Franz Wagner’s 18-point performance helped Germany complete a 77-63 win over Greece in the Olympics Men’s Basketball Quarter-Finals. He converted 8 out of 17 field goal attempts and clinched 3 crucial steals to help the Germans overcome the Giannis Antetokounmpo-led Greece squad. After the game, Wagner spoke to the media about the challenge of containing the Greek Freak.
It is not surprising that Antetokounmpo was the sole focus of the German defense.
Wagner described how the two-time NBA MVP’s scouting report glued all the defensive cover to him. The German forward told reporters, “Giannis was more than half of the scouting report. It takes all 5 on the court to stop him.”
Antetokounmpo led all the scorers with 22 points, which helped Greece build a 10-point lead by the end of the first quarter. But the Germans withstood the early surge brilliantly. They tied the game by the end of the first half and then dominated the Greeks till the end.
Franz Wagner on Germany beating Greece to reach first Olympic semis: “Giannis [Antetokounmpo] was more than half of the scouting report. It takes all 5 on the court to stop him… I was 7 when Dirk [Nowitzki] played in the Olympics. We’ve come a long way thanks to guys like him.” pic.twitter.com/eMXY6psYXn
— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) August 6, 2024
Antetokounmpo was once again left without much help. There is only so much he could have done single-handedly. He was able to eke out a great performance despite attracting the attention of all the German defenders. Wagner pointed out the same aspect in his post-game comments.
Antetokounmpo is the toughest player to guard when he is driving to the rim. His ability to run the floor accompanied by a high-IQ around-the-rim offensive style has plastered many NBA defenses. Undoubtedly, he can’t be stalled through a singular cover, so he often invites double and triple teams.
At any rate, Giannis Antetokounmpo had a phenomenal Olympic campaign. He was a one-man army on the offensive end, keeping his team alive till clutch time. The perennial NBA All-Star tallied 25.8 points(1st), 6.3 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game on a highly efficient 67.8% shooting from the floor.
His best offensive performance came in a close loss against Canada as he collected 34 points on 11/17 shooting from the floor. The PF did his best to involve his teammates in action, but the lack of offensive firepower paved the way for 3 losses and just a win.
This must have been a big blow to the 2021 NBA champion. He had been harping about winning a gold medal with Greece way before the Olympics. However, his squad’s energy ended in the QFs.
