Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Leads Canada Past Luka Doncic and Slovenia in FIBA World Cup

After Canada knocked off Slovenia on Wednesday morning, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Lu Dort will compete against Serbia with a trip to the tournament championship on the line. 

The winner of that matchup will take on either the USA or Germany in the FIBA World Cup final.

Facing elimination against Luka Doncic and Slovenia, Gilgeous-Alexander once again took control of the game and led Team Canada to a victory. Even with Doncic on the court, Gilgeous-Alexander looked like the best player in the game, dominating both ends of the floor.

In a 100-89 victory of the Slovenians, Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 31 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and two steals while shooting a remarkable 8-of-12 from the field.

Two of these rebounds came late in the game, when Gilgeous-Alexander grabbed an offensive board before putting up a 3-pointer then fighting for his own offensive rebound down low.

After recording the double-double, the game's color analyst and play-by-play announcers were blown away by the Oklahoma City star's hustle and effort.

"Winning plays," the game's commentators said. "Shai Gilgeous-Alexander makes winning plays."

Doncic finished the contest with 26 points, five assists, four rebounds and two steals, going 8-of-20 from the field and committing three turnovers compared to just one from Gilgeous-Alexander.

The game was tied at halftime after the two teams traded baskets for what seemed like the entire first half. Slovenia shot the ball very well in the first two quarters, but did not find the same luck in the second half. 

In the fourth quarter, Gilgeous-Alexander and Canada begin to extend their lead, putting a win out of reach for Doncic and company with around five minutes left in the game.

Dort finished the contest with eight points and two rebounds, going 2-for-4 from the field. 

Fellow Thunder player Davis Bertans was not as fortunate on Wednesday morning, as Team Latvia fell in a heartbreaking 81-79 loss to Team Germany. Despite the defeat, Bertans performed well, tallying 20 points, two rebounds, one steal and one block while shooting 6-for-13 from beyond the arc.

If Bertans, who is nicknamed the "Latvian Laser", can knock down shots in Oklahoma City the same way he has for Team Latvia in the 2023 FIBA World Cup, he will be a value asset on the team's 2023-24 roster.