Nikola Jokic Propels Serbia to Olympic Glory with 93-83 Triumph Over Germany

PARIS, France — Serbia captured the Olympic men’s basketball bronze medal on Saturday with a 93-83 victory over Germany, in a rematch of last year’s FIBA World Cup final.

Nikola Jokic recorded a historic triple-double, logging 19 points, 12 rebounds, and 11 assists. This marks Serbia’s first medal since their silver finish in the 2016 Rio Games.

Serbia, after a narrow loss to the USA in the semifinals, was determined to claim a spot on the podium. Vasilije Micic also scored 19 points, while Bogdan Bogdanovic contributed 16. Jokic’s triple-double places him in elite company with Sasha Belov, LeBron James, and Luka Doncic.

Germany, led by Franz Wagner with 19 points and Mortiz Wagner’s 16 points, struggled to regain their form. Earlier, they had enjoyed a 12-game winning streak in major international competitions, which came to an end with back-to-back losses to France and Serbia.

In the late fourth quarter, Germany trimmed the lead to 82-74. However, Serbia responded with an 11-4 run, securing a decisive victory.

Later on Saturday, the gold medal game will feature a showdown between the United States and France. Team USA, with its roster of NBA stars, is widely expected to win.