By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
After two dramatic games, they proved that you don’t have to dominate your opponent necessarily, but you only need to be better than him as much as needed in the categories that matter the most.
Statathlon, CSKA Moscow’s Data Analytics provider, that can take some credit for this season’s success at the Final Four, presents the numbers of the triumph.
Semifinal Analysis
CSKA Moscow made a great comeback in the fourth quarter against Real Madrid. Even though the Spanish team was ahead in most of the game, even with 14 points in the 26th minute, it fell short in the final period where CSKA outscored it by 13 points. Probably the most obvious reason has been the significant difference in Free Throws attempted. CSKA attempted 42, while Real just 24. In other words, CSKA had an outstanding Free Throw Rate of 0.75. Real had a Free Throw Rate (0.343) which is greater than the average Euroleague team, but still low compared to CSKA’s. Even though CSKA attempted 14 less Field Goals, on the other hand, it scored +13 points from the free throw line.
However, even without the ability to draw shooting fouls, CSKA could also have won this game as its overall shooting efficiency was better than Real’s. The former European champion made 5 more Field Goals than CSKA, but also had 14 more attempts. As it is evident by the EFG% index, Real Madrid was kept much lower than its average season performance. In fact, CSKA scored 1.7 points per shot while Real just 1.28, Or leaving Free Throws aside, 61 points in 56 FG Attempts (1.09 Points/FGA) against 69 points in 70 FG Attempts (0.99 Points/FGA). Moreover, in the following table, the reader can see that Real Madrid performed better in a few categories such as Offensive Rebounding and Turnovers, but the difference wasn’t notable.
Nando de Colo was great, especially during clutch time, Clyburn had another one impressive performance, but it was probably Sergio Rodriguez the hero of CSKA Moscow for 3 quarters. The veteran Point Guard scored 19 points in this period including three 3 – pointers, finishing with 23 points and only 2 turnovers (his TOV% was just 11.2%). In addition, while he was on floor he assisted an impressive 71.6% of his teammates’ field goals.
In the defensive end, CSKA Moscow did a great job guarding most of the key players of Real Madrid. Anthony Randolph, one of the greatest spot shooters of Real, had just 31.8% in EFG%, the second-worst record of his team after Gustavo Ayon. In addition, during clutch time (final 5 minutes, none of the teams leading more than 5 points) Real Madrid scored only 3 field goals, having 25% in 2 – pointers and 28.3% in 3 – pointers, much lower than its season average.
