By Aris Barkas/ barkas@eurohoops.net
At this point, nothing really surprises anyone in the EuroLeague. Still, the way the game between Valencia and Maccabi ended shocked everyone, two familiar faces in new environments shined again getting the nod at the best five and the MVP, but when all was said and done, this Friday belonged to Facundo Campazzo for obvious reasons.
While Barcelona remains on top of the standings, CSKA Moscow tied Bayern Munich in the second spot with a 7-3 record, while Zalgiris dropped to a 5-5 record and the eighth position of the standings, bringing us to the MVP.
MVP
Kevin Punter
In just his second game this season for the EuroLeague, Punter proved to be more than ready to play his part for Milan. He did it admirably, scoring 18 points in less than 18 minutes of action and finishing the game with 22 for a total PIR of 29. He also got three assists, three steals, and no turnovers. It goes without saying that with him playing like that and Vladimir Micov also back on the court, we get to see the real version of Milan.
BEST FIVE
- Pierria Henry: His game against Panathinaikos was simply amazing with 14 points on just 4/6 FGT and 12 assists as he led Baskonia to an easy win.
- Krunoslav Simon: He stole Larkin’s thunder with 24 points and five assists on the road against Khimki in a game that ended up being a 105-77 triumph over Khimki.
- Kevin Punter: The MVP
- Nikola Mirotic: By the numbers, he is the MVP of the night with 23 points and 9/10 FT in Barcelona’s win over Crvena Zvezda.
- Nikola Milutinov: He had his first really, really good game for the season with 18 points and 12 rebounds, as CSKA Moscow got the road win against Bayern Munich.
Coach of the round: Jaume Ponsarnau
As Woody Allen wrote on “Match-Point”: “The man who said “I’d rather be lucky than good” saw deeply into life”. And yes, Valencia was lucky in the last second, but on the other hand, you can’t deny that coach Ponsarnau has a team with a 6-3 record which has already beaten Real Madrid, Milan, and now Maccabi. And as they also say, you make your own luck.
You must see it to believe it pic.twitter.com/BbDBHM6eHU
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Young gun: Rokas Jokubaitis (again)
He celebrated his birthday on Thursday with a new EuroLeague career-high of 15 points Friday on the road against Milan. It’s obvious that a new star is born in Lithuania
The last word: Campazzo’s last dance
The dance was a “tango” as usual and since it takes two, Campazzo dished 12 assists in what was his last EuroLeague game before leaving for the NBA and the Denver Nuggets. Real Madrid will get a big buy out, they are exporting one more star to the States after Luka Doncic, however, it remains to be seen how and if the “Whites” will replace their leader. It’s not going to be easy and Madrid will not be the same without him.