By Aris Barkas/ barkas@eurohoops.net
The end of Top16 was thrilling and now it’s time for the play offs. Get ready for the duels between Real Madrid (1) – Anadolu Efes (4), Barcelona (2) – Olympiacos (3), Fenerbahce/ Ulker (2) – Maccabi Tel Aviv (3) and CSKA Moscow (1) – Panathinaikos (4).
But before that let’s see what happened in the last week of Top16 action with the defending champions stealing the show in more than one ways.
MVP
Who else? He did everything in Berlin with 28 points on 7/10 threes. He tied Maccabi‘s record for made threes in a single Euroleague game, he also had 7 rebounds and he led the champions to the play offs. Plus, he also benefited Panathinaikos, as the Greens qualified also thanks to this result.
Best Five
- Jayson Granger: He had 15 points, 6 assists and 3 rebounds, leading Unicaja in the win over Laboral Kutxa, which kept Laboral Kutxa out of the play offs and let Anadolu Efes in.
- Andrew Goudelock: The top scorer of the league had 24 points on 8/12 shots as Fenerbahce/ Ulker almost left Anadolu Efes out of the play offs.
- Devin Smith: It was a great night for him!
- Andrei Kirilenko: Look who’s back! As he is getting his form back, he had 14 points, 7 rebounds and 2 steals in the easy win of CSKA in Milan.
- Boban Marjanovic: He had one more double double (12 p., 16 r) in a win over Panathinaikos, as he finished a Euroleague season full of personal records.
Best losing performance: Fabien Causer
One more French guard from Laboral Kutxa is emerging. Causer had 21 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 2 turnovers and 1 block. Those numbers were not enough for the win over Unicaja, but Causer did his best in order to lead his team to the play offs.
Biggest win: Maccabi Tel Aviv
Five teams were playing for their play offs lives. Anadolu Efes, Laboral Kutxa, Panathinaikos and Alba Berlin lost. Only the defending champions got the much needed road win in Berlin and qualified without needed any help from any one. Let’s see if that can be a start for one more miracle run, like it happened last year.
The underachievers: Laboral Kutxa – Anadolu Efes
In their most crucial games of their Euroleague season, they couldn’t get what they wanted. However playing on the road against Unicaja Malaga and Fenerbahce/ Ulker is not easy. In the end, the Spaniards missed the play offs, the Turks got in, but in both cases a big finish just didn’t happen.
The disappointments: Unicaja Malaga – EA7 Milano
The fact that both teams are leading their domestic leagues, makes even more puzzling the fact that they left early the race for a play offs spots. Unicaja, which ended the Top16 with a win, just seems to be more focused in Liga Endesa than in Euroleague. Milano is a different case and after last season’s appearance in the play offs, the club has taken a step back in the top European level.
The last word: Pini
Just read this and there’s more to come…
Euroleague Top16 – 14th gameday
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Nizhny Novgorod |
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Unicaja Malaga |
Laboral Kutxa |
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Panathinaikos |
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Fenerbahce |
Anadolu Efes |
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EA7 Milano |
CSKA Moscow |
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Alba Berlin |
Maccabi Tel Aviv |
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Galatasaray MP |
F.C. Barcelona |
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99 – 83 |