Giannis Antetokounmpo returned to EuroBasket action on Sunday as he led his Greece team to an emphatic 94-53 win over Georgia. Former Milwaukee Bucks teammate Sandro Mamukelashvili tried his best, but like many, he failed to stop the Greek Freak.
All areas of the two-time MVP's game were on display, with him effortlessly flying up and down the court, making plays on both ends. Giannis finished with 27 points, eight rebounds, four assists, and two steals on 82 percent from the field in just 25 minutes, as Greece has booked their place in the round of 16 with two group games left to play.
Giannis is in mid-season form and could add another MVP to his resume
All 24 EuroBasket teams played on Saturday, with Greece opting to rest Giannis against debutants Cyprus so that he would be fresh for the early game on Sunday. Greece comfortably beat their group hosts and then continued to make a statement against Georgia, who had opened the tournament by beating the reigning champions, Spain.
What really stood out was the way Vassilis Spanoulis used his superstar on the defensive end. Georgia is led by Mamukelashvili, which prompted the Greek head coach to use Giannis as the lone rim protector and stifle any interior penetration from Georgia.
The big former Milwaukee Buck finished with 14 points, most of which came when Giannis was off the court in the fourth quarter. This also made the perimeter defense easier for Giannis' teammates, holding Georgia to just 4-of-22 (18 percent) from deep.
The writing was on the wall in the first quarter. Greece's ball movement and speed in transition were too much for their opponents, with Giannis flying past the defense for multiple dunks and alley-oops, as they led at the end of the first 22-13.
Giannis has such a strong gravitational pull in the NBA, and even more so in EuroBasket. This opened up the game for his teammates as they shot 14-of-25 (56 percent) from beyond the arc. We even saw Giannis get involved with a corner three, and that is any opponent's worst nightmare.
It has been a perfect start to EuroBasket for Giannis and Greece, but the form he is displaying already holds huge promise for Bucks fans. He is already playing at an MVP level, and the NBA preseason doesn't kick off until early October. Greece has a great chance of winning a medal, and Giannis will do everything he can to make it happen.
Greece's next group game is against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Tuesday, September 2, with tip-off around 8:00 CDT.
Doc Rivers, Darvin Ham, and Jon Horst have all been in Limassol, Cyprus, to show support for their superstar. Rivers has hinted at studying the international game and looking to implement plays and schemes that he sees can translate to the NBA, making these games all the more important.