With Giannis Antetokounmpo which begins its undermining work inside, the Greece starts well. Thomas Walkup still hasn't adjusted his sights and makes a nasty airball but, behind the physical impact of the “Greek Freak”, Vassilis Spanoulis's selection takes up to 8 points ahead (20-12) on a 3-pointer from Nick Calathes.
Sergio Scariolo then called on his grumblers, Rudy Fernandez and Sergio Llull, and while the former was roundly booed by the Lille crowd, the latter set them alight with several successes which revived La Roja.
Giannis Antetokounmpo may have landed a huge tap, but theSpain came back (22-21) at the end of the first quarter, to the great despair of Thanasis Antetokounmpo who was shouting in the stands. Spain continued on this path, controlling the Bucks star better, and above all by multiplying the successes from afar.
Spain's 3-point festival
The Roja's moving game gives them open positions, which they convert at a pace that surprises (and weighs down) the Greeks. With a superb 11/17 from distance at half-time, compared to Greece's 6/18, Spain has taken control of the match (49-35) and seems ready to push Giannis Antetokounmpo towards elimination…
Three-pointers from Thomas Walkup and Kostas Papanikolaou got Greece going again, while Giannis Antetokounmpo, despite the density in the paint, managed to finish strongly (55-47).
Santi Aldama attracts the wrath of Greece with an injury that healed very quickly following an offensive foul called on Giannis Antetokounmpo. But on a final 3-pointer from Vasilis Toliopoulos, the Greek selection comes back to two possessions (62-56) at the start of the last quarter. The last ten minutes promise to be stifling…
The “Greek Freak” brings his team even closer with the 2+1, and returns again in force (62-61)!
Rudy Fernandez hit in the head
It was the eternal Rudy Fernandez who calmed Greece at 3-pointers, but Vasilis Toliopoulos twice punished the Spanish zone. The man with six Olympic Games did not intend to let La Roja fall behind in the score, even if he then had to join the bench after taking a teammate's knee in the head. Enough to severely sound him, since he remained on the ground for a very long time, and we saw him staggering on the Spanish bench.
On the field, Giannis Antetokounmpo equalizes (71-71) with a dunk but Spain keeps the advantage, as best it can. Meanwhile, Rudy Fernandez leaves the bench, with the help of the medical staff, to go to the locker room.
The “Greek Freak” has the ball to equalize, but his 3-pointer bounces off the rim, and it is finally Spain who wins (84-77) and who offers themselves a chance to get out of this “group of death”. For Giannis Antetokounmpo and Greece, we must now hope for a miracle, an improbable three-way tie at the end of all the matches…
