Serbia to an 80-69 win against Portugal with a 23-point, 10-rebound double-double, writes Semih Tuna of Eurohoops. Heat forward Nikola Jovic chipped in 18 points of his own. Serbia followed that up by beating Kristaps Porzingis‘ Latvia on Saturday, 84-80, and clinching its place in the round of 16, tweets Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel. Jokic logged a 39-point, 10-board effort.
- Home team Poland vanquished Israel, led by Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija, 66-64, maintaining its perfect record in EuroBasket competition on Saturday, writes Maggi.
Hahaha, they def would not beat the Rockets. Their three best players are Kendrick Nunn, Mathias Lessort, and Jauncho Hernangomez.
Is it really newsworthy that markenen put up big stats against Great Britain? Lol should I put out a press release because I dunked on my 7 year old nephew? Nothing against euro league its its own thing but give me a break. Congrats sengun you really gave noted basketball powerhouse Portgual the business…
link to yardbarker.com
I’m sure Mavs are happy Luka finally decided to get in shape. Seems we are all suppose to be impressed. With the OneWay Wonder losing again……..
Look out NBA be ready for Luka leading the L in scoring. And losing in the first rd of playoffs …..
I can’t understand this phenomenon at all.
A team doesn’t want to get stuck signing a player who refuses to get in shape to a massive extension, so they trade him.
And they are wrong for trading him, but he bears no responsibility for costing himself around 100 million dollars by refusing to stay in shape.
One NBA writer even said he didn’t care if Luka was smoking cigarettes and drinking beer on the bench you give him that max.
That’s fine if all you want is an offensive stats stuffer leading your team to post season failures.
Because I have been watching hoops since the mid 70’s, and I have never seen a championship team led by a player that wasn’t dedicated to being the best they could be.
And Dallas wasn’t getting that from Luka.