OKINAWA.
Lauri Markkanen finished with 32 points when Finland beat Venezuela in the final game of the World Cup 90–75. The victory also meant that Finland secured its place in the Olympic qualifiers next July.
Before the World Cup, Markkanen was one of the favorites to win the basketball crown and, despite Finland’s difficulties, was the hardest scorer of the games.
With the last game, Markkanen rose to second place in Slovenia in the points statistics of the World Cup Luka Dončić’s behind. Markkanen’s final GPA was 26.7. Of course, the World Cup tournament is in progress, so the ranking can still change.
Markkanen was also second in points statistics at the European Championships last year, scoring a point more per match then.
The international basketball association Fiba does not offer more advanced shooting statistics like the NBA, the world’s toughest basketball league, but the basic statistics show one clear difference between last year’s European Championships and the World Championships.
Markkanen’s three-point shots struggled in these World Cups, and especially in the first three group games. Suomalaištahti bagged only three out of fifteen attempts. In the last two games, Markkanen started hitting. The final balance was 8/32, or 25 percent hit accuracy.
However, few necessarily remember that Markkanen experienced a World Cup-like slump at the beginning of the last NBA season. After the season opener, he made 4/22 3-pointers in the next three games, or 18.8 percent.
Still, in that season, Markkanen sank threes with the best accuracy of his career, i.e. 39.2 percent. The Finn was the first Nordic to be selected for the NBA’s prestigious all-star game. At the end of the season, he was also awarded the NBA’s most improved player award.
Markkanen stated on Wednesday in the Finnish media exam how he has not been able to get his legs involved in the throw. However, the Finnish star is not stressed about his lower-than-normal shooting accuracy from behind the three-point arc.
– I tell everyone that there is absolutely no need to worry. In every NBA season, there have been stretches of three-to-five games where threes are missed. Then he went to the basket and practiced throwing. It has been found at some point. There will be swings for everyone. The sample for these games is not very large, Markkanen stated in an interview with Urheilu.
Markkanen admitted to Urheilu that he would have hoped to be in better shape at the World Championships.
– I haven’t physically reached the level at which I could play. I have given my all this summer. Of course, it has been a challenging year. All kinds of things have happened. My own expectations are always higher, where the player is at the moment. At least it didn’t depend on the amount of training, Markkanen described.
Without the military, would you be in better shape right now?
– I do not know. Of course, it was a different summer with the army. I’m not going to make excuses, but of course it would have looked different. I would have started training faster in the spring and increased the intensity earlier. You could joke, but the army was on the agenda this summer. I am in as good shape as I can be, Markkanen stated.
Markkanen did not name a single clear complaint when Urheilu asked him after the last World Cup match what was missing from playing.
– In general, such a “tatsi”. Now, from the final tournament, I felt that I caught up with how to play with certain players. It would have been harder to start training with the team even earlier, Markkanen said.
Markkanen admitted that the World Cup balance of two wins and three losses was disappointing.
– We dreamed that we could continue from the first group. Disappointing in that way. We have to be happy that we got something to play for next summer, Markkanen pointed to the place in the Olympic qualifiers.
Learn about playing as a team
In the opening group of the World Cup, Finland’s performance was a mess, even though the opponents were strong World Cup medal candidates, Australia and Germany. Markkanen wants to remind you that trying is not enough, and the team has a good time together.
What can you learn from the World Cup experience?
– You can learn how a team needs to stay together and how to play as a team in order to beat better basketball countries. The biggest lesson for everyone is that sports are not easy. There will be difficult moments. That’s when the team is measured. Everything is easy when there are profits. It’s in these moments that you really develop, when adversity comes, says Markkanen.
At some point after the World Cup, the trip continues to Salt Lake City to prepare for the NBA season. The Utah Jazz have already acquired during the summer, for example, as a reinforcement of John Collins to the longer end of the team.
– Let’s go after bigger things. We have to play better than last season. Of course, we hope to make it to the playoffs, says Markkanen.
Despite a different summer, Markkanen feels that he is ready to go to the NBA floors when the time is right.
– The aim is to be in the best shape of your life when the games start, says Markkanen.
See all of Lauri Markkanen’s baskets in the World Cup below.
Lauri Markkanen vs Venezuela (32 points)Lauri Markkanen vs Cape Verde (34 points)Lauri Markkanen vs Germany (12 points)Lauri Markkanen vs Japan (27 points)Lauri Markkanen vs Australia (19 points)