Pau Gasol on his fifth straight Olympic run: 'I wanted to finish my career playing and not being injured' / News - Basketnews.com

Credit: FIBA Credit FIBA

Spain won their first game at the Tokyo Olympics, beating Japan 88-77. Pau Gasol made an appearance in his fifth straight Olympics and helped his team with 9 points (4/5 2PT, 1/2 FT), 4 rebounds, 1 assist, and 2 blocks.

Player of the Game EFF 22 Ricard Rubio Points 20 Accuracy 8-13 Rebounds 2 Assists 9

After the game, he talked about his 14-month absence from basketball due to injury: "I love the game. I wanted to finish my career playing, didn't want to end on an injury. It was a difficult and challenging injury. But it was worth the effort and worth the risk. The pandemic actually helped me because if the Games weren't postponed, I wouldn't have made it back from my injury in time to play."

His brother Marc appeared in his third Olympics and also gave Pau high praise: "I've seen him all the time during the preparation camp, and very often throughout his whole process of coming back. I'm proud of him. He didn't have to do this. But that's who he is, a role model as a human being and an athlete."

Pau has been a member of the Spanish National Team since 2001. The 2004 Olympics were the first ones for him. Since then, he continued to play in every Olympic tournament and will try to finish his Olympic career on a high note this summer.

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