By Aris Barkas/ barkas@eurohoops.net
One week before the end of regular season, only three Top16 spots are left open. In Group A, Unics Kazan (5-4), Zalgiris Kaunas (4-5) and Nizhny Novgorod (4-5) will duel for two spots, however the Lithuanians will play against Eurocup bound Sassari in order to advance, while Nizhny will face Unics. In Group D Neptunas (4-5) has the advantage over Galatasaray (3-6) as the Lithuanians are facing on the road disqualified Valencia and the Turks are hosting the top seeded Olympiacos.
The teams which are already in Top16 are the following: Group A, Real Madrid (7-2), Anadolu Efes (6-3), Group B, CSKA Moscow (9-0), Maccabi T.A. (6-3), Unicaja Malaga (4-5), Alba Berlin (4-5), Group C, Barcelona (8-1), Fenerbahce/ Ulker (7-2), Panathinaikos (5-4), EA7 Milano (4-5), Group D, Olympiacos (8-1), Crvena Zvezda (5-4), Laboral Kutxa (5-4).
Read here all the possibilities in front of the last week.
MVP
In a do or die game a French guard emerged as the leader for Laboral Kutxa. This time it was not Heurtel, but Causer who scored 21 points and added two assist on the way to the biggest win of his team so far in the season. Somehow, despite the bad start, the coaching change and an unstable roster, Laboral Kutxa got to the Top16 and will live to fight for 14 more games in Euroleague. Not that bad…
Best five
- Fabien Causer: He was the hero of “Fernando Buesa Arena”
- Nando De Colo: In what was an overtime test for CSKA Moscow in Malaga, the French guard delivered with 22 points on 8/16 shots, 5 rebounds and the winning shot.
- Deivydas Gailius: Neptunas can get to the Top16 after beating Galatasaray and his 23 points and 8 rebounds in 25 minutes of action was the key.
- Dusko Savanovic: Too little, too late, but his game for Bayern against Turow was still great with 31 points on 11/16 shots and 6 rebounds.
- Jan Vesely: In a big win for Fenerbahce/ Ulker he proved to be the ideal solution in the center position. Yes, he made his name as a versatile forward, but as a center he was great with a double double (16 p., 10 r.) and 3 blocks.
Best losing performance: Marcelo Huertas
Without Navarro and Oleson and after Abrines’ injury he tried to do it all by himself and almost succeed. Marcelinho had 25 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 turnovers and he took the responsibility for the last shot of regulation. If he wasn’t block by Vesely, then he could have been even the MVP.
Biggest win: Laboral Kutxa
In a “Spanish civil war” Laboral Kutxa had the chance to qualify and grabbed it against Valencia, a team with much better results so far in Liga Endesa. Yes, Laboral has already sold its best guard to an other Euroleague team, it’s not as ambitious as it once was, but you just can’t underestimate this club. As they said in this game “not in our house”.
The masterpiece: Barcelona – Fenerbahce/ Ulker
The winner doesn’t matter much – well, it does if you are a Fenerbahce fan – since the final standings will be very hard to change as even in a possible tie, the goal average of Barcelona gives the Spaniards the advantage over the Turks. But the overtime game of Thursday was a thing of beauty. If you haven’t seen it, then do yourself a favor and watch it…
The upset: Nizhny Novgorod
Who believed that Nizhny can beat Efes on the road without Rochestie? Probably the players of Nizhny themselves and they did that in order to stay alive until the end in the Top16 race. Yes, they are underdogs, but in their first Euroleague season they proved that they deserved it.
The underachiever: Olympiacos – Crvena Zvezda
Everything before and after the game was great. However the game itself between the two top teams of Group D was not exactly a joy for the eyes. Still it will be a game to remember.
The disappointment: Valencia
Valencia had its woes and injuries, but nobody expected from the Eurocup winners to stay out of Top16. This version of Valencia is clearly a much different team than last year and not the emerging powerhouse that everyone had hoped for. On paper the Spaniards could challenge Olympiacos for the top of Group D. But…
The last word: Paladesio (not) like Madison Square Garden
Giorgio Armani and Spike Lee were in court side seats, the famous American film director who is also a famous basketball fan loved the game between EA7 Milano and Panathinaikos – as he said what he saw was better than this season’s Knicks – but this happened…. Somehow this random incident sums up the difference between NBA and Euroleague. Things on the court are not that different, but the presentation, the facilities and everything off the court in Europe can’t keep up with the Americans. On the other hand you can’t get in the NBA what happened in the Olympiacos – Crvena Zvezda game.
Euroleague 2014-2015 – 9th Day
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Laboral Kutxa |
Valencia |
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Dinamo Sassari |
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Limoges |
Alba Berlin |
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Olympiacos |
Crvena Zvezda T. |
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UNICS Kazan |
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Nizhny Novgorod |
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EA7 Milano |
Panathinaikos |
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F.C. Barcelona |
Fenerbahce |
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Unicaja Malaga |
CSKA Moscow |
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Cedevita Zagreb |
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FC Bayern |
PGE Turow |
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Neptunas |
Galatasaray MP |