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Giannis Antetokounmpo sits out as Greece tops Luka Doncic-led Slovenia
Giannis Antetokounmpo was not around, and Luka Doncic was spectacular, but Greece still found a way to defeat Slovenia, 98-91, in a friendly on Wednesday in Ljubljana. The Milwaukee Bucks superstar sat the game out while recovering from knee surgery, yet his absence hardly mattered as Thomas Walkup had an impressive debut for the Greek national team.
No Giannis, no problem
Walkup scored 17 points, including seven straight points down the stretch that helped Greece secure the victory. Kostas Papanikolaou was the top scorer for Greece with 19 points, while Dinos Mitoglou and Michalis Lountzis added 13 points.
Thanasis Antetokounmpo also provided Greece with some spark. With Greece down 82-84 inside the final five minutes, Thanasis stole the ball from Doncic and raced to the other end of the court for an emphatic game-tying dunk.
Walkup then took over in the crucial stretch, hitting a three-pointer that put Greece ahead, 98-90, with only 29 seconds left. Doncic finished with a triple-double by recording 21 points, 10 rebounds, and 14 assists.
A Giannis-less Greece in World Cup is a possibility
The two teams are preparing for the FIBA World Cup, which will start on August 25th in Manila.
Slovenia is in Group F with Cape Verde, Georgia, and Venezuela, while Greece is in Group C with the United States of America, Jordan, and New Zealand.
Greece is facing the possibility of missing Giannis in the World Cup after the two-time NBA MVP underwent knee surgery last month.
While the Greek Freak’s participation in the World Cup is uncertain, reports claim that he will be physically fit once NBA training camp starts.
