By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
The Round 5 EuroLeague “Experts Round Table” takes on a spin on the most dangerous offensive team, the hardest defense to penetrate, as well as the league’s biggest “sleeper” so far in the season.
Per EuroLeague.net:
1. What EuroLeague team do you believe has the most dangerous offense?
Joe Arlauckas
“This EuroLeague season has not started as strong offensively as I remember last year, but there are still eight teams that are averaging more than 80 points a game. The offensive surge is coming from the north, as two Russian teams have been filling it up. Both Khimki and CSKA look strong, but let’s see how the unfortunate injury to Will Clyburn, last year’s Final Four MVP, might affect CSKA‘s offensive production.”
Dimitris Karydas
“Even with the painful and costly loss of Will Clyburn, the No. 1 selection here is CSKA Moscow. There are too many weapons in the very balanced and pluralistic offense of Coach Itoudis, plus the master-class ability of the coaching staff to exploit every weakness in an opponent’s defenses. A second option could be the more ‘free spirit’ offense of that other Moscow-based team, Khimki. They shoot the ball extremely well and can kill any EuroLeague opponent on a given night.”
Juan Antonio Casanova
“Barcelona, CSKA and Khimki have scored the most, but we have to take into account which opponents they faced and the fact that Barcelona played three of its opening four games on the road, winning them all. You have to see how the points are scored. Nikola Mirotic has been majestic with 20 points on average, and after him, three of his teammates – Kyle Kuric, Brandon Davies and Cory Higgins – score at least 10 points per game. Going over these names reveals the balanced scoring Barcelona has in all spots and its good ball movement (20.3 assists per game). And all of that without such a reliable point guard as Kevin Pangos, who has not played yet.”
Antonis Stroggylakis
“Between CSKA Moscow (87.0 ppg.) and Khimki Moscow (88.8 ppg.), the two most productive scoring teams in the EuroLeague so far, I’ll go with the reigning champion. CSKA’s recent display in Berlin and the win over ALBA showcased how the “Army Men” can deliver even when they are hindered by turnover problems and even while facing strong defensive pressure by their opponents. CSKA can adjust to issues that can appear mid-game and also has individual weaponry and coaching guidance that are combined for the most lethal offensive package in the competition.”
Frankie Sachs
“When looking for the most dangerous offense, it’s not only about which team scores the most or has the most players averaging a certain number of points. The former can be a factor of the pace a team plays at, and the latter is impacted by which high-volume scorers a team has. I think the most dangerous attack is the team that has the most ‘scorers’, meaning players who could be go-to options on a different team or in different circumstances. Can a team put four or five dangerous scorers on the floor at once, thus also limiting the effectiveness of double-teams? While Anadolu Efes Istanbul is part of the conversation, for me the answer is FC Barcelona. And considering that most of its key players are new to the roster this season, Barcelona will only get better as its chemistry builds.”
2. What EuroLeague team do you believe has the toughest defense?
Joe Arlauckas
“Defense, as we know, wins championships. And when you see a team like Barcelona leading the league in points allowed at 70 per game, that says a lot. But you need to realize that they are also ranked fourth in scoring. If they can continue to get it done on both sides of the floor, they just might be the team to beat.”
Dimitris Karydas
“The numbers are not always on their side, but basketball is not only numbers. I still have big faith in the very energetic and aggressive defense of Zalgiris. The players of that team come to the court every week with the fighting spirit of their coach, and they can destroy even the most prolific offenses of the EuroLeague. They run, they trap, and they force opponents into a lot of turnovers.”
Juan Antonio Casanova
“Zalgiris. Three of its first four opponents did not go past 73 points. And in the last two of those games, both victories, Sarunas Jasikevicius’s team used defense to make the difference; an extremely aggressive defense, with good help to put opponents in constant trouble, double-teaming… That’s especially true in the fourth quarter when, for instance, a great offensive team like Real Madrid was allowed to score just 13 points, not to mention just 26 field goals in the entire game. Meanwhile, ASVEL scored just 11 fourth-quarter points and 21 field goals.”
Antonis Stroggylakis
“Barcelona has the numbers to show that so far they are the most difficult team to score against. They allow their opponents just 70.5 points per game and through Round 4 were the only team with an average below 70.0. The ‘Blaugrana’ forced Efes, a quite effective up-tempo squad, to score only 64 points at home. And while Barcelona runs an overall high-possession game, they control the rhythm well enough to also spoil their opponents’ offensive efforts.”
Frankie Sachs
“There are many right answers to this question. I don’t think one can argue with KIROLBET Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz, Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade or even Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv and its excellent frontline as good answers. However, Zalgiris Kaunas stands out for me. If you believe that defense is first and foremost about effort and desire, it’s hard to argue that any coach gets more out of his players than Sarunas Jasikevicius. The Lithuanian champs are deep, talented and all 12 players know that they cannot take a possession off at either end of the floor. Of course, defense is also very much about teamwork and that is something else that Saras’s teams are known for. Teamwork, toughness and talent – three defensive Ts that describe Zalgiris.”