The wait is over.
Canada's NBA-laden roster will finally get its first test, as the Nick Nurse-coached squad opens FIBA Men's Olympic Qualifying tournament on Tuesday against Greece in Victoria, B.C.
Nurse's team is missing notables such as Jamal Murray, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Dillon Brooks and Tristan Thompson, but there will still be plenty of talent on display. Led by Andrew Wiggins and R.J. Barrett, the Canadians boast one of their strongest rosters in history, and they'll look to parlay that talent into their first Olympic participation since Sydney 2000.
The first hurdle is Greece, coached by the legendary Rick Pitino. The sixth-ranked Greeks are missing their biggest star as Giannis Antetokounmpo is occupied with the Milwaukee Bucks' ongoing playoff run, but Pitino will still have an impressive 12-man squad from which to call upon against the Canadians.
Most of Greece's roster is domestic-based, with 10 players employed in the Greek Basket League, and Antetokounmpo's younger brother Kostas of the LA Lakers is present to lend some NBA pedigree to the mix.
It'll be a tough challenge for a Canadian side that has had very little time together, but Nurse and Co. are confident that they are ready to compete for the lone ticket to Tokyo 2020 on offer in Victoria.
“We do as much as we can to prepare, we go out there with the mindset that we have to meet or exceed their energy,” Nurse said on Monday. “Anytime you come off the floor and can say you played as hard or harder than your opponents then you gave yourself a chance to win.”
Greece vs. Canada: When is the game?
- Date: Tuesday, June 29
- Time: 7:05 p.m. ET
The game is scheduled to start at 4:05 p.m. PT / 7:05 p.m. ET at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre in Victoria, B.C.
How to watch Greece vs. Canada in Canada: TV and live stream
The entire FIBA Men's Olympic Qualifying tournament in Victoria streams live and on-demand on DAZN in Canada.
DAZN, the first global pure sport live and on-demand streaming service, has streaming rights for FIBA events.
DAZN is available on web browsers at DAZN.com and also has apps available for many TV and streaming devices, including:
- iPhone, iPad
- Android phones and tablets
- Amazon Fire Tablet
- Amazon Fire TV and Fire TV Stick
- Apple TV
- Android TV
- Google Chromecast
- LG, Sony and Samsung smart TVs
- Playstation 4 and Pro, Playstation 5
- Xbox One, One S and One X, Xbox Series X | S
A subscription to DAZN is $20 CAD a month or $150 CAD a year.
CBC is also broadcasting the game.
Can I watch Greece vs. Canada in Canada for free?
In Canada, DAZN offers new customers a 30-day free trial period. You can learn how to sign up for a free trial here.
The free-trial period includes access to all of DAZN's live and on-demand programming, including FIBA events, WTA Tour, Premier League, Serie A, Champions League, the NFL, Matchroom Boxing and more.