The Spanish and Greek basketball teams were both coming off debut losses in the 2024 Paris Olympics. However, the difference between these teams is that Spain clearly has more experience playing international basketball, while Greece was making their first Olympics appearance in a long time against Canada. The match between Spain and Greece was intense as Giannis Antetokounmpo almost pulled off a 30-point performance against the Spaniards. On the other hand, Spain’s Santi Aldama led his team to break through Greece’s defensive efforts. What were the vital points to note from both teams?
Santi Aldama’s Critical Impact in Q1
Greece started by dominating the game in the first quarter with Nick Calathes’s three-point jumper assisted by Antetokounmpo. Throughout the first quarter, Greece controlled of the game. However, Spain kept the affair close. Memphis Grizzlies forward Santi Aldama displayed top-notch offense in this first quarter which helped Spain remain competitive. At the same time, the other Spanish players struggled to find their footing.
The first quarter ended with Spain one point behind (22-21) as Greece maintained their lead in the first quarter. Giannis had nine points, two assists, and three rebounds, while making four of his six field goal attempts. Santi Aldama led the game with 10 points consisting of two three-pointers and a perfect 4-of-4 on free throws.
Spain Improves on Aldama’s Q1 Burst
After an intense first quarter, the Spanish team got their A-game back in the second quarter. Sergio Llull led the team coming off the bench. The Spanish team played mainly from downtown to maximize their lead. The most notable contributor to Spain’s dominant second quarter was Llull who came firing off the bench making 3-of-4 three-pointers and four of his five field goal attempts to put his team in the lead. At the end of the first half, Spain led the game by a 14-point margin (49-35).
Giannis Antetokounmpo failed to make much impact as he added only two rebounds and a steal to his first-quarter performance. However, Aldama was on fire with his 3-and-D performance. The Grizzlies guard scored 12 points, grabbed six rebounds, and added two blocks, followed by Sergio Llull who had 11 points and four assists to complete his second-quarter impact. Spain shot 57.1% from the field including 64.7% from downtown by halftime, while Greece was 40% from the field and 33.3% beyond the arc.
Giannis’s Second-Half Allows Greece to Tie
After an average first-half performance, the Greek basketball team added extra effort in the third quarter. However, Greece’s effort was mostly futile as it’s never easy to return from a 14-point deficit. Thus, despite Greece’s 21 points in the third quarter, the Spanish team maintained its lead. On the other hand, there was light at the end of the tunnel for Greece as the margin was reduced to six at the end of the third quarter.
Giannis elevated his game to get the game close in the fourth quarter or even force overtime. The former NBA champ started his offensive run by making a layup which ended in a three-point play. The play helped Greece get ever closer (62-59). As the game grew tenser, Giannis increased the tension with a fierce dunk after a defensive rebound that allowed Greece to tie the game (71-71).
After the game was equalized, Spain went on a quick 8-0 run over three minutes to maximize the lead. Yet that wasn’t enough to stop the Greek Freak. The NBA champ made another layup that ended in another three-point play which brought the Greek team close again (80-77). However, Giannis missed a three-point jumper with 25 seconds to go in the game that would have forced overtime.
Key Takeaways
The game ended with a seven-point margin (84-77) as Spain clinched their first 2024 Olympic victory against the Greeks. Giannis Antetokounmpo finished with a double-double: 27 points, 11 rebounds, three assists, and two steals, while making 12 of his 17 field goal attempts. Santi Aldama, the Spanish guard, finished with a double-double himself: 19 points, 12 rebounds, and three blocks, while connecting on six of 14 field attempts and three three-pointers.
The Greek team didn’t click offensively as the team missed many short jumpers as well as shots beyond the arc. In addition, Greece’s offense was relatively mild as they couldn’t seem to draw a foul from the opposing team. Despite having fewer turnovers, the Greek team couldn’t convert Spain’s turnovers into vital points due to the team’s low shooting efficiency.
On the other hand, Spain took advantage of Greece’s loopholes to come out victorious in the Paris Olympics. The highlight of Spain’s game was the second quarter when the team shot well from downtown. At the end of the game, the team finished 48.4% on three-pointers. Spain’s performance included good ball movement, which enhanced the team’s playmaking skill, and good defense as they recorded six blocks that allowed them to maintain their dominance in the game.
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