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Bucks News: Serbia, Nikola Jokic Obliterate Team Greece Sans Giannis Antetokounmpo
Feb 27, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) grabs a rebound against Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) in the third quarter at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

Three-time NBA MVP Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic's Team Serbia thoroughly handled two-time MVP Milwaukee Bucks power forward Giannis Antetokounmpo's Team Greece in a EuroBasket warm-up game this weekend — without Antetokounmpo.

As Eurohoops details, Jokic put on an absolute show over the weekend at the ECOMMBX Cup in Limassol.

The ECOMMBX Cup is essentially a friendly warm-up tournament ahead of EuroBasket proper. Antetokounmpo, who will sit out both of Team Greece's games this weekend (they'll be playing Portland Trail Blazers small forward Deni Avdija's Team Israel on Sunday), is expected to suit up for EuroBasket when the games start to count. His brother, fellow former 2021 Bucks champion Thanasis Antetokounmpo, is also playing for Team Greece.

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In a 76-66 victory, Jokic logged a 23-point, 19-rebound double-double, while also dishing out four dimes. Team Serbia seemed to have gained permanent control from midway through the second quarter of the action — until Team Greece clawed its way back, getting within three points late in the bout.

Dubai Basketball combo guard Aleksa Avramovic stemmed the tide for good, notching a critical triple to help Serbia pull away. Miami Heat power forward Nikola Jovic and L.A. Clippers guard Bogdan Bogdanovic each chipped in nine points. 6-foot-11 Panathinaikos power forward/center Dinos Mitoglou paced Team Greece with 18 points.

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Fans hoping to witness a matchup between two of the league's best players will have to hope that Team Serbia and Team Greece will actually face off against each other in EuroBasket itself.

Jokic is coming off one of his most dominant NBA seasons yet.

While leading a relatively shallow Denver squad to a 50-32 record in 2024-25, the 30-year-old big man averaged 29.6 points on .576/.417/.800 shooting splits, 12.7 rebounds, 10.2 assists, 1.8 steals and 0.6 blocks in 70 healthy games.

Jokic became the first center to ever average a triple-double over the course of a full season, and just the third player overall to achieve the feat, joining Hall of Fame point guards Oscar Robertson and Jokic's own Denver teammate last year, Russell Westbrook. Westbrook, himself the 2017 MVP, has averaged a triple-double four times across his career.

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This article first appeared on Milwaukee Bucks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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