Canada is on its way to the semifinal of the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup. In a highly-anticipated showdown of two teams with aspirations of winning the whole thing, the Canadians took on Slovenia on Wednesday and were able to register a 100-89 win behind a 31-point day from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and a 24-point, 9-rebound outing from R.J. Barrett.
A pair of NBA players — one from each team — were not able to see the end of the game. Both Dillon Brooks and Luka Doncic received ejections in the fourth quarter, with Brooks heading to the locker room first after he was tossed for taunting Slovenian guard Klemen Prepelic.
So Dillon Brooks was ejected for this? Weak! #FIBAWC
pic.twitter.com/tyPbCGBgxv
— Doc Naismith ℠ (@DocNaismith) September 6, 2023
Less than 30 seconds later, Doncic saw his evening come to a premature end. The Dallas Mavericks star attempted to back down Luguentz Dort, and while there was contact, it wasn’t enough to earn a foul call from the official. Doncic didn’t like that, which led to him going at the ref, picking up his second technical foul on the evening, and getting sent to the locker room. As he made his way out, he made sure to sarcastically express his discontent.
Following his second technical foul, Luka Dončić has been ejected from the game.
#FIBAWC pic.twitter.com/Fpg05QOaMO
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) September 6, 2023
Luka Doncic made a money sign gesture toward the VIP tribune where the FIBA executives were seated.
This gesture followed a highly emotional reaction from the crowd and the Slovenia team due to a foul call on RJ Barrett.
— Donatas Urbonas (@Urbodo) September 6, 2023
Brooks, unsurprisingly, was happy to see his teammates after the win, and greeted them with a pair of boxing gloves in the tunnel.
Oh, Dillon.
#FIBAWC | @CanBball pic.twitter.com/3MnRmXcGxn
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) September 6, 2023
With the win, the Canadians will move on to play Serbia with a spot in the championship game on the line.