By John Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
The moment any team qualifies for them, the playoffs take center stage. Many players of the eight remaining EuroLeague clubs learned the principal value of the playoffs the hard way, while others carrying a lucky charm almost always manage to progress to the Final Four. Eurohoops looks back at the players with the most postseason experience by choosing one from each team in the 2019 playoffs.
Felipe Reyes:Previous playoffs experience: 2001, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018
Stats: 8.3 ppg., 6.2 rpg., 0.9 apg., 9.4 PIR
If you are searching for a super source of EuroLeague playoffs experience, Felipe Reyes is your man. His 40 playoff appearances to date are the most in the modern era of Europe’s premier competition. His 729 minutes on the court during playoff games rank him sixth on the all-time list.
Reyes was on the wrong side of his first four playoffs series, but found success in six of his last seven attempts, every time with Real Madrid since 2011. He recorded his best showing in 2009, with 17.0 points and 19 PIR per game despite the elimination by Olympiacos.
At 38 years old last season, the Spanish big man came through for injury-plagued Madrid in its best-of-five series versus Panathinaikos. He averaged 18.3 PIR in the team’s three wins, which produced a Final Four berth and, ultimately, Reyes’ s second EuroLeague title. He and Madrid team will face the Greens in this season’s playoffs, as well.
Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul
Kostas Sloukas:Previous playoffs experience: 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018
Stats: 5.1 ppg., 3.8 apg., 1.7 rpg., 7.1PIR
Kostas Sloukas has the winning touch. His team prevailed in six out his seven EuroLeague playoffs series and went on to become the kings of the campaign three times. Sloukas’s only misstep in the playoffs came in 2014, when Olympiacos dropped its series to Real Madrid, 3-2.
Positive records aside, the Greek guard’s playoffs performances have improved year to year and reached a peak in 2018 against Baskonia. His record-breaking 36 assists in that series paved the way for the 15.8 PIR average and a 3-1 series victory for Fenerbahce.
This year, Fenerbahce will need his playoffs charms against Zalgiris Kaunas, the team the Turkish side beat in the semifinals of the 2018 Final Four. Provided Fener takes care of business, the goal will be to reclaim EuroLeague glory in Vitoria-Gasteiz.
KIROLBET Baskonia Vitoria Gasteiz
Marcelinho Huertas:Previous playoffs experience: 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2018
Stats: 6.6 ppg., 4.1 apg., 2 rpg., 6.8 PIR
Marcelihno Huertas is participating in his eighth EuroLeague playoffs series, his third with his current team, KIROLBET Baskonia. The Brazilian-Italian has come full circle back to his first series in 2010 facing CSKA Moscow once again. The first time around, Baskonia lost the best-of-five series 3-1.
Huertas was on the winning side three out of the four times he made it to the playoffs with Barcelona. However, Baskonia has suffered elimination in three playoffs runs with Huertas, now 35, on the squad.
In 2011, when he was 28, Huertas averaged 10.5 points, 5.8 assists and 2.8 rebounds over four playoff games. His top playoffs showing wasn’t enough, however, as Baskonia lost out to Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv.
FC Barcelona Lassa
Ante Tomic: Previous playoffs experience: 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014. 2015, 2016
Stats: 11.5 ppg., 6.2 rpg., 1.7 apg., 14.4 PIR
Barcelona’s captain, Ante Tomic, hasn’t played in a EuroLeague playoffs series since 2016, but previously managed to gain massive experience. He reached the playoffs twice with Real Madrid, in 2010 and 2011, and four times with Barcelona, from 2013 until 2016.
The Croatian center helped his team progress to the Final Four on three occasions, the last being Barcelona’s 3-0 triumph over Galatasaray in 2014. He averaged 9.0 points and 13.3 PIR on that occasion, and hopes for the same outcome this month as his team squares off against another Turkish club, Anadolu Efes Istanbul.
In general, Tomic has been particularly effective in the playoffs. His 11.5 points, 6.2 rebounds and 14.4 PIR per postseason contest display this fact. However, his 2013 heroics in a 3-2 win versus Panathinaikos, 10.4 points and 8.0 boards per match, remain his best playoffs showing.