NBA-Star player Luka Doncic and defending champion Slovenia started the European Basketball Championship with a narrow win. The team around the professional Dallas Mavericks defeated co-favorite Lithuania in Cologne with 92:85 (51:48) and thus already took a big step towards the round of 16.
Doncic, who repeatedly attacked in the heated game, had 14 points and ten assists. Center Mike Tobey with 24 points and point guard Goran Dragic with 19 points also contributed to the European champion’s hard-fought success. For the Lithuanians, who were cheered on by thousands of green-clad fans from the stands, Mindaugas Kuzminskas was the top scorer with 19 points.
Bosnia-Herzegovina had previously won the first game of Group B. The Bosnians prevailed in the duel of outsiders against Hungary with 95:85 (45:46). NBA pro Jusuf Nurkic of the Portland Trail Blazers shone with 19 points. The Bosnians are the second preliminary round opponent of the German team on September 3 (2:30 p.m.).
Co-favorite Spain celebrated a clear victory at the start of the European Championship. The team led by Rudy Fernandez defeated outsiders Bulgaria in the first game of the tournament in Tbilisi with 114:87 (57:35) and thus proved their good form.
Lorenzo Dontez Brown scored 17 points for the Spaniards, with seven players in Sergio Scariolo’s team scoring in double figures. Spain is considered a favorite alongside Turkey in Group A of the preliminary round and is a potential knockout round opponent for the German team.
