Spain vs Greece Preview: Antetokounmpo vs Al-Damad, a Do-or-Die Match for Both Teams

The men’s basketball group stage of the Olympics continues on July 30 at 5 PM, with Spain facing off against Greece. Both teams lost their opening matches, and the losing team in this game is likely to be out of contention for the next round. This is a match that neither side can afford to lose.

Group A, often referred to as the ‘group of death’, gathers four superpowers: Spain, Australia, Canada, and Greece. Spain is a traditional powerhouse in international basketball, having won the World Cup championship and the Olympic silver medal. Currently ranked 2nd globally (behind the US), they are positioned 7th in the latest strength rankings. However, in recent years, with the retirement of the Gasol brothers and the decline of Ricky Rubio in mainstream leagues, Spain has experienced a generational gap, leading to some aging players and a decrease in overall strength.

In their first match, Spain lost 80-92 to Australia. The team’s overall shooting was poor, with center Al-Damad from the NBA’s Memphis Grizzlies hitting 6 three-pointers and scoring a game-high 27 points. Apart from Al-Damad, veteran Raul had 17 points after making 6 shots, while Willy Hernangomez scored 14 points. No other player reached double figures in scoring.

First-time Spanish player Lorenzo Brown had a disastrous debut, making only 3 of his 10 shots for 7 points, and teammate Jaren Jackson Jr. contributed just 3 points. Spain’s 37 three-point attempts resulted in only 12 successful shots. Apart from Al-Damad and Raul, no other players managed to hit a three-pointer. For Spain to win, they need to improve their accuracy from beyond the arc.

Greece is another traditional powerhouse, having won the World Cup silver medal. They are currently ranked 14th globally and 8th in the latest strength rankings. The current Greek roster features only Giannis Antetokounmpo as an active NBA player, but many other players have notable reputations in European leagues, such as Kostas Papapanagiotou, Georgios Papagiannis, and Vasileios Sakellariou.

In their first match, Greece lost 79-86 to Canada, with Antetokounmpo making 11 of his 17 shots, scoring 34 points, grabbing 5 rebounds, and dishing out 2 assists. He nearly single-handedly led his team to victory over a strong Canadian squad. Besides Antetokounmpo, only Kostas Papapanagiotou reached double digits in scoring, with 17 points, indicating limited support for Antetokounmpo. Greece also struggled from outside, making only 9 out of their 32 three-point attempts.

The two teams are well acquainted, having faced each other frequently in major international and European tournaments. In the last 10 encounters, Spain has won 8 times, showcasing a clear advantage. This is a match without any room for error; a second consecutive loss would jeopardize their chances of advancing. Both teams will undoubtedly give it their all in this contest. A key point of interest is the duel between Antetokounmpo, the current NBA player for Greece, and Al-Damad, who plays in the NBA for the Memphis Grizzlies.

The teams’ rosters:

Spain: Rudy Fernandez, Al-Damad, Jaren Jackson Jr., Juan Hernangomez, Willy Hernangomez, Alex Abrines, Dario Brizuela, Lorenzo Brown, Alberto Diaz, Sergio Raul, Javier Arrostegui, Jaime Prada

Greece: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kostas Papapanagiotou, Nikos Karalis, Yanis Larnazaki, Georgios Papagiannis, Konstantinos Mitroglou, Thomas Walkup, Vasilis Halalambopoulos, Dimitris Moraitis, Panagiotis Kalajzis, Vasilis Toliopoulos, Nikos Giagtzis.

>> For more predictions on the game, please click here: [Link]