Khimki restored Russian pride

By Aris Barkas/ barkas@eurohoops.net

It can’t get more exciting than that. After six Top16 gamedays the favorites for the play offs are starting to breaking from the pack, but still everything – almost – can happen, as it was evident in the last Friday game between Panathinaikos and Brose Baskets.

Still, the biggest game was played on Thursday with Real Madrid remaining unbeaten in group E with a 6-0 record, while CSKA Moscow has to settle for now to the third place (4-2), behind Anadolu Efes (5-1). Panathinaikos has also a 4-2 record, Unicaja Malaga and Zalgiris Kaunas share a 2-4, Alba Berlin follows 1-5 and then Brose Baskets (0-6).

In group F, Barcelona and Siena share the top (5-1), then Khimki and Caja Laboral (4-2) follow, defending champion Olympiacos is fifth (3-3), Maccabi Tell Aviv is one step behind (2-4), while Fenerbahce/ Ulker (1-5) and Besiktas (0-6) are stuck in the seventh and eighth place respectively.

Eurohoops MVP

Jaycee Carroll

His job is to shoot and he did with incredible focus and precision, specially in overtime, leading with 31 points in the 86-78 overtime win against CSKA . He has taken a back seat on the hype behind Rudy and Mirotic, but Carroll’s efficiency from the three point line can make or break the offense of Real. On Thursday night he made all the big shots in the extra time and he kept his team undefeated in Top16 with a 6-0 record.

Best five

• Marco Popovic: He is back with 22 points on 4/7 three pointers, 5 assists and 2 steals in just 21 minutes of action as Zalgiris Kaunas toyed with Alba Berlin 92-56.
• Jaycee Carroll: He is a cold blooded MVP sniper.
• Rudy Fernandez: We usually don’t like to put two players of the same team in the best five, but we just can’t ignore not only 20 points, but also 13 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals in the overtime win against CSKA.
• Kerem Gonlum: Anadolu Εfes beat Unicaja on the road (78-73) and he was the most decisive player in the game, finishing with a double double (13 p., 10 r.).
• Paul Davis: Κhimki’s players got paid and the team returned to Euroleague victories after beating Caja Laboral in Vitoria (83-71) with Davis having 20 points, along with 5 rebounds and two blocks

Best losing performance: Bojan Bogdanovic

Fener lost on the road to Olympiacos (82-71), but the Croatian sharpshooter once again scored 20 points continuing his streak of good performances in Top16. It’s a pity that his team can’t capitalize his game and produce something better than just one win in six games.

The biggest win: Real Madrid

In a game that could prove to be the preview of Euroleague’s final, Real managed to stay the only undefeated team in Top16 by beating CSKA Moscow. There was drama, there was pressure, there was a devastating Russian front line, but the Spaniards got the win by making all the important shots and putting their bodies on the line in order to cover their disadvantage in the paint. Of course, if Milos Teodosic had made his last shot at the end of regulation, the story would be different, but he didn’t.

The (almost) upset: Panathinaikos

The Greens got the important victory against Brose Baskets, but the Germans gave a real scare to Panathinaikos. Against a team with a 0-5 record, Panathinaikos barely got the 76-73 win with the game being decided in the last seconds. The guests fought till the end, they got two free throws with 4.4 seconds left, but Sergerio Gipson missed them both – the second one on purpose – and the hosts prevailed.

The underachiever: Siena

After beating Olympiacos on the road, undefeated Siena traveled to Barcelona to face the local team without Navarro. That could have been the best chance for the Italian to continue their streak, but that didn’t happen. The Catalans had the lead from the start and Siena was at best mediocre as the final 85-66 for the host team proved.

The disappointment: Fenerbahce/ Ulker

Οne more defeat for Fener – on the home court of Olympiacos – and one more disappointing performance as the team has a 1-5 record so far in Top16. We tried to find out what’s going on and here is the low down of the team’s situation.

Last word: Anadolu Efes

While Fener and Besiktas seem to be just passing by Top16, Anadolu Efes saves the pride of Turkish basketball having five straight wins, a 5-1 record and hosts Real Madrid and CSKA Moscow the next two weeks. Those are the games that will test the real worth of coach Mahmuti’s team.

Euroleague 2012-2013 – Top16 6th Day