Portland Trailblazers signee Rudy Fernandez scored a game-high 16 points and Pau Gasol added 11 to send Spain to an 81-66 win over Greece in their Beijing Olympics Group B opener Sunday.
The teams, who met in the final of the 2006 World Championships in Japan, where Spain prevailed 70-47, remained close through the second quarter. But Spain went on a 13-0 run in the third, quieting the singing, bass drum-banging Greek fans in the new, 18,000-seat Beijing Olympic Basketball Stadium.
The former European champion runners-up closed to within 10 points, but Spain held on for the comfortable win.
Greece shot just 11 of 24 free throws, while Spain missed only three of 25.
