In the early hours of July 28, in the first round of the Olympic men’s basketball group stage, Canada secured a hard-fought 86-79 victory over Greece.
In this game, Greece fought tenaciously. Despite multiple Canadian players contributing effectively, Greece did not give up easily. Canada extended their lead to double digits on several occasions, but each time, Giannis stepped up for Greece to reduce the deficit. In the closing moments of the final quarter, Greece narrowed the gap to just two points, keeping their hopes alive, but they ultimately fell short and failed to complete the comeback.
Giannis played 32 minutes as a starter, shooting 11-for-17 from the field, 0-for-1 from three-point range, and 12-for-15 from the free-throw line. He scored the highest of 34 points, along with 5 rebounds and 2 assists, committing 1 turnover and 3 fouls, with a plus-minus rating of -7. It was truly one man against a team, as his efforts were not enough. In the first half, while Canada was performing exceptionally well overall, Giannis scored the highest halftime total of 16 points, along with 3 rebounds and 2 assists, keeping his team’s hopes alive.