Canada vs. Greece Men’s Basketball: Picks, Predictions, Odds and Player Props

Canada Men's Basketball gets is Olympics campaign underway on Saturday, when the team faces Greece.

Two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo headlines Team Greece, while two-time All-NBA guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leads Team Canada.

Canada vs. Greece betting picks and predictions

Canada -7.5 (-115)

The Canadian National team is in the midst of its golden generation after winning its first medal in international competition in more than 85 years last September.

Canada defeated Team USA to secure the bronze medal at the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup. Now, Canada is making its first Olympics appearance in 24 years and is looking for its first Olympic medal since 1936.

Canada features more NBA players – 10 – than any other nation in history outside the United States. Gilgeous-Alexander is a star, Jamal Murray of the Denver Nuggets is already an NBA champion, and the team boasts depth at all positions.

If Canada can simply contain Antetokounmpo, it should have little problem covering the 7.5-point spread in this Olympics opener. 

Under 172.5 total points (-120)

Combined, Canada and Greece have only topped 172.5 points in one of their respective four Olympics tune-up games. Greece defeated Puerto Rico, 67-65, and lost to Serbia, 94-72. Canada defeated France, 85-73, and defeated Puerto Rico, 103-93.

Greece simply does not have the offensive firepower to stay with Canada, so look for Antetokounmpo and co. to slow down the game’s pace to keep the game close for as long as possible. 

Based on that, look for the teams to score Under 172.5 points.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander over 21.5 points (-115)

Gilgeous-Alexander has been a consistent scorer for the national team. He averaged 24.5 points in eight games at last year’s FIBA World Cup, and most recently scored 23 points in the team’s win over France.

Much of that was without Murray, who has averaged 20 or more points and six or more assists for the Denver Nuggets each of the past two seasons and is back playing for Team Canada for the first time since 2015.

Look for Murray to regularly feed Gilgeous-Alexander in advantageous positions and for SGA to convert many of those attempts and score more Over 21.5 points.  

Giannis Antetokoumpo over 25.5 points (-105) 

Antetokounmpo is Greece’s superstar. For them to have any chance to advance to the quarterfinals out of a very difficult Group A draw, Greece will need their main man to light up the scoreboard each time out.

Canada will most likely allow him to get his points inside and will look to neutralize Greece’s shooters. 

With that in mind, look for Antetokounmpo to score Over 25.5 points. 

Canada vs. Greece odds

Canada	-320 ML
Greece	+280 ML
Spread	Canada -7.5 (-115)
Total Points	O/U 172.5

Canada vs. Greece player props

Player Points

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Canada)	O/U 21.5
RJ Barrett (Canada)	O/U 13.5
Dillon Brooks (Canada)	O/U 11.5
Giannis Antetokounmpo (Greece)	O/U 25.5
Kostas Papanikolaou (Greece)	O/U 8.5
Georgios Papagiannis (Greece)	O/U 9.5

Read more betting picks and predictions for the NBA on site.

Odds mentioned in this article were correct at the time of writing and are subject to change.