“ Shoot more! Hey, a screen! » This is what the Hawks have constantly repeated Bogdan Bogdanovicagainst the Nuggets, seeing that the latter was in full offensive eruption.
“ They pushed me to the next level and reminded me how good I could be. Because sometimes you get lost on the floor. Not that you don't have confidence, but hearing that from your teammates is next level “, summarizes the Serbian.
Obviously, his playing partners were not his only source of motivation to shine in this meeting. Because in the opposite camp was an opponent he knows very well: his childhood friend Nikola Jokic.
Nikola Jokic remembers Belgrade
“ We always want to fight. Even in Serbia back then, when we played against each other, I feel like he always brings out the best in me. It goes the other way too », Continues the Hawks shooter, of whom we clearly saw the best last night.
First three 3-point baskets in the first quarter, a few closer jumpers in the second, then three new missiles in the third… The Serb was so hot that he made the reigning champions tremble until the end. the last moments.
Despite a 20-point lead in this final period, the Nuggets had to pull away while the crazy shooter opposite planted three new 3-point baskets… in the last two minutes, including one in first intention after an interception by Clint Capela. A fiery finale which allowed him to beat his career record: 40 points (14/24 on shots including 10/17 on 3-pointers), with 3 rebounds and 3 assists.
Enough to logically obtain the congratulations of Nikola Jokic. “ This is the first time in a long time that he is moving normally and not having pain. I think he really plays on the whole season. But tonight he played extremely well. I remember him when he played for Partizan back in the day, in matches like this he seemed to never miss a shot “, reports his selection partner.
Bogdan Bogdanovic becomes the first Hawks player to score 40 points with so many award-winning shots (also career record). Only Danilo Gallinari had already converted 10 3-point shots in the same game.
In the race for the best 6th man?
“ We saw him do this in certain sequences. One of the interesting points about that, significant and positive, and that our guys were really aware of (duty) find it. And they found it in different ways, in transition, off the screen, on the pick-and-roll. Trae (Young) and DJ (Dejounte Murray) were both determined to give him the ball “, likes Quin Snyderaccording to whom it is not always easy to feed such a hot player, “ because the defense adjusts “.
The coach adds: “ This is what is expected of him and he is capable of doing it. » His season proves it. Thanks to his card, the guard averages more than 17 points, again his best career mark, boosted by more than 40% 3-point success. Which makes him a natural candidate in the race for the best 6th man trophy.
But all these elements do not remove the “ bitter taste » that Bogdan Bogdanovic keeps in his mouth, because his Hawks still lost: “ It's the NBA. I learned that I couldn't relax, be happy on the phone, sending messages… I'm past 30, I learned, that a bad night or a good night, like this, it's the same thing. You have to continue doing your routine. The next match is in two days. »
| Bogdan Bogdanovic | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2017-18 | BAG | 78 | 28 | 44.6 | 39.2 | 84.0 | 0.4 | 2.5 | 2.9 | 3.3 | 2.2 | 0.9 | 1.6 | 0.2 | 11.8 |
| 2018-19 | BAG | 70 | 28 | 41.8 | 36.0 | 82.7 | 0.6 | 2.9 | 3.5 | 3.8 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1.7 | 0.2 | 14.1 |
| 2019-20 | BAG | 61 | 29 | 44.0 | 37.2 | 74.1 | 0.4 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 2.2 | 1.1 | 1.7 | 0.3 | 15.2 |
| 2020-21 | ATL | 44 | 30 | 47.3 | 43.8 | 90.9 | 0.5 | 3.2 | 3.6 | 3.3 | 2.3 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 0.3 | 16.4 |
| 2021-22 | ATL | 63 | 29 | 43.1 | 36.8 | 84.3 | 0.5 | 3.5 | 4.0 | 3.1 | 2.1 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 15.1 |
| 2022-23 | ATL | 54 | 28 | 44.7 | 40.6 | 83.1 | 0.4 | 2.6 | 3.1 | 2.8 | 1.6 | 0.8 | 1.2 | 0.3 | 14.0 |
| 2023-24 | ATL | 21 | 27 | 45.2 | 38.5 | 93.3 | 0.4 | 3.1 | 3.4 | 2.2 | 2.5 | 1.4 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 16.1 |
| Total | 391 | 28 | 44.1 | 38.7 | 82.8 | 0.5 | 2.9 | 3.4 | 3.3 | 2.1 | 1.0 | 1.4 | 0.3 | 14.3 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
