Who will stop Giannis?

It’s crunch time at the EURO Basket 2022. This weekend we will know who the new European basketball champion is. Eight teams are still competing and fortunately the German team is still in the running. On Tuesday, however, a very difficult game awaits, because with the Greeks, one of the big contenders for the gold medal is now ready.

Germany has shown so far in this tournament that they are capable of anything. Gordon Herbert’s team has grown together, and not just since the great preliminary round in Cologne. Everyone in this team fights for everyone else, and if the atmosphere in the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Berlin is right on Tuesday, then perhaps a surprise could be possible.

It will be important to keep superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo as short as possible. You can’t shut down the Milwaukee Bucks power forward. The Greek has proven that in numerous games in the NBA. But if Gordon Herbert’s team succeeds in narrowing down his circles, then perhaps one could even make a prediction between Germany and Greece on the German advancement.

The Greeks are perhaps the best team in the tournament so far, but Dimitrios Itoudis’ side have also shown that they are vulnerable and, with the right tactics, should be beatable.

Germany – Statistics & current form

The German team believes in itself and its strengths. Gordon Herbert’s team has many outstanding qualities, but here and there they seem to get a bit arrogant. But they can’t afford to do that against an opponent like Greece. Germany must be wide awake from the first to the last minute, then something is possible.

Strong series of the DBB giants

There is no lack of self-confidence. But the DBB Giants have also earned it with 15 wins in the last 17 games. Among others, they won against Serbia in the World Cup qualification and now also against France and Lithuania at the EURO Basket, all heavyweights in European basketball. Therefore, we expect a close match against the Hellenes and can imagine playing the odds on a handicap win (+5.5) for the German team between Germany and Greece.

In the round of 16 against Montenegro, everything looked like a clear victory early on. At the break, Germany led by 24 points. But what had been strong in the first half didn’t work out at all. In the end, it got really tight and the hosts barely managed to hold on to their lead. In the end, the score was 85-79 and that’s all that matters. Especially in the playoffs, no beauty prizes are awarded.

In terms of personnel, there are some question marks in Gordon Herbert’s team. Above all, there is Franz Wagner to worry about. The young Berliner twisted his ankle against Montenegro. It could be a tight squeeze until the match against Greece. Nick Weiler-Babb (shoulder problems) and Johannes Thiemann (illness) should be fit for the quarter-finals in any case.

Predicted line-up of Germany:
Lo, Giffey, Weiler-Babb, Voigtmann, F. Wagner, Theis, Schröder, Wohlfahrt-Bottermann, Hollatz, Thiemann, Obst, Sengfelder – Coach: Herbert

Greece – Statistics & current form

There is a family atmosphere in the Greek squad. After all, three Antetokounmpo brothers are in the line-up. But Giannis is the one to keep an eye on. The power forward from the Milwaukee Bucks, who became NBA champion with his club in 2021, is the leader of the Hellenes and by far the best scorer of his team.

Superstart Giannis in overform

Averaging 29 points, the Greek has the best stats in the entire tournament. He and Slovenia’s Luka Doncic will probably fight it out for the title of MVP at this European Championship, if they don’t fail in the quarter-finals. The Greeks are the only team to have won all six matches at this tournament.

In total, they have only lost one of their last eleven games and that was against Serbia, who, as we know, have already been eliminated. Therefore, even before the quarter-final between Germany and Greece, one can predict that the title will only go to the Greek team.

However, the Hellenic team had to fight their way into the quarter-finals, because the underdogs from the Czech Republic made life difficult for the favourites in the round of 16. For a long time, the Czechs were just ahead. It was only in the second half that Giannis Antetokounmpo showed all his class and scored a double-double with 27 points and ten rebounds, which was enough for a 94-88 victory.

Predicted line-up of Greece:
Dorsey, Lountzis, Larentzakis, Agravanis, Calathes, Sloukas, Papagiannis, Papanikolaou, Papapetrou, G. Antetokounmpo, K. Antetokounmpo, T. Antetokounmpo – Coach: Itoudis

Germany – Greece Direct Comparison / H2H Balance

Germany vs Greece, this is a perennial topic in basketball. In total, the two teams have faced each other in 52 duels to date. The direct comparison is a clear affair for the Hellenes, who are 34:19 ahead after victories. However, the Greeks have only built up this large lead in recent years, as Greece has won the last 13 matches against Germany.

The last German victory was 21 years ago at the EURO Basket 2001 in Turkey. At that time, Germany, led by an unleashed Dirk Nowitzki, had the upper hand in Antalya in the round of 16 with 80:75. The last time they met was in February 2019 in the World Cup qualifiers. At that time, the Greeks narrowly won 69:63 in Germany.

Germany – Greece tip

It will be brutally difficult for the German team to make it to the semi-finals. However, Gordon Herbert’s team has set its sights on winning the title at its home European Championship, and then you have to be able to beat any team. That the DBB giants are capable of doing so has been shown by their results so far at the European Championships, but also in the run-up.

After all, Germany has won 15 of the last 17 international matches. Greece, however, is one of the big favourites for the title. The Hellenes are the only team to have won all their games at this European Championship and, with Giannis Antetokounmpo, they also have the best scorer of the European Championship in their ranks.

But we definitely expect Germany to give the favourites a tough fight. It would be important for Gordon Herbert to be able to call on Franz Wagner. If it goes somehow, the guard of the Orlando Magic will surely play. Because the game is likely to be close, we have decided to play the betting odds on a German handicap win (+5.5) between Germany and Greece