By Aris Barkas/ barkas@eurohoops.net
The back to back champions didn’t want to see their season ending with a sweep and they reacted. In a tense game from the start until the last second, which was finally decided by two missed free throws of Sergio Llull, Olympiacos beat Real Madrid 78-76, but the Spaniards still have a 2-1 lead.
Llull had the chance to send the game to overtime as he was fouled with 2,5 seconds left, but he missed his first free throw. Then he did the same on purpose in his second attempt, Rudy tried to get the rebound, he couldn’t and the game was over. Bryant Dunston had 21 points and 9 rebounds, Vasilis Spanoulis added 17 points and had the ball in his hand when it mattered the most, but the two winning free throws of the Reds were made by Kostas Sloukas and before that the most crucial three pointer of the game was made by Giorgos Printezis. Rudy Fernandez (18 p.) and Sergio Llull (16 p.) kept their team alive for the bulk of the game and Sergio Rodriguez made the last push to win the game (19 p.).
As coach Bartzokas said: “The reason for Real Madrid playing so well it’s also the team’s self confidence, because they feel that they always win. I think we have shaken this feeling and maybe we can shaken it even more with one more win. That’s what we think now, the next game”. Coach Laso was satisfied by the mental toughness of his team and the come back. Of course he reacted when he was asked if his team chose to play with Olympiacos in the play offs: “This is just stupid. I am sorry, but I don’t want to pay attention to that story. We have nothing but respect to Olympiacos and Panathinaikos. We just lost at Kaunas”.