LILLE, France – For Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, there wasn’t much to say about Saturday’s performance.
The 26-year-old superstar had 21 points, five rebounds, seven assists and two blocks in Canada’s 86-79 first win over Greece at the Olympic men’s basketball games. That gives Canada the edge it needs in Group A, known as the “Group of Death” alongside Spain and Australia.
“It’s okay, I can improve,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “However, I will win.”
However, Gilgeous-Alexander made big play after big play during a fast start and key moments in the final minutes for Canada.
He scored eight of Canada’s first 19 points, but managed just six between the second and third quarters.
With 5:40 left in the fourth quarter and Canada’s lead just 72-68, Gilgeous-Alexander blocked Vassilis Toliopoulos’ three-pointer. Two possessions later, he assisted on a Lou Dort three-pointer that gave Canada a seven-man lead, before nailing a step-back three-three for a 78-68 lead with 4:23 left.
When Giannis Antetokounmpo cut Greece’s lead to 80-78 with 1:04 left, Gilgeous-Alexander responded with a flying kick over the superstar 22 seconds later to seal it. Superstar Hamilton scored seven of Canada’s final 13 points in the win.
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“Great players have played great games,” Canada head coach Jordi Fernandez said. “And a lot of times I’m just on the sidelines, I feel like I’m doing something but I’m not doing anything because he’s doing it and he makes it easier for everybody.”
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“I’m lucky to have him.”
His play has been praised by many online, including four-time NBA champion and 2004 Olympic gold medalist Manu Ginobili of Argentina.
“Yes!!! How awesome!” the former San Antonio Spurs posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Gilgeous-Alexander signed with Canada after finishing the 2023-24 NBA campaign as an MVP finalist and a second-round playoff exit to the young and surprising Oklahoma City Thunder.
He entered the season after helping Canada win its first-ever FIBA World Cup medal after a dominant performance in beating the United States for the bronze medal the previous summer. His individual score was 7-1 in overtime in that game and he was subsequently named a tournament All-Star. Finished fourth in scoring with 24.5 points per game.
Canadian center Dwight Powell, who helped the Dallas Mavericks sweep the Thunder in the NBA playoffs, pointed to Gilgeous-Alexander’s consistency in causing problems for opponents.
“That’s one of the things about him that makes him so special — the things he does, that he does every day,” Powell said during training camp. “He’s so consistent and it’s a little frustrating when you know exactly where he wants to go, you know his spots (and) how consistent he is (and) he finds a way to get there.
“It was a disappointing series for him, but it was also exciting to know how important he is to this team and our plans for the summer.”
The Greek, 14th, was unhappy with the way Gilgeous-Alexander approached his position on Saturday. He makes a lot of tough shots, and even when he’s not scoring, his presence is enough to keep defenses honest.
Greek point guard Thomas Walkup admitted after the game that his team made a mistake in “letting the game come to us,” adding: “You have to attack aggression with aggression, and it felt like we did that in the game. I did that for some parts.
However, according to Canadian centre and captain Kelly Olynyk, it won’t be easy to match Gilgeous-Alexander’s dynamism.
“It was very natural and easy for him,” Olynyk said in March. “He’s very intuitive … he gets the job done. Making big plays in big moments. He’s always alive, always on the attack, so you can’t relax or get discouraged when you’re guarding him. It’s tough.”
Gilgeous-Alexander’s calm and lively play is exactly what seventh-ranked Canada needs ahead of its group games against fifth-ranked Australia and second-ranked Spain.
“He’s not really a vocal leader, but when he’s on your team, you have to follow him,” Olynyk said. “Leave it like that and have fun with it.”
And that’s what Canada must do as it seeks to realize its gold medal aspirations.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 28, 2024.
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