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Rio Olympics: Nuggets’ Jokic leads Serbia in Weds. #FIBAOQT play

By Drew Albee

Apr 10, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; Utah Jazz forward Trevor Booker (33) guards Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) in the third quarter at the Pepsi Center. The Jazz defeated the Nuggets 100-84. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 10, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; Utah Jazz forward Trevor Booker (33) guards Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) in the third quarter at the Pepsi Center. The Jazz defeated the Nuggets 100-84. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jan 10, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets forward Danilo Gallinari (8) during the first half against the Charlotte Hornets at Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 10, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets forward Danilo Gallinari (8) during the first half against the Charlotte Hornets at Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports /

What to expect from the Nuggets in upcoming #FIBAOQT action this week:

As noted, both Gallinari’s Italy squad and Jokic’s Serbian team have advanced to the semi-finals in their respective tournaments by winning their group. Each team has to wait until Friday to play again, though.

Gallo and his Italian teammates won Group B and will take on a scrappy Mexico team in the semi-finals on Friday. Italy is ranked lower than Mexico, but is 2-0 against teams ranked higher than they are so far in Turin. If they defeat Mexico, the Italians will face the winner of the Greece-Croatia semi-final game in the finals on Saturday.

Gallinari is averaging 9.0 points and 8.5 rebounds in 24.3 minutes per game so far in Turin.

Jokic and Serbia also won their group and will advance to Friday’s semi-finals against the Czech Republic. If Serbia prevails over the Czechs, they will take on the winner of the Latvia-Puerto Rico game with a bid to Rio on the line in the finals. Serbia is favored to not only win their semi-final meeting against the Czechs, but also to take care of business against either Latvia or a Puerto Rico team they have already dispatched once during this tournament and advance to the Rio Olympics this summer.

Dec 20, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets center Joffrey Lauvergne (77) dunks the ball against New Orleans Pelicans forward Anthony Davis (23) during the first half at Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 20, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets center Joffrey Lauvergne (77) dunks the ball against New Orleans Pelicans forward Anthony Davis (23) during the first half at Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports /

Joffrey Lauvergne and France still have one more game in group play — against New Zealand — on Thursday. The winner of that contest will claim the top-spot in Group B in the Philippines tournament and advance to face either Senegal or Turkey in the semi-finals on Saturday.

Lauvergne scored 10 points in 15 minutes to help the fifth-ranked French defeat the host Philippines on Tuesday.

France and the Nuggets’ forward, Lauvergne, are the highest-ranked of the teams remaining in the Philippines and are still favored to advance through the tournament on the road to Rio.

The dream of representing their home nation at the Olympics is still very much alive for all three of the Nuggets participating in FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments this week.

All three Nuggets — Gallinari, Jokic and Lauvergne — are undefeated in group play thus far and Nuggets fans everywhere must be thrilled about the possibility that all three of our players participating still have the chance to represent not only their home nations, but the Denver Nuggets in this summer’s Olympic games.

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Per usual, keep it locked to Nugg Love for Nuggets news, information from around the rest of the league, #FIBAOQT play this week and the Olympics later this summer.

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