"He's sucked at those defenses": Jusuf Nurkic claims Giannis Antetokounmpo can be neutralized in EuroBasket clash with one scheme

Portland Trail Blazers v Milwaukee Bucks - Source: Getty
Jusuf Nurkic revelas plan to Giannis Antetokounmpo ahead of Tuesday game [Picture Credit: Getty]

Jusuf Nurkic's Bosnia and Herzegovina and Giannis Antetokounmpo's Greece national teams will face each other on Tuesday in a group phase game of the 2025 EuroBasket. Faced with one of the most formidable basketball stars in the world, Nurkic and his team would have to be spectacular in their game execution.

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Most of Antetokounmpo's points come from inside the paint. Although his mid-range and 3-point shots have significantly improved, they are still not the strong parts of his game. It seems like Nurkic and his team have a set plan to disrupt the Milwaukee Bucks star.

"At the end of the day, just stop him in transition and live with his shots," Nurkic said. "Generally, he’s sucked at those defenses the last few years he’s played in EuroBasket. But it’s not only him, so we will be ready."
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"Of course he’s different. In the NBA, he has so much space. ... Here it’s another game — no defensive three seconds, so much happening in the paint."

Nurkic also added that his team has to defend the 3-point shots if they have to win the game. However, he was consistent the primarily, they had to slow the Greek Freak down.

Giannis Antetokounmpo, with 12 years of NBA experience under his belt, is one of the best players in the world. His outside-the-paint game has substantially seen growth in the last few years. Moreover, in the 2022 EuroBasket, the Greek Freak was the top scorer of the tournament.

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Antetokounmpo has been excellent in the last two games. He is averaging 29.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.5 steals.

Bucks coach Doc Rivers talks watching Greece and Giannis Antetokounmpo in EuroBasket

This EuroBasket season was a bit different, especially in terms of the NBA teams showing support to their superstars like Luka Doncic, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokic. Bucks coach Doc Rivers and assistant coach Darvin Ham both traveled to Europe to watch Antetokounmpo play.

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For Rivers, it was not only the occasion to show his support for his superstar, but also to learn and execute later.

"I love watching the movement and how they play," Rivers said. "I always steal plays, I watch it, and I take some of these plays back home and I run them."

Rivers was also impressed with the movement in European basketball, but found most parts of the game to be, same as the NBA.

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Former Lakers coach Darvin Ham also pointed out the difference between the NBA and European basketball.

"He's trying to involve his teammates and allow his teammates to help him help them," he said. "It's more team-oriented, more sets, and all of that here is different.
"They don't play as fast as we do in the NBA ... he constantly has the ball in his hands, so a little bit different role for him over there."

Giannis Antetokounmpo's future with the Bucks has been one of the most trending topics in the NBA this offseason. On Monday, the Bucks recently signed his brother Thanasis Antetokounmpo for a one-year deal, an early indication that the Greek Freak would return to the Bucks.

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Edited by Victor R. Lopez M.
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