Two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo led Greece to an impressive 109-82 win over the Dominican Republic in the Olympic qualifying tournament in Athens.
Giannis Antetokounmpo led Greece to an impressive 109-82 win over the Dominican Republic in the Olympic qualifying tournament in Athens.
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In just 18 minutes of play, he scored 32 points with 100% shooting efficiency (11/11), along with 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals and a classic “monster-block” situation that made social networks flooded with highlight videos of this situation.
Thomas Walkup added 17 points for Greece, which led by 27 points and could advance to the semifinals of the tournament with a win over Egypt in its next game. Giannis’ younger brother, Kostas, also contributed to the victory with 4 points, 1 rebound and 1 steal in 11 minutes.
Giannis Antetokounmpo has no rival in the area under the basket
He seemed unaffected by the left calf injury that sidelined him during the Milwaukee Bucks’ playoff run in April. He kept attacking the basket, hitting 9 of 13 free throws and hitting his only three-pointer.
“Giannis loves being here. He loves representing his country,” said Greece coach Vassilis Spanoulis. “He is very humble. He is part of the team. For a superstar, that is not easy to find. … He is focused on winning.”
The tournament in Greece is one of four events that will determine the final four spots for men’s basketball at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Other tournaments are taking place in Latvia, Puerto Rico and Spain.
The FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments will feature the 16 highest-ranked non-qualified teams from the 2023 FIBA World Cup and the three highest-ranked nations by region in the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) World Rankings. Group play at all four venues will continue through July 4, with the semifinals taking place on July 6 and the final on July 7.
Finishing first or second in Group B in the preliminary round will see Spanoulis’ side advance to a knockout match against Croatia, Slovenia or New Zealand in the semi-finals. Reaching the final will give them a chance to secure a spot at the Olympics from one of the six nations.
Greek basketball team strives for a spot at the 2024 Paris Olympics
In January, Giannis Antetokounmpo became just the third player in NBA history to average 32 points, 13 rebounds, and 7 assists on 55% shooting in a span of 10 games in a season, tying him with Wilt Chamberlain and Nikola Jokic.
Antetokounmpo is averaging a career-high 31.6 points per game on 61% shooting. He also broke the team record for points scored in a game last season with 64 against the Indiana Pacers. His 48-point performance against the Houston Rockets was his second straight 40-plus point game and sixth this season.
The Greek has now equaled Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s record for the Milwaukee Bucks, but the legendary center has done it twice more with the Los Angeles Lakers, totaling 20 games with 45+ points.