By Aris Barkas/ barkas@eurohoops.net
After two weeks of action in Top16 only Real Madrid in Group E and the trio of CSKA Moscow, Olympiacos and Anadolu Efes in Group F are still unbeaten. It’s a testament to the level of basketball being played and the rising difficulty in every game. So it’s time for the men to be separated from boys and here’s what happened in the 2nd gameday.
MVP
Big players react in big games and that’s exactly what he did. He had 22 points on 6/8 threes, he made all of those behind the arc shots in the third quarter and he was an offense by himself. Despite the fact that both Abrines and Oleson returned to action, Huertas was again the leader of the back court, dishing also 5 assists – and having three turnovers – the last of them ending with the final goal foul of the game by Doellman.
Best five
- Marcelinho Huertas: In a game against Panathinaikos he exploded.
- Nando De Colo: He is a combo guard but he created an excellent tandem with Milos Teodosic, sharing playing making duties, as it’s evident from his 17 points and 8 assists in the win over Laboral Kutxa.
- Andrew Goudelock: He is instant offense. That translated to 23 points (8/15 2p., 2/2 3p.) in 24 minutes for Fenerbahce/ Ulker on the road against Nizhny Novgorod. Yes, we go with three guards this time.
- Brian Randle: After Devin Smith, he is the steadiest player of Maccabi Tel Aviv. He once again did what he does against Crvena Zvezda with 16 points, 9 rebounds and 4 steals.
- Felipe Reyes: He had a double double with 22 points and 11 rebounds in 22 minutes of action against Galatasaray. The captain of Real Madrid is always a guy you can depend on.
Best losing performance: Nikola Kalinic
In a week with only one road win, Crvena Zvezda for one half was more than competitive in Tel Aviv. And that has to do with the game of Nikola Kalinic. The Serb had 18 points in 25 minutes of action on 7/11 shots and he was one of the main reasons his team was in the game. Still it was far from enough.
Biggest win: Barcelona
In theory Barcelona was the favorite against Panathinaikos. Despite the win, it was all but easy. Still the Catalans just needed that result after three consecutive defeats and in the end got it. With Juan Carlos Navarro still missing and Huertas being the leader of the team, Barcelona got a moral boost against a classic opponent who was in the game until the last minute.
The blow out: Olympiacos
The Reds needed a big win before the key game against Fenerbahce/ Ulker in Istanbul and they got it in the 81-58 triumph against EA7 Milano. The second half was one of the best the Greeks have produced this season, getting even a 27 points lead (80-53) due to their impressive defensive effort against a talented, but unstable opponent.
The come back: Anadolu Efes
Getting a page from the underdog days of Olympiacos, Duda’s team did it again. Despite trailing by 15 points to Unicaja, defense was the answer on the way to an important win, one of those that build the character of a team, even if this time the veterans, Perperoglou, Draper and Janning were the key and not the young blood.
The survivors: Zalgiris Kaunas
It’s obvious even if Alba is not the strongest opponent in Top16. Nobody will have an easy night in Kaunas, as Zalgiris has the tools and the pride to fight against any opponent. Even if getting to the play offs still seems a far reached target the Lithuanians may end up being the adjusters of who will get to the quarterfinals and who will be left out.
The last word: The Sasha mystery
Everything is going just great for CSKA Moscow so far in the season, but finally we have some drama from Moscow. According to Russian media reports, Sasha Kaun is considering the possibility of retiring at the end of this season, depending on his health. Considering the fact that he hasn’t missed a game so far in the season, it’s a puzzling turn of events. Still he will be a free agent in the summer.
Euroleague 2014-2015 – 12th Day
|
Unicaja Malaga |
||
|
F.C. Barcelona |
Panathinaikos |
|
|
Zalgiris |
Alba Berlin |
|
|
Nizhny Novgorod |
Fenerbahce |
|
|
CSKA Moscow |
Laboral Kutxa |
|
|
EA7 Milano |
||
|
Crvena Zvezda T. |
||
|
Real Madrid |
Galatasaray MP |