By Eurohoops Team/ info@eurohoops.net
Olympiacos Piraeus lost more than a game in Kaunas against Zalgiris since the “Reds” saw guards Vassilis Spanoulis and Taylor Rochestie exiting the match with injuries. Rochestie (foot injury) will miss around three weeks of action while, for now, Spanoulis (ankle injury) has been ruled out of the upcoming game vs. CSKA Moscow Thursday (6/2).
“Momentum isn’t with us,” Olympiacos coach Giorgos Bartzokas said. “It’s not just that we lost the game but that we lost two basic guards. who provide execution, creation, and leadership. It’s not easy for the guys who don’t have much experience on that level to cover for their absence.”
Bartzokas doesn’t expect to have forward Giorgos Printezis back in action against CSKA. The Greek player had suffered a rib strain prior to the win over Baskonia and had been out ever since.
“I’m not optimistic about Printezis,” Batzokas added. “I don’t believe he’ll be able to play. He hasn’t practiced. He will try to practice today but I don’t think he’ll play.
Spanoulis is out, Rochestie is out and also Charalambopoulos is out. Our numbers are thin. It is what it is with our obligations. Injuries are part of sports. I had a similar experience with other teams in the past. But we shouldn’t feel down about the things we can’t control. This (injury problems) is something we can’t control. It happens. We must look at the basketball side of things and this side has certain difficulties, considering our diminished roster. But you must try to win every game.”