Watch: Giannis Antetokounmpo elbowing Shai Gilgeous-Alexander almost ignites brawl after Canada defeats Greece
Giannis Antetokounmpo and Greece took on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Canada in the Paris 2024 Olympics on Saturday in the so-called 'Group of Death'. The Milwaukee Bucks superstar tried to lead his team to the promised land, but Canada was too much to handle.
Antetokounmpo and Gilgeous-Alexander are making the rounds on social media after they starred in a controversial moment following the end of the game.
As the final buzzer sounded, a Greek player ran into the OKC Thunder star, which didn't sit well with the guard. Gilgeous-Alexander thought the move was intentional, got mad and started yelling at his opponents.
Antetokounmpo put his elbow on Gilgeous-Alexander's neck to push him back, as other Canadian players held the MVP finalist back. The latter was seen yelling "What's up, b***h?" to the Greek player before tempers were calmed.
This is a strange incident for Gilgeous-Alexander, who isn't known for being an aggressive player. That said, it's easy to be calm when you're in the NBA, as nobody fights there. However, in international basketball, when players defend their country, things can get emotional and tempers can flare.
Fortunately, after the Canadian star was grabbed by his teammates, everything was calmed and nothing else happened.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Greece couldn't beat Canada
Greece didn't arrive at the Pierre Mauroy Stadium as favorites to win this game, but they tried to put on a fight against Canada.
Giannis Antetokounmpo took care of business, dropping 34 points, to go along with five rebounds and two assists. The two-time NBA MVP shot 11-for-17 from the field, 12-for-15 from the free-throw line and 0-for-1 from deep.
Veteran forward Kostas Papanikolau added 17 points on 5-for-8 from the field and 3-for-6 from beyond the arc.
On the other side, RJ Barrett led Canada to the promised land with 23 points. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 21 points and Dillon Brooks contributed 14 to help Canada take a crucial win. Jamal Murray scored eight points off the bench, the same as Lu Dort.
The 'Group of Death' features Australia and Spain and starting the tournament with a win is key for these teams. Antetokounmpo is keen to help his squad go a long way this year, but it won't be easy.
Canada has a star-studded squad and they look like a strong candidate to compete with Team USA for the gold.