Luka Doncic, Slovenia Primed for Pivotal FIBA World Cup Match Against Canada

Mavs superstar Luka Doncic is set to face off against Canada at the 2023 FIBA World Cup with high stakes.

MANILA, Philippines — After completing group play with a 4-1 record, Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic and Slovenia will compete in the final phase of the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup for potential advancement. There is optimism for what the team can achieve against the world's best. 

"The outcome of the tournament so far is proof of how evenly matched this year's world championship is," Slovenia coach Aleksander Sekulic said. "The circle of favorites for the top positions is very large and we are proud to be part of the elite company."

The first of Slovenia's matchups is against a Canada team led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Given the nature of how the bracket developed for the quarterfinals, Slovenia found out about its initial opponent as the final game of group play was completed. As a result of a 100-71 loss to Germany, Slovenia became locked into a matchup against Canada.

"We had to wait for the opponent in the quarterfinals until the last seconds of the last match of the group stage," Sekulic said. "An extremely interesting match awaits us against Canada." 

Sekulic explained further: "In the group stage, the Canadians showed excellent performances and we will give them an honest attention during these days. For all eight national teams, the championship starts again in the quarterfinal. We are still starting from scratch and I am sure that we will see an exciting finish in the tournament in Manila."

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While Doncic and Gilgeous-Alexander is a matchup that involves two reigning All-NBA First-Team guards, it'll require a collective effort. Doncic has averaged 26.4 points, 7.4 rebounds, 6.8 assists, and 2.4 steals. Meanwhile, Gilgeous-Alexander has provided Canada with averages of 23.8 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 5.2 assists. 

"No, it's a Canada vs. Slovenia game," Gilgeous-Alexander said of matching up against Doncic "I'm trying to do anything to win that game."

There are some major challenges that are posed by Canada as a matchup for Slovenia. Gilgeous-Alexander being the head of the snake of their attack is clear, especially given Slovenia sorely struggled to contain Dennis Schroder against Germany. However, there is a disparity in frontcourt size, along with Canada having various high-level wing defenders to put on Doncic.

The goal for Canada will be to play to the identity that has been established throughout the preparation process. While valuing the fundamentals, there is a mindset of needing to be the aggressors that set the tone on both ends against Doncic's team.

"We need to play to our identity," Gilgeous-Alexander said. "Play fast, play aggressive defensively, cut hard offensively, and share the ball. We must be the aggressors on both ends of the floor. I think if we do that, we'll be alright."

Among the potential adjustments for Slovenia involves self-reaction as opposed to worrying about the matchup that lies ahead. The team had become too focused on complaining to officials in the loss to Germany — causing a distraction when focus was of utmost importance.

"I think we started off well, but then we got a little bit nervous," Mike Tobey said. "We started complaining a little bit too much and kind of took ourselves outta the game. Hopefully we got our stinker outta the way and going forward we can bounce back uses as motivation and not let this happen again."

The strategy from Germany was primarily to trust the long-game of switching to make Doncic have to work to break down the defense at the point of attack, as opposed to sending a hard double to allow Slovenia to play 4-on-3 basketball. The goal was to "wear him down." 

"I thought Niels [Giffey] and Isaac Bonga did a great job on Luka Doncic to really wear him down," Germany coach Gordon Herbert said.

The same sentiment sounds to be incoming from Canada. While the defense lacks much for an interior presence to anchor the defense with Dwight Powell and Kelly Olynyk in the frontcourt, Dort and Brooks 

“He’s used to playing in these games, he knows all the tricks in the trade,’ Brooks told EuroHoops.net “I feel it will be kind of the same thing as in the NBA, trying to be physical and tiring him out looking to the 4th quarter."

Doncic was playing his fifth game in 10 days when facing off against Germany. After scoring 12 points in the first 23 points in the first quarter by mostly playing in the paint, he was settling for 3s more often. With multiple rest days before the match against Canada, he should be more rested, but regardless, he told the team that he was fine amid looming focus on his thigh injury that has was described as not having fully healed before the tournament began.

"Yeah, it was just in the second quarter, he told me he's okay," Sekulic said of Doncic. "In the second half, he didn't have these problems. I don't know, I think he played normal."

Slovenia understands it must reduce the physical toll that Doncic takes to have the best chance of victory. With the goal for the opposition to be physical and wear him down, there must be measures taken to protect him. He had multiple days of rest since his last performance, 

"Like I always say, he takes a lot of hits during a game," Sekulic said of Doncic. "Teams try to play physical with him and there's a lot of contact and he needs to deal with a lot of contact and it's not easy and it hurt him a little bit. Hopefully, we are going to find a way to protect him."

In general, containing at the point of attack on defense will be vital for Slovenia. However, making extra efforts to close out on shooters is essential, too. Against Germany, were too many instances when a shooter was getting open look after there was failure to contain dribble penetration followed by no extra effort being made.

Slovenia will gain Jaka Blazic back after he went down with a back injury in the team's second game of group play. He is ready to get back onto the court and shared a message about the team needing to lean on its experience competing in recent high stakes competition, such as multiple quarterfinals matches at EuroBasket and the Olympics.

“[It will be] an emotion-evoking game, extremely important," Blazic said. "But our generation has already won two important quarterfinals at the EuroBasket and the Olympics, so we have some positive experience, and that's how we're approaching tomorrow's game – with the right energy, the right mood.”

If Doncic and Slovenia manages to advance, the team will compete against Serbia with a chance to advance to the final on the line.