LILLE (France) - Giannis Antetokounmpo produced two of the top individual performances of the Men's Olympic Basketball Tournament Paris 2024 through the first two gamedays. But it wasn't until the rest of the Greece team stepped up to give him help did they finally grab their first victory.
Antetokounmpo was limited in his usual standards to 20 points, seven rebounds, six assists and two steals in Greece's 77-71 win over Australia. But three other players scored in double figures - the first time that more than one player joined Giannis in scoring 10+ points.
The former NBA MVP registered an efficiency of 31 in Greece's opening game loss to Canada, picking up 34 points and 5 rebounds. And he followed that with 27 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals for an efficiency of 32. But both games ended in Hellas losses.
Kostas Papanikolaou had 17 points against Canada but the other three starters combined for only 11 points. Vasilis Toliopoulos picked up 14 points off the bench versus Spain as the only other player in double figures with the other four starters combining for 27 points.
That was a massive difference against Australia with Vasilis Spanoulis' team going all hands on deck with their Quarter-Finals lives hanging in the balance.
Thomas Walkup drained four three-pointers - including a dagger triple with 63 seconds left - in scoring 18 points, eight more than he had in the first two games together.
Dinos Mitoglou started his first game and provided an offensive spark with 13 points and 7 rebounds after he totaled 9 points in the first two games. And Toliopoulos added 13 points in the win.
Greece were unable to get direct qualification for the Quarter-Finals in improving to 1-2 and will now have to wait for the results of other groups. They are a lock at third place in Group A.
But at least they know the team can - and will - step up and help Antetokounmpo.
FIBA