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A two-time NBA MVP leads Greece against a stacked Canada team in Group A of men’s Olympic basketball on Saturday night. In a stacked section, this game carries huge significance for both teams with challenging matchups against Australia and Spain to come. Ahead of the showdown in Lille, here’s our Greece vs Canada prediction.
Canada are led by All-NBA talent Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Giannis Antetokounmpo is Greece’s star man – he is the greatest Greek basketball player of all-time, and the only current NBA player on Greece’s roster.
As Olympics basketball tips off, our Expert Insights are stacked with basketball betting tips. Expert Sam Cox will have his best bets throughout the regular season.
Bet Builder Odds: 5.25
Look for Giannis’ size to cause Canada problems. He’s going to be a force on the glass at both ends of the court, and we could see the Canadian bigs get themselves into foul trouble.
Despite the matchup difficulties, we are still expecting Canada to run out victorious here. With the odds for taking Giannis’ overs, there’s no need to worry about the spread. Instead, take the moneyline for a great value 5.25 wager.
Greece impressed during the qualifying tournament, seeing off Slovenia and Croatia. A lack of talent around Giannis Antetokounmpo is a concern now they’re at the Olympics, however, and there’s no question they are at a talent deficit against this Canada team, even if Antetokounmpo is the best player on the floor.
There doesn’t seem to be enough shooting around Antetokounmpo to really space the floor unless Giannoulis Larentzakis, Thomas Walkup, and Kostas Papanikolaou get hot from beyond the arc.
Getting to the Olympics is an achievement for Greece. Antetokounmpo gives them a chance in any matchup, but he’s going to need some help for the Greeks to stay in the game against an impressive Canadian team.
Beating the USA at the 2023 FIBA World Cup earned Canada their first medal in the competition. This is the first Olympics they have qualified for since 2000 – they have not medalled in the Games since 1936. It has been a long building process, but Canada have a young, talented team ready to compete for a medal in Lille.
Eight of the players from their World Cup success return to the roster here, aided by Jamal Murray. Of the 12 players on the roster, 10 were in the NBA last season. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was an MVP candidate, Luguentz Dort is an All-Defense calibre defender, and Murray was the second option on a Finals-winning team little over a year ago.
Greece and Canada have only met once previously. Canada were 97-91 winners during qualification for the Olympics three years ago. With so many ascending talents, Canada have improved markedly since then.
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