Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 31 points on Thursday to propel Greece past Italy, 75-66, in its EuroBasket opener. Watching from the stands were Milwaukee Bucks general manager Jon Horst, head coach Doc Rivers and assistant coaches Vin Baker and Darvin Ham.
Rivers said the Greek offense offered plenty of ideas he hopes to take back to Milwaukee. “I always steal plays,” he noted. “I love all the movement, all the elbow action.” He added that Antetokounmpo works more frequently from the post in the international setting and plans to stay in Europe for at least one more of the forward’s games.
Ham described a contrast between the two-time NBA MVP’s responsibilities with the Bucks and with the national team. “He’s trying to involve his teammates and allow his teammates to help him help them,” Ham explained. “They don’t play as fast as we do in the NBA, but in the NBA his usage rate is off the charts. … With us, he has to be Superman.”
Greece’s head coach, Vassilis Spanoulis, dismissed the idea of limiting Antetokounmpo’s minutes now that the tournament has begun. “Giannis can play as much as I want him to play; we are in the official games now and there’s no limitations anymore,” he said.
Spanoulis also sees a different side of his star this summer. “He is more vocal this year,” the coach noted. “He is very humble for his status and the kind of player he is. He wants to win, he wants to get this team to another level. He listens, but he can also lead the team in his own way.”
Greece, champion of the 2005 EuroBasket, returns to action Sunday against Georgia.
Source: Hoops Rumors
