By Nikos Varlas/ Varlas@eurohoops.net
The four Final Four teams are more than well known, everyone have seen them perform in many important games in the longest Euroleague ever and Eurohoops presents you with the key points of each semifinal, trying to focus on some crucial points that will decide the final results. We start with the first game of Friday’s night, the remake of last year’s thrilling final.
CSKA Moscow – Olympiacos
- The mental part of the preparation is really important because of the recent history between the two teams. The goal of Olympiacos will be to stay in the game until the last three minutes. If they manage to keep close, or even have a small lead, then the ball will be really heavy for CSKA. Coach Messina would love to achieve the opposite. To have a comfortable lead throughout the game in order to keep away from last season’s memories. We have to remind you that the Italian mastermind never lost a Euroleague semifinal.
- The two most crucial goals of Olympiacos on the court will be keeping CSKA close to70 points by good defense, get the rebounds and points from transition. The Reds don’t want to face the Russians in 5 on 5 situations.
- Spanoulis will have to face a defense tailored on him, so it will be up to Acie Law to give solutions in creations and up to Papanikolaou and Printezis to produce in offense.
- CSKA Moscow wants to get near 70 possessions in the game and Messina wants at least 2/3 of them to be attempts in the paint, where his team has a clear advantage.
- Milos Teodosic will be the most crucial player of CSKA in the game. He has to create for his team. Weems and Micov are expected to have the task to slow down Spanoulis. They will have help in this mission, with a big always lurking behind them.
- Outside shooting is a must. They can be a catalyst in any offense and that applies even more to Olympiacos because of its lack of a balanced inside game.
Real Madrid – Barcelona
- The question is if we will see a game in the Euroleague rythme, or a typical “El Clasico” played in the Spanish uptempo style, like the quarterfinals of “Copa Del Rey”. In the first case scenario, Barcelona has the experience and the personnel to win. But if everyone starts running, then Real will have the advantage and the injury woes of Barca will be evident.
- Nate Jawai just has to play for Barcelona. He is indispensable and if he doesn’t show up, then Tomic and Lorbek will have to play a perfect game.
- The shooting percentage of Real from the three points line. Madrid is very depended on its accuracy from the perimeter and if the players of coach Laso continue to shoot like they did against Maccabi Tel Aviv, then they can beat not only Barca, but every opponent and get the title.
- It’s obvious that the leaders of both teams have to produce, but also Rodriguez and Llull from Real Madrid and Huertas and Lorbek from Barcelona can be the X factors.
- It will be a duel between different basketball styles, as both coaches have some very different ideas about the game. Pascual will try to control the rhythm and every possession of the game, while Laso would love to see his players get into synch and start running in order to avoid five on five situations.