Spain beats Argentina, ties Doncic's Slovenia atop Group C

Ricky Rubio scored 26 points and Spain remained unbeaten in the Olympics by beating Argentina 81-71 on Thursday in a rematch of the Basketball World Cup.

Rubio was the MVP when Spain beat Argentina 95-75 two years ago in China to win its second world championship — with the first coming in this very Saitama Super Arena in 2006.

The Spanish might have another run at an Olympic medal in them after winning silvers in 2008 and 2012, and bronze in 2016.

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Nicolas Laprovittola scored 27 points for Argentina, which fell to 0-2 after giving up 48 points to Doncic and lost 118-100 in its opener. Luis Scola added 13 and Facundo Campazzo had 10.

This game, featuring 41-year-olds Pau Gasol and Scola meeting again in their men's basketball record-tying fifth Olympics, was the latest matchup between nations that have been basketball's best outside of the U.S. over the last two decades.

Argentina got off to a strong start and led 15-6 when Laprovittola made a three-pointer. Rubio had 11 points in the first quarter but Spain trailed 25-20.

The Argentines still held a one-point lead after Scola made his only basket of the half, but Rudy Fernandez made a three-pointer and Willy Hernangomez had the final four points to make it 40-34 at halftime.

Spain opened a 14-point lead on Gasol's three-point play in the final minute of the third. Argentina cut it to eight headed to the fourth but Spain quickly pulled away again, pushing it to 16 points midway through the period.

Argentina finishes pool play against host Japan, also 0-2.

Fernandez is also in his fifth Olympics.

Slovenia too much for Japan

Rui Hachimura did whatever he could. Blocking shots, hitting tough jumpers, logging big minutes, the best player on Japan's roster simply held nothing back with hopes of giving his country its first Olympic men's basketball win in 45 years.

Problem was, the other side had Luka Doncic.

The Dallas Mavericks star had another impressive performance with 25 points, seven rebounds and seven assists in 26 minutes, Zoran Dragic scored 24 points and Slovenia remained unbeaten in its Olympic debut by beating Japan 116-81.

"It's not only Luka," Hachimura said. "They have a lot of guys who can hoop.... They're a great team. They beat us."

Vlatko Cancar added 16 for Slovenia, which has won its two games in Saitama by a combined 53 points. Slovenia out-rebounded Japan 54-33 and had 27 assists to Japan's 15.

"It was a great game for us," Slovenia coach Aleksander Sekulic said. "I think we showed our power. We played really together as a team. To have 27 assists and 54 rebounds, it says something about this team and I'm really proud of them."

Hachimura finished with 34 points and seven rebounds. Yuta Watanabe added 17 for Japan.

"Congratulations to Slovenia," Japan coach Julio Lamas said. "They played better than us, all the game.... They are a very good team, very complete team with one amazing player."

The Hachimura vs. Doncic matchup got off to a flying start, both players finishing the first quarter with 13 points and Slovenia taking a 29-23 lead after the opening 10 minutes.

The margin was up to 53-41 at the half, and Japan still seemed to have a shot early in the fourth down by only 14.

And then Doncic returned, ending whatever hope the hosts had.

Doncic 'main guy'

Doncic who declined to stop for questions after the game, didn't play in the final 5:30 of the third quarter. He grabbed a seat at the end of the Slovenia bench, draped towels over his shoulder and lap and kept them there until he checked back in early in the fourth. His first possession: a stepback three-pointer from the left wing that dropped, putting Slovenia up 83-66 with 9:14 remaining.

"He's our main guy," said Dragic, the younger brother of Miami Heat guard Goran Dragic. "But we have so many other players who can play with him. We let him do whatever he wants and the other players are trying to support him. We know what he can do. Obviously, we are very successful like this and we're just going to keep on going."

Slovenia outscored Japan 20-7 in Doncic's final shift of the game, and when he checked out for good all doubt was gone — the lead was 100-73.