If you’re like me, the need for a basketball fix never ends. While we wait for the NBA season to start, the FIBA EuroBasket tournament is a great way to showcase NBA talent and satisfy those cravings. Thursday’s game between Greece and Italy brings a lot of star power and premier entertainment value to the table.
The Greeks are 5.5-point favorites and hold -245 odds on the Moneyline on DraftKings Sportsbook. The total is set at 162.5 points. Let’s look at the best bets and predictions for this Greece–Italy contest.
Greece vs. Italy prediction, pick
The headliner here is Giannis Antetokounmpo. The two-time MVP and former NBA Finals MVP is on the short list of the best players in the tournament, and loves to put on a show when playing for his home country.
The gap between Giannis and the rest of the roster is what creates issues for the Greeks. His brothers, Thanasis and Kostas, have some experience in the NBA. Tyler Dorsey is a former second-round pick with pro experience. Kostas Papanikolaou got a cup of coffee in the NBA as well. Nine of the 12 players on their roster play for Olympiacos and Panathinaikos, two Greek clubs that finished third and fourth (respectively) in the EuroLeague last season.
It’s a solid roster, and a player like Giannis can take you far. However, how they perform against the larger countries is a significant question. Italy will be an excellent test for their skills.
The Italians bring a greater depth of NBA experience to this game, though they lack a talent anywhere close to Giannis’ level. Simone Fontecchio is their one current NBA player, a sharpshooting forward recently traded to the Miami Heat. Nicolò Melli is a spacing big best remembered for his time with the New Orleans Pelicans. They have two athletic guards, Matteo Spagnolo and Gabriele Procida, who were drafted in the second round and have their rights held by NBA squads.
But the top player, in both our hearts and on the court, is Danilo Gallinari. After a prolific 14-year career in the NBA, Gallo took his talents to Vaqueros de Bayamon of the Puerto Rican league. The 37-year-old showed that he still had it, leading the Vaqueros to a championship while being crowned Finals MVP.
It’s unclear how much Gallo will play, but since he announced this will be his final tournament representing his country, I expect him to give it his all. Even against the might of Giannis, the depth and skill of the Italian squad will win out in this game. Additionally, they’re a valuable underdog.
