By Stelios Toromanidis/ info@eurohoops.net
Every playoff series brings its own brand of excitement, but some are naturally more dramatic than others. Eurohoops.net went back in time to review all the Euroleague playoff series since the introduction of the current format for the 2004-05 season – with best-of-three quarterfinals at first and best-of-five series since 2009.
The result was 44 playoff series, from which 12 different teams have secured qualification to the Final Four. Eurohoops chose the 10 series it deemed the most exciting based on their dramatic developments and the level of difficulty for the teams that ultimately came out on top.
Season: 2005-06
Playoff series: Panathinaikos Athens 1-2 Tau Ceramica Vitoria
Results: 84-72, 79-85, 71-74
Tau – now known as Laboral Kutxa Vitoria Gasteiz – was going through the best period in club history, with players like Luis Scola, Tiago Splitter, Travis Hansen, Serkan Erdogan and Pablo Prigioni, when it faced Panathinaikos, who had the home-court advantage and a roster filled with stars: Vassilis Spanoulis, Dimitris Diamantidis, Fragiskos Alvertis, Dejan Tomasevic. The Greens came in with home-court advantage and the first two games each went to the home team. But it was Tau that prevailed in the winner-take-all Game 3.
The most-important game: Panathinaikos 71-74 Tau in Game 3
Tau took charge in the first half and led 36-42 at the break. The Greens came back in the third quarter, which ended with the hosts up 53-52. The teams traded blows throughout the fourth quarter. A pair of Erdogan free throws gave Tau a late 4-point cushion. Diamantidis split free throws at the other end and Alvertis missed a three-pointer that would have taken the game into overtime. Thus Tau qualified for the Final Four for the second year in a row.
Series MVP: Serkan Erdogan (13.3 points, 2.3 rebounds, 11 index rating)
The Turkish guard was the best player of the third game and, indeed, made those crucial free throws that, in the end, gave his team a Final Four berth.
Season: 2006-07
Playoff series: Unicaja Malaga 2-1 Wintherthur FC Barcelona
Results: 91-75, 58-80, 67-64
With Sergio Scariolo at the helm, Unicaja scored its best achievement in Europe with its first – and to date only – qualification for a Final Four. Unicaja knocked out Barcelona in suspenseful series.
The most important game: Unicaja 67-64 Barcelona in Game 3
In a packed Martin Carpena Arena, Unicaja claimed its historic qualification. The game was in the balance until the final seconds. The hero was Pepe Sanchez, who, with a three-pointer 7 seconds to the end, ended Barcelona’s dreams and while Marcus Brown iced the game from the free throw line.
Series MVP: Marko Tusek (8.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, 12.7 index rating)
The Slovenian forward carried his team in offense in the two home games that lifted Unicaja.
Season: 2009-10
Playoff series: Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv 1-3 Partizan Belgrade 1-3
Results: 77-85, 98-78, 73-81, 67-76
Maccabi came in with home-court advantage, but Partizan scored a big upset in Game 1 to take charge and soar to its first Final Four in a dozen years. Coach Dusko Vujosevic’s youngsters played excellent basketball to highlight a brilliant season.
The most important game: Maccabi 77-85 Partizan 77-85 in Game 1
When you bring about the biggest upset in the history of the playoffs, especially on one of the toughest home courts in Europe, then you’re entitled to advance. Maccabi led 34-13, but Dusan Kecman, who had an epic game, rallied the Partizan troops. The Serbian guard scored 29 points and made a playoffs record 7 three-pointers in an impressive outing.
Series MVP: Dusan Kecman (15.3 points, 12-for-18 three-point shooting, 15 index rating)
He deserves the title of the MVP for his performance in the first game alone. Kecman was one of the most experienced players on the Partizan roster and helped the team outdo itself throughout the series.
Season: 2010-11
Playoff series: Regal FC Barcelona 1-3 Panathinaikos Athens 1-3
Results: 83-82, 71-75, 74-76, 67-78
Barcelona was the reigning champion and had home-court advantage, so it seemed to be the big favorite against Panathinaikos, who weren’t as strong as they had been in previous years. And yet, Coach Zeljko Obradovic trapped Barcelona with the famous box-and-one defense on Juan Carlos Navarro, with Nick Calathes as the key player. The Greens lost by a single point in the first game, but then got three wins in a row and the ticket to the Final Four in Barcelona, where they stitched their sixth and – to date – latest star on their jersey.
The most important game: Panathinaikos 76-74 Barcelona in Game 3
All three of Panathinaikos’s victories were narrow. The key, though, was the third game of the series at Olympic Sports Center in Athens. Barcelona looked determined to break and got very close a few seconds before the end, 72-71. However that season’s MVP, Dimitris Diamantidis, scored the last 6 points for the Greens in the final minute and a half and wrapped up the game.
Series MVP: Dimitris Diamantidis (18 points, 4.8 assists, 18.8 index rating)
Calathes might have done a fine job on defense, but the one who dominated the series was Diamantidis.
Season: 2010-11
Playoff series: Real Madrid 3-2 Power Electronics Valencia
Results: 71-65, 75-81, 75-66, 72-81, 66-58
When two Spanish teams go head to head in a playoff series, there is sure to be added drama. Such was the case with Madrid against Valencia, with five thrilling encounters and two breaks taking place before the winning team was decided in the details. That was Madrid, which returned to the Final Four after 15 long years.
The most important game: Real Madrid 66-58 Valencia in Game 5
Madrid managed to play excellent defense in the fifth and final game of the series. Valencia was up 42-40 at half time, but in the final 20 minutes only scored 16 points and so Los Blancos won, advanced and celebrated.
Series MVP: Carlos Suarez (7 points, 4.6 rebounds, 10 PIR)
It wasn’t easy picking out the MVP since many players were instrumental for the victors. However, the one who was the cornerstone in the crucial Game 5 was Suarez, who posted a double double of 12 points and 10 rebounds.
Season: 2010-11
Playoff series: Olympiacos Piraeus 1-3 Montepaschi Siena
Results: 89-41, 65-82, 72-81, 76-88
In the opening game of the series, Olympiacos crushed Siena with a 48-point victory in a game where several records were broken and it looked like the Reds would easily take the ticket to the Final Four. But the heavy defeat awakened the Italian champions, who came back and played some high-quality basketball. They won the next three games and to get back to the Final Four for the fourth time in club history.
The most important game: Olympiacos 65-82 Siena in Game 2
It was the game that changed everything in the series. Olympiacos seemed hypnotized after the easy win in Game 1. Siena imposed its pace from the start and claimed the decisive break with relative ease.
Series MVP: Malik Hairston (14 points, 6 rebounds, 17 index rating)
His performances in Games 2 and 4 (index ratings of 31 and 32) were more than enough to earn Hairston the honor as most valuable player of the series.