By Antonis Stroggylakis and Achilleas Mavrodontis/ info@eurohoops.net
Everything has been enhanced in Tyler Dorsey’s game this year.
He produces more buckets by averaging a EuroLeague career-high 13.9 points to lead Olympiacos Piraeus in scoring. He’s more involved in ball distribution and facilitating with 2.5 assists, also a career-best. His effort, commitment and energy on defense are on a level unlike anything he had ever shown before.
All while Olympiacos is off to a 6-2 start in EuroLeague thanks to six wins in six games at home.
“It’s just the coach [Giorgos Bartzokas]. He’s given me that role and that chance,” Dorsey told Eurohoops. “On Maccabi, I didn’t get the chance to play that role and show that I can do that. Here, the coach is giving me a good opportunity and I’m just trying to take advantage of it every night and show that. That’s all it is for me. Just having that opportunity.”
“Opportunity. It’s all about how a coach plays you and the role. Here, I’m given a different role and a different opportunity and I’m showing more,” Dorsey added.
“I think year by year, I work my ass off,” Dorsey said. “My confidence stays the same. [There’s’] More opportunity. I get to play a starring role here and that’s a big opportunity for me. It’s my first time starting in my career. I’m just here to prove myself every night and try to be consistent. That’s all there’s to it. I’m hungry. It doesn’t matter if we win this game, or the next game, I want to continue like that every night. We’re one of the top teams and we’re going to keep going, no matter who we play.”
That kind of unyielding confidence that pushes Dorsey each and every time he steps on the floor was pretty evident also in the recent EuroLeague match of Olympiacos vs. AS Monaco.
After some problems in the first half, Dorsey came out of the locker room blazing. He scored 16 out of his 18 points after the break, firing up the crowd with his most dynamic plays and raising the heat in Peace and Friendship arena, as his team grabbed the comeback win to extend a spotless home record.
“Every game there are sometimes struggles in the first half, sometimes struggles in the second half,” Dorsey said. “It’s two halves for me. I knew that my performance was struggling. For me, I’m being aggressive no matter what. If I’m missing ten shots, I’ll rather keep taking them if they are open looks and also finding my teammates.”
A 47.2 percent 3-point shooter before the game vs. Monaco, Dorsey was a difference-maker despite finishing with 1-6 on threes in an unusually off night for him from long range. It bothered him quite a bit.
“Obviously, I struggled tonight on my threes, but I’m going to get back on the gym and fix that,” Dorsey mentioned.
The capacity in which he performs on Olympiacos has helped Dorsey exhibit also more aspects of his offensive arsenal to be a constant threat that opponents will have a hard time countering.
“I don’t want to be one-dimensional because if I am they are going to sit on me all day and never help off me,” Dorsey said. “Mid-range and going to the rim helps that. Open up. Makes the defense undecisive on what I’m going to do.”