:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47159020/GettyImages-458726364.0.jpg)
After Bojan Bogdanovic suffered a concussion against Slovenia five days ago, he had one game off, then returned, only two days later. FIBA, unlike the NBA, has no concussion protocol and so it's difficult to tell whether he has fully recovered. But his performance might raise questions.
Over the past two games, Bogdanovic is 5-of-24 from the field and 2-of-13 from 3-point range. On Thursday vs. Georgia, his stats were shocking: 1-of-10 overall, including 1-of-7 from downtown.
Bogdanovic has always been a streaky shooter, but he has not looked himself since he took the nasty fall.
The Nets had to have been somewhat concerned about the 26-year-old after seeing that. The question of course is whether his desire to play for his national team may have caused him to jeopardize his health.
Despite losing to Georgia Thursday, Croatia will go on to the next round of Eurobasket, the single elimination "knockout round," in Lille, starting this weekend. There's no indication that he will be given additional rest. In fact, he played all but nine minutes vs. Georgia, an essentially meaningless game.
Italy lost Thursday as well, to Serbia, with Marco Belinelli out with a hematoma in his leg. Serbia, who was undefeated going into the game, dominated starting with a second quarter run. By game's end, the lead was up to 19. Andrea Bargnani finished with 17 points, but only two rebounds. For the first five games, Bargnani shot 57.1 percent from two-point range and an even 50 percent from three, averaging 13.8 points, but only 3.8 rebounds. Italy, like Croatia, is bound for Lille.
"Physically I'm fine, I'm tired like all my teammates, because we gave everything in the last three days," Bargnani told Italian reporters. "Now we'll erase the defeat just as we've canceled victories over Spain and Germany, and think about the next one. "