By Aris Barkas/ barkas@eurohoops.net
After nine rounds of action in Turkish Airlines Euroleague, what we know is confirmed in the most emphatic way. CSKA Moscow, the only club with a 8-1, is the team to beat, Real Madrid at 7-2 and Fenerbahce at 6-3 are also contenders, while the rest will have to fight until the end even for a spot at the play offs, as you can see in the standings.
And of course, there’s only one Milos Teodosic.
MVP
Milos Teodosic
You can pick Teodosic as MVP even before the games have started and there’s a good chance that you will not be wrong. However, this time what he did was incredible even by his own standards. In the easy win over Baskonia he led CSKA Moscow with a career night with 34 points on 11/16 shots, 5/6 of them threes, 10 assists, 2 rebounds, 1 steal and zero turnovers in 30 minutes of action. All that in the night he entered the very exclusive 1000 career assists club of Euroleague. Even without injured Nando De Colo, CSKA can count on him.
Best Five
- Milos Teodosic: In Milos we trust.
- Kostas Sloukas: Playing at full health this season, he emerges as the guard who brings stability in Fenerbahce. He did it on the road against Milano with 18 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists and only 1 turnover.
- Blake Schilb: He showcased his all around talents with 18 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists as Galatasaray Odeabank got back on track by beating FC Barcelona Lassa.
- Paulius Jankunas: He is an icon for Zalgiris Kaunas and he was the best player in the win over Brose Baskets with 23 points and 9 rebounds against a front line much younger than him.
- Derrick Brown: Not a center, but he played also as one on an amazing night in the win of Anadolu Efes over Crvena Zvezda. He had 20 points on 6/9 shots, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 blocks and no turnovers! Of course it was a career high for him with a 38 ranking.
Best losing performance: Will Clyburn
He stole the show at OAKA with 26 points on 11/20 field goals and 4/5 free throws and also had 9 rebounds. The forward of Dogus Darussafaka is proving to be one of the surprises of the league being able to make a difference in the top level. Still he couldn’t get the win this time.
Coach of the week:Rami Hadar
The right man for the right job some times can be the most unexpected choise. When coach Erez Edelstein was fired, Rami Hadar got the job and many considered him an interim replacement. So far, he has the vote of his players and Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv is winning. The bad start of the Israelis has already been covered and who knows how this season will end.
Biggest win: Maccabi Tel Aviv
Getting road wins in this version of Euroleague is not easy. Getting road wins against Olympiacos, at least on paper, is even more difficult. Playing its own brand of basketball and relying on offensive talent, Maccabi Tel Aviv shocked the Reds on the way to its third straight win. Not a bad run after a 2-4 start.
The last word: logjam
With Panathinaikos beating Dogus Darussafaka, five teams are tied between the fourth and the eight spot of the standings with a 5-4 record (Olympiacos, Panathinaikos, Darussafaka, Baskonia, Maccabi Tel Aviv) and four more follow at 4-5 (EA7 Milano, Crvena Zvezda, Anadolu Efes, Barcelona). It’s not a surprise any more and it’s obvious that in the end every point may count in the more than probable event of ties.