The 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France, have officially begun. Men’s basketball is one of the many sports featured on the international stage. Various men’s basketball players gathered in Paris to showcase their top-notch talents while representing their respective countries.
Team Canada used its NBA star power to beat Team Greece 86-79 on Saturday, July 27. The North Americans improved to 1-0, while Greece fell to 0-1. There’s still some time for the latter to regroup, but the former survived a close game. The former was led by RJ Barrett, who scored 23 points and recorded four rebounds. They also saw contributions from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who scored 21 points and recorded seven assists, and Dillon Brooks, who added 14 points and six rebounds. Both Gilgeous-Alexander and Brooks’ final stat lines were notable. Read on for further details surrounding Canada’s arguably gutsy win over Team Greece.
The Lowdown on Team Canada vs. Team Greece
Toronto Raptors shooting guard and small forward, RJ Barrett, led all Canada scorers with 23 points. Barrett was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and raised in nearby Mississauga. Barrett’s early interest in professional basketball stemmed from his father, Rowan, a former professional basketball player who went undrafted in the 1996 NBA Draft.
Barrett averaged 20.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 3.3 assists, along with a 49.% field goal percentage, for the Raptors, as of the 2023-24 NBA season. Barrett’s NBA career began in 2019 after being drafted with the third overall pick in the first round by the New York Knicks. He played for the Knicks from 2019 to 2023.
Milwaukee Bucks power forward, Giannis Antetokounmpo, led all Team Greece scorers with 34 points, along with five rebounds and two assists. Antetokounmpo was born and raised in Athens, Greece, to Nigerian parents, both of whom were former professional athletes. Antetokounmpo’s NBA career began in 2015 after being drafted with the 15th overall pick in the first round by the Bucks.
The Difference Between the Two Teams
Although the game between Canada and Greece was close, the game’s difference could be attributed to the surplus of NBA players or lack thereof. According to @BucksShowYo, Team Canada had 11 NBA players, including Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, while Team Greece had just one NBA player Giannis Antetokounmpo.
BucksShowYo’s post on X highlighted the massive difference between these two Olympic teams. The difference could be described as one team quadruple teaming another team with a main leader with a lack of a supporting cast. But some Greek professional players, such as Kostas Papanikolaou, arguably deserve a spot in the NBA.
Next Steps for Canada & Greece
“What are the next steps for Team Canada and Team Greece?” you ask. On Tuesday, July 30, Greece will face Team Spain at 5:00 a.m. Eastern, while Team Canada will face Team Australia at 7:30 a.m. Eastern. Both Olympic teams should be prepared to take on their new opponents to continue in the Olympics. The entire group has solid teams and they all call for mouth-watering clashes. While, it’s a do-or-die for Greece, Canada will look to seal the deal with win.
Team Canada shouldn’t take preparation lightly ahead of Tuesday’s game against Team Australia, as their down-to-the-wire required late resistance due to Giannis Antetokounmpo’s game-high 34 points for Team Greece. Team Canada’s high hopes could be squashed by the remaining “Group of Death” of Team Australia and Team Spain. Only time will tell how the upcoming games will shape up the narrative for the two teams.
For More Great Content
Total Apex is an all-encompassing content producer. We provide heavily detailed articles every day on entertainment, gaming, sports, and much more! Check out all the great content Total Apex Sports has to offer. Check us out on X @TotalApexSports and our other sites: Total Apex Sports Bets and Total Apex Fantasy Sports.
