Spain made a couple of miraculous shots in the 4th quarter, but that was not enough to overcome Canada and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who scored three clutch free throws during the last minute.
In a highly contested game, Canada outclassed Spain and won the third game in a row, 88-85 (19-19, 30-19, 15-18, 24-29). With the victory, Canada won Group A of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games group stage and advanced to the playoffs.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander did most of the damage in the first half, scoring 13 points in the first two quarters. He finished the game with 20 points and 3 rebounds in his account, scoring three important free throws during the last minute of the game.
Andrew Nembhard became an unlikely hero, registering 18 points on 8-for-10 shooting during the game.
Dario Brizuela, who scored 16 of his points in the 4th quarter, led Spain in scoring with 17 points.
With the loss to Canada, Spain got eliminated from the Olympics due to having the worst head-to-head plus-minus with Australia and Greece in the group.
At the same time, it was Rudy Fernandez's last game as a professional basketball player, as he announced his retirement earlier in the season.
For the 3rd time in a row, Jamal Murray started the game off the bench. Without him on the court, Canada got off to a quick 12-6 lead. However, Spain's Sergio Llull answered with a three-plus-one, and the two teams finished the first quarter tied at 19.
Despite multiple comeback attempts by Spain, Canada kept a single-digit lead throughout the vast majority of the game.
The start of the 4th quarter was incredible for Spain's Dario Brizuela, who scored the team's first nine points, singlehandedly outscoring Canada during the three-minute period, 9-6.
Brizuela's three-pointer was followed by Sergio Llull's free-throw, and Spain only trailed by three with just over two minutes remaining. Nembhard answered with a pull-up jumper, but Brizuela scored a two-pointer of his own.
After attempting a three-pointer, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was called a foul mid-shot, and Alex Abrines stood to take two free throws but made just one (80-82). On the ensuing possession, Gilgeous-Alexander kicked out the ball to the corner to RJ Barrett, who converted the shot to push Canada's lead to five (85-80).
Jaime Pradilla scored on a tip-in (85-82), but Gilgeous-Alexander drew a shooting foul with 16.7 seconds remaining. He converted just one free throw (86-82), and Spain had the ball. Sergio Llull made a three-pointer with 3.1 seconds remaining, forcing Canada's Jordi Fernandez to call a timeout.
Gilgeous-Alexander made two free throws. Interestingly, Spain took a timeout before he attempted the two shots. As such, they couldn't advance the ball, and Sergio Llull's half-court missed shot meant elimination for La Familia.
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