Luka Dončić put together a masterpiece performance that should have been enough. Instead, the Los Angeles Lakers superstar watched his Slovenia squad’s EuroBasket dreams crumble in a quarterfinal heartbreaker that left fans questioning everything they witnessed.
How Did Germany Overcome Luka Dončić’s 39-Point Masterpiece?
Dončić was nothing short of spectacular, pouring in 39 points in what many considered a tournament-defining performance. Unfortunately for Dončić and his native country, that explosive scoring output wasn’t enough as Slovenia couldn’t hold off a relentless second-half rally, falling to Germany 99-91.
The Germans found their rhythm behind Orlando Magic wing Franz Wagner, who delivered a team-high 23 points, while Germany’s captain, veteran NBA point guard Dennis Schröder, controlled the pace with 20 points and seven assists in the victory.
Slovenia looked ready to cruise early, building a commanding 32-21 lead in the first quarter. However, that advantage slowly evaporated as Germany chipped away, cutting the deficit to just 74-70 heading into the final period. Germany then seized control with a devastating 7-0 run to open the fourth quarter.
Although Slovenia briefly reclaimed an 86-85 lead on a clutch Dončić three-pointer, they were completely overwhelmed down the stretch, getting outscored 14-5 the rest of the way. Germany will now advance to face Finland in the semifinals while Dončić and Slovenia have been eliminated from the tournament.
However, the game’s most controversial moments had nothing to do with the final score.
Why Are Fans Calling Slovenia’s Loss a “Robbery”?
After the final buzzer, fans unleashed their fury at the officiating, which overshadowed what should have been a showcase of elite basketball talent.
“What an absolute disgrace to the game of basketball,” one Dončić fan exclaimed. “One of the worst officiated games I’ve seen in 20 years.”
What an absolute disgrace to the game of basketball. One of the worst officiated games I’ve seen in 20 years.
— Showtime Luka (@showtimeluka) September 10, 2025
“Slovenia should really be up by 15 if the officiating was playing fair tonight,” they added.
Slovenia should really be up by 15 if the officiating was playing fair tonight.
— Showtime Luka (@showtimeluka) September 10, 2025
Others expressed frustration that the referees overshadowed the star players whom fans came to watch perform. One particularly upset fan wrote: “On the basketball court, you have Dončić on one side for Slovenia and Schröder and Wagner on the other side for Germany. Instead of those 3 stars, the centre of attention was 3 referees who had the main goal of bullying Luka Dončić. FIBA, shame on you!”
On the basketball court, you have Dončić on one side for Slovenia and Schröder and Wagner on the other side for Germany. Instead of those 3 stars, the centre of attention was 3 referees who had the main goal of bullying Luka Dončić.
FIBA, shame on you!— Zeljan Branica (@ZBranica) September 10, 2025
The anger reached a boiling point as fans began questioning the integrity of the entire contest. “I have never ever seen a basketball game being refereed so poorly,” another fan said. “This is so bad I cannot but suspect that the game is rigged in Germany’s favor. I stayed up until 4 am for this garbage.”
I have never ever seen a basketball game being refereed so poorly. This is so bad I cannot but suspect that the game is rigged in Germany’s favor.
I stayed up until 4 am for this garbage.
— SLO HOOPS FAN (@SloHoopsFan) September 10, 2025
The late-night viewing time certainly amplified their frustration with how the game unfolded.
i am heartbroken for slovenia , these stupid refs did everything they could to get germany to the semis. assholes
— m⁷⁷ (@miss77ela) September 10, 2025
“i am heartbroken for slovenia,” another very angry fan tweeted. “these stupid refs did everything they could to get germany to the semis. a******”
Slovenia got robbed right in front of our eyes man, this is nasty
— Jo (@MavsStan41) September 10, 2025
Some fans didn’t hold back in their assessment of what transpired, going so far as to call the game a robbery: “Slovenia got robbed right in front of our eyes man, this is nasty”
“Luka really had Slovenia up 13 vs Germany but the refs took over the game ,” one Lakers fan tweeted.
What Made Dončić’s Performance So Special Despite the Loss?
Dončić’s stat line told the story of a player who refused to let his team go down without a fight. The Lakers superstar didn’t just score 39 points but also grabbed 10 rebounds and dished out seven assists for a near triple-double performance.
Dončić looked like the best player on the court and was arguably the best player in the entire tournament. However, taking on a team with a veteran floor general like Schröder, center Daniel Theis, and Wagner alongside his Magic teammate Tristan da Silva, it was always going to be an uphill battle for Dončić’s squad.
Despite the heartbreaking elimination, Dončić proved once again why he’s considered one of the world’s elite players, delivering on basketball’s biggest international stage when his country needed him most.
What Did Dončić Say About Refereeing?
Meanwhile, Dončić himself vented his dismay both on and off the court. Only three minutes into the third quarter, Doncic was whistled for an offensive foul after making contact with Schröder on a layup attempt.
After his fourth foul, a frustrated Doncic made a “money” gesture toward the officials. After the game, he did not hold back.
Speaking to Slovenian “Sport TV” after the game: “I won’t say anything. First, I got a technical foul, two minutes into a game, for yelling ‘hello’, but ok. In a quarter-final, that shouldn’t happen, no matter what kind of player you are. If you don’t even get a warning first, then I don’t know. But it’s a quarter-final, fighting for a semi-final, so I really don’t know how they did that…”
On being asked to explain further, he declined: “I’d rather not talk about that because, I mean, it’s better if I don’t talk about it… because I got a fourth foul at the start of the third quarter, so that never happened before in my life.”
