Spanoulis’ gameplan puts Giannis Antetokounmpo at the heart of Greece’s EuroBasket hopes

“We indeed used three-pointers to reach the Round of 16, but we also had very good spacing, we had altruism, we read mismatches very well, and generally were very solid. We would have done the same with Israel yesterday, it’s just that the shots came out very different from the ones we had in the preliminary round, because they set traps for Giannis, and the Israelis yesterday didn’t do that,” explained the Greek head coach via an interview with Michalis Gioulenoglou from Eurohoops.

With NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo leading the way, Spanoulis admitted the game plan centers on him.

“We are ready to punish every defense,” he said, stressing one of the team’s strengths.

Giannis Antetokounmpo with the Greece National Team

Through four games, Giannis has overwhelmed opposing defenses, putting up averages of 30.0 points, 9.8 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 0.8 steals, and 0.3 blocks per outing.

“The guys are ready to shoot and pass, we are very good in this area. There is no more simplified game than ours! In offense, we give the ball to Giannis and have good spacing. We have good creators. It couldn’t be simpler,” Spanoulis continued.

Giannis Antetokounmpo’s brother, Thanasis summed up the team’s approach, saying, “We will follow the plan, play hard, and play our game.”

Spanoulis’ message is simple, keep the floor spaced, use Giannis’ strengths, and play with unselfish versatility. As the quarterfinals approach, Greece aims to carry out that plan with precision. Giannis Antetokounmpo and his teammates now turn their focus to Lithuania at Xiaomi Arena, where a win would send them to the semifinals and keep their medal chase alive.

“We just have to win to advance to the top four, which would be a big deal for our country and the national team,” the 31-year-old Greek national, Giannoulis Larentzakis added.