Lauri Markkanen forged an all-time Finnish display against Croatia. In the history of the European Championships, no more than six players have been able to perform harder than the king of Pohjola, writes Urheilu’s Roope Visuri.
18:35•Updated 18:35
BERLIN.
0.1 seconds on the clock. The match is tied. In the Berlin Arena, the Croatian bench gives emotional instructions to the players. Finland has a boundary throw on the offensive end. In practice, winding is very rare and almost impossible in these situations, because the watch starts immediately upon contact.
The Finnish team replaces a fullback on the field Edon Maxhunin, which gives a boundary throw. At the same time, Finland’s biggest star, an NBA player, Lauri Markkanen standing cold under the basket surrounded by Croatians.
Markkanen yells at Maxhun gently, but firmly.
– Throw it here, I’ll get it!
Markkanen does what he promises. Maxhuni passes directly into Markkanen’s hand and Markkanen shovels it into the basket.
Hands are being spread on the Croatian bench. They cannot believe the Finn’s performance to be true.
Watch Markkanen’s basket in the video below. The story continues after the video.
This example told everything about Lauri Markkanen’s completely incomprehensible day. Markkanen scored as many as 43 points in the quarterfinals against Croatia. Finland won 94–86 and advanced to the quarterfinals for the first time in history.
Such a game has never been seen in Finnish basketball and maybe even in ball sports, considering the stakes and the opponent. The playoff match of the very hard European European basketball championships. The bet is a place in the top eight and the opponent is a team with several NBA and Euroleague players.
The best thing is that Markkanen knows his role in the team. He is the team’s number one name, who is expected to score points and take responsibility. Markkanen also bears his responsibility. Still, he is not at all arrogant to others, as a superstar might be, at least according to stereotypes.
Markkanen also doesn’t just wait for others to help make baskets for him, but also creates situations himself. It has been shown in this tournament and in the Croatia game. Markkanen cuts under the basket and finishes a fiery dunk from a teammate’s pass, or comes with power to the offensive rebound and slams the ball into the basket.
Markkanen has certainly been a superior player in this tournament with his individual performances.
Only two players have scored more than 40 points in this tournament. They are two of the NBA’s biggest stars: Greece Giannis Antetokounmpo (41 points) and Slovenia Luka Doncic (47 points). Then there is the King of the North Lauri Markkanen with 43 points.
Even in the history of the European Championships, the points balance is wild. Only six players in the European Championships have been able to do harder. 43 points in one match have been scored by three other players besides Markkanen.
Markkanen will become such a sports legend, such as Dirk Nowitzki alongside. The German Nowitzki scored 43 points in the 2001 European Championships in the bronze medal game by Henrik Dettmann under. At that time, however, Nowitzkinka’s feats did not amount to a medal. Now Finland had enough for a historic victory.
Pretty much. After 55 years, Finland is among the top eight at the global and European level in the extremely competitive sport of basketball. If the moment that described Markkanen’s performance seemed impossible, so did this achievement some time ago.
For example, the Susijeng captain who is ending his career Shawn Huff described to during the European Championships, how even at a young age he did not dare to say out loud his dream of playing in the European Championships. Now it has become commonplace.
On Sunday, Finland took a big step forward. A playoff regular became a quarterfinal team.
Susijengi fans, now flights to Berlin for Tuesday’s Spain quarter-final! This delicacy is not to be missed.
Finland will face Spain in the EC quarter-finals on Tuesday, September 13. at 6:15 p.m. Live broadcast on channels from 18:00.
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Susigengi made EC history! Terrible performance from Lauri Markkase that broke records – Finland beat Croatia and advanced to the quarterfinals