By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Denver Nuggets guard Facu Campazzo discussed the differences between playoff games in NBA and Europe, with an emphasis on game preparation and tactical aspect. The Argentinian player is competing in the NBA playoffs for the first time in his career after multiple postseason appearances in EuroLeague and the Spanish ACB League.
“With the first round already finished, the feeling I have now when it comes to comparisons with other , is that you are used to best-of-five or best-of-three series in Argentina and Europe,” Campazzo said in an interview with La Nacion. “And when you find yourself already starting with seven games it’s like feeling it’s long and it forces you to always give your best. It doesn’t give you room to relax for a minute. There’s only one day between games and two when you travel. It’s like there’s no time to think about anything other than the series. Your head is working 24/7 and it seems like it’s always like that.”
“Everything is much more tactical,” Campazzo added. “They gave us a book with a large number of pages which explains each player’s tendencies, the plays he makes, a deep analysis of the opponent. A player is studied during the season but it’s all more detailed in the playoffs. They analyze from which side he likes to go outside, how he likes to express himself offense. In defense, you also have to know in which kind of play he’s more potent. You have to study that and when you go to see the scouting video, the assistant asks you questions to find out if you’ve been working on the material they give you. And you have to take all of that on the court later. That’s something new for me.”
Campazzo mentioned that a player has to carry the instructions and plan more faithfully than he does in Europe.
“There are also rules and strategic plans to follow in Argentina and in Spain, but there is an amount of instinct of the moment,” Campazzo said. “Here, everything is more to the letter. There are certain freedoms in playing here, you can take a risk, if you leave the plan a bit and it goes well, they don’t tell you anything. But if it doesn’t… well, they let you know. They always advise that you follow everything perfectly. Because everything is well-studied. Now I have the book on Phoenix in hand and I have to study Chris Paul. They give you all the tactical tools and then you have to put your intensity and energy into it. With those elements, when we do it well together, it allows us to carry out a series like the one we won with Portland.”
After losing in Game 1 against the Phoenix Suns, Nuggets and Campazzo will look to bounce back Wednesday (9/6).