By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
This week, the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Round Table featured Dusko Savanovic, former All-EuroLeague selection and 2018 Final Four Ambassador; Luca Chiabotti, the former basketball expert-in-residence at La Gazzetta dello Sport in Italy; journalist Donatas Urbonas of leading Lithuanian website 15min.lt; Bugra Uzar of Eurohoops Turkey; and Javier Gancedo, EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge guru and Editorial Senior Manager for EuroLeague.net.
They made their picks on which team is in the most need of a win in Round 7, which players caught their eye in the first double-week as well as which teams made the most out of it.
Per EuroLeague.net:
Which team most needs to win in Round 7?
Dusko Savanovic
“This is a great question. The team that needs to win the most in Round 7 and the near future is, of course, Fenerbahce. Everybody knows the reason; they have to get back on track. For sure, nobody in Europe is used to seeing Fener ranking so low in the standings. That is not the real face of Fenerbahce, especially since Zeljko Obradovic arrived. This is a team built for higher goals and to play much better than they are playing right now. They need to get back on track and win six-seven games in a row, showing the rest of Europe they are still one of the top teams in the EuroLeague and one of the favorites to go to the Final Four.”
Luca Chiabotti
“It’s too easy to say Fenerbahce after the worst start in its EuroLeague history. But also Real Madrid needs to win for the first time on the road this season after three losses, the last one in Munich. It’s only the start of the season, but history teaches that, if you want to reach the top places at the end, you cannot lose too many games on the court of the teams in the second level of the standings.”
Donatas Urbonas
“It’s Fenerbahce, no doubt. I just can’t imagine them losing one more game, especially at home. I’m sure that Fenerbahce will be back on track as soon as all the players get back in shape. For example, two years ago, Real Madrid lost six of seven, but finished the season by winning the EuroLeague. It’s a long journey and I’m not worried about Fenerbahce yet. Warning: it won’t be easy to get back on the winning path against Bayern.”
Bugra Uzar
“I think it’s clear: Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul. After signing star players like Nando De Colo and Derrick Williams to their already talented roster, no one expected a 1-5 start to the season from Fenerbahce. They’ve won only one game and in that game De Colo was exceptional. The worst part is that they don’t seem to know why they’re so bad. They’re not organized at all on the court, they’re making a lot of easy mistakes and they’re not as sharp on the defensive end as they’ve been in recent seasons. These elements are extremely unusual for a Zeljko Obradovic team. They’re about to play in front of their fans and they have to win this game to get back on track.”
Javier Gancedo
“Valencia Basket. Not only it is the last-placed squad, but a win would give Valencia momentum before a string of home games against teams it usually beat in the EuroCup – FC Bayern Munich, Zenit St Petersburg and Khimki Moscow Region. Valencia plays against Panathinaikos OPAP Athens in the Greek capital in Round 7, fresh off its first win of the EuroLeague season. With such a deep, versatile roster, anything is possible for Valencia, whose most experienced players – Bojan Dubljevic, Fernando San Emeterio, Quino Colom – must step up big at OAKA.”
Which player stood out the most during Rounds 5 and 6?
Dusko Savanovic
“As far as which players stood out, if you look at the numbers, it is obvious they can show you a lot, but also lie to you a little bit. I would go with Sergio Rodriguez, but I would like to mention my friend Vasilije Micic of Anadolu Efes, who has the potential to be the EuroLeague MVP and his playing level is not far away from Sergio’s. So if I can choose two players, I would go with Rodriguez and Micic.”
Luca Chiabotti
“I vote for Sergio Rodriguez of AX Armani Milan, the EuroLeague player of the month. He scored 17 points in each of the two games. In Berlin, he put the Milan victory on ice with 8 points – on 6 of 6 free throws – in the last minute of the game. Against Barcelona, he dished 7 assists and scored 9 points in the clutch 2 minutes of the game, when Milan, ahead only by 2 points, made a 14-3 run for the win.”
Donatas Urbonas
“Sergio Rodriguez was the man. He led Milan to both wins by averaging 17 points and 5.5 assists. Moreover, Rodriguez was a clutch player in both games by averaging 12.5 second-half points. His leadership is a crucial reason why Milan is enjoying an impressive 5-1 start so far.”
Bugra Uzar
“I must choose Milan’s leader, Sergio Rodriguez, as the player who stood out the most. His performance shows that Messina did the right thing when he decided to make Rodriguez the core of his system. In these two games, Rodriguez was the main scorer and facilitator for the squad. He averaged 17 points, 5.5 assists, 4 rebounds and 1 steal, which are great numbers. But apart from statistics, Rodriguez did a lot of other things that helped Milan. When the pressure made the ball ‘hot’, he demanded it even more. He made some crucial assists and scored a lot of clutch baskets in both games. When he plays at that level, Milan looks more invincible than ever.”
Javier Gancedo
“Toko Shengelia of KIROLBET Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz has confirmed his status as his team’s undeniable leader and is playing at the same level – or even better? – than two years ago, when he was chosen to the 2017-18 All-EuroLeague First Team. Shengelia averaged 18.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 7.5 fouls drawn for a PIR of 26.5 in the double-round week. Shengelia is Baskonia’s heart and soul and at age 28, right at the prime of his career.”
Which team helped itself most in the season’s first double-round week?
Dusko Savanovic
“I would say AX Armani Exchange Milan. Somehow, they played great despite having many new players and a lot of injuries. They signed Luis Scola, a veteran who keeps surprising everybody in the World Cup and now in the EuroLeague. So I would say Milan and maybe Maccabi, but I am going with Milan because they are shooting great, playing great basketball since the beginning of the season. I would love to see them back on track. They are good every season, but not good enough to be there, in the Final Four. So far they drew my attention.”
Luca Chiabotti
“AX Milan and Maccabi Tel Aviv. Not only because they are the only two teams that won both games of the double round. Milan didn’t play very well in Berlin; it committed 19 turnovers but won. Then played a great game against Barcelona and showed that this year it has a deep roster around Rodriguez and Scola to compete at a high level. Maccabi made a statement in Pireus showing great improvements, like Milan, compared to more recent years.”
Donatas Urbonas
“It surprised me that only two teams had a perfect record last week – Milan and Maccabi. This shows how competitive this EuroLeague is. It’s tough to pick one, but I go with Milan. It’s a new team with a new philosophy. This tough away victory in Berlin and a great comeback against Barcelona were very important in building a bond between players and coaches. I remember how two years ago tough early victories build Zalgiris’s character for their unforgettable journey to the Final Four.
Bugra Uzar
“This season’s EuroLeague is more competitive than ever! So, whenever you win two games in the same week, you have accomplished something special. That’s why my answer is AX Armani Exchange Milan, as they had a great week doing exactly that. With Ettore Messina in charge, the team is improving in every area. They got two wins last week, but the victory against FC Barcelona was even more impressive. First of all, it was the first defeat for the talented Spanish team. Second, Milan made an incredible comeback in the last quarter of the game, 31-12. The fact that they’re not giving up against such a talented team is a sign that they’re different than what they’ve been for the last couple of years. These victories gave them not only a huge boost for their morale, but they also tied for first place with a record of 5-1.”
Javier Gancedo
“Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv. Two teams won both games in this double-round week, but Maccabi was able to win at two very different rhythms by playing solid defense. It allowed Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul to score just 55 points in Tel Aviv and limited Olympiacos to just 65 on the Reds’ home court. On offense, only one player (Nate Wolters) scored in double digits in both games, which speaks wonders about Maccabi’s diversified offense. Maccabi is now 4-2, fourth in the standings, with a roster of very committed players and looking up.”