Spain star Pau Gasol broke his foot in the semifinals of the FIBA World Championship, and the team learned that he wouldn’t be able to play in the final against Greece. But that didn’t stop Spain from upending the Greeks, 70-47.
“My teammates today played an amazing game,” he added. “They played with their hearts and together as a unit. It’s no fun to watch. I thought I would suffer some more, but I am so happy to see the way they responded without me being there.”
Gasol stood holding his head in his hands in the final seconds, openly in tears. It wasn’t long before the Memphis Grizzlies star hopped to midcourt to join his teammates in a circle, sitting on the court wearing headbands given to them at the final buzzer.
Spain’s challenge seemed even more difficult considering a near perfect performance by Greece (8-1) in a 101-95 semifinal win over the United States. The European champions put on an impressive offensive and defensive display in getting to the final for the first time.
There was no reason to worry. Spain limited Greece to less than half the points it scored against the U.S. and kept its shooting percentage to about half (33 percent vs. 63 percent).
“It was surprising, yes, because the Spanish team was everything around Gasol,” Greece forward Konstas Tsartsaris said. “But we see today that the Spanish team is 12 players and not only one. They played excellent defensively and on offense also. They gave a great defensive effort.”
This is an amazing victory for Spain, considering that they were without their star player, playing against a Greek team that looked so strong in their semifinal win against the U.S.
With the NBA preseason schedule starting up in about a month, it’s unclear how much time Gasol will miss with the injury. The Memphis Grizzles can ill afford to lose their star for any extended amount of time.
