By Antonis Stroggylakis/ info@eurohoops.net
Crvena Zvezda will definitely miss guard Shabazz Napier, swingman Adam Hanga and guard Branko Lazic in the upcoming EuroLeague game against Olympiacos Piraeus on the road Thursday (16/11) while guard Yago Dos Santos’ participation is considered doubtful.
“Shabazz broke his nose and will stay out for sure,” Zvezda coach Giannis Sfairopoulos said after his team’s blowout win over Fenerbahce Beko. The former NBA guard received an accidental elbow hit by Tyler Dorsey a minute into the game and was transferred to the hospital where he was diagnosed with a nasal fracture. “He won’t need surgery and that’s the good news but he will stay out, we don’t know for how long.”
“Dos Santos sprained his ankle,” Sfairopoulos mentioned. It was late in the third quarter when the Brazilian playmaker was hurt after driving to the basket for an assist to Luka Mitrovic and then falling awkwardly to the floor. “We’ll see tomorrow (Wednesday 15/11) how his leg will react. It’s not very bad but we don’t know if he’ll play.”
Team captain Lazic and Hanga remain out for Red Star. “Lazic will be out longer with the fracture he has. Hanga feels better with his knee but he can’t play,” Sfairopoulos added.
Sfairopoulos coached Olympiacos from 2014 to 2018, winning the 2015 and 2016 Greek League championship titles and making the EuroLeague Final in 2015 and 2017. “We play against a very good team, we know the quality they have,” the Greek coach said. “We have to be ready to put up a battle.”