By Antonis Stroggylakis/ info@eurohoops.net
There is no offense in EuroLeague’s recent years as potent as the one of CSKA Moscow.
Since 2014, when Dimitris Itoudis took the helm, succeeding Ettore Messina, the Russian powerhouse has steadily been the most productive machine in Europe, showcasing a tour de force of creative, high-scoring basketball that has dominated the EuroLeague in points for three consecutive years.
Last season, CSKA finished first in scoring average (87.51 ppg) and second in assists (19.89 per game). In 2016, the “Army Men” broke a 7-year drought to win the EuroLeague crown while taking pride on eclipsing all other teams in points (90.97 per game, 8 more than 2nd Real Madrid‘s 82.85) and dimes (19.76 avg.).
Yet what we saw on Friday night at “Wiznick Center”, Madrid and the game against Real for round 2 of the EuroLeague regular season was immensely contrasting to the above achievements.
The defeat to the “Blancos” wouldn’t seem so bad (after all we are talking about “Real freaking Madrid” playing at home, no matter the opponent), if not for the utterly and perhaps unprecedently horrid display that CSKA put on the floor.
“This is my fourth year with the team and I don’t remember to have such a bad night,” Itoudis said after the match. “The way we played today, we don’t belong between the best eight.”
He wasn’t joking. CSKA finished the game scoring 69 points and while this ain’t that ugly (although still subpar for the team’s standards), the hideously weak number of “5” assists in total left a really sour taste to the Greek coach.
How could it be otherwise? This is the second worst performance in his team’s modern (post-2000) EuroLeague history. And given how much more fast-paced and pass-oriented the game is compared to 2008 (when the Russians dished only five in the semifinal win over Baskonia, then Tau Ceramica), then this 5-assist output looks even poorer.
It’s not like the tempo of the game was lethargic or that it was a low-possession affair between the two teams. Actually, CSKA had 93 possessions which make for 11 more than Real Madrid‘s 82 and five more compared to the team’s EuroLeague premiere with the win over Olimpia Milano (88 possessions and 17 assists).
CSKA Moscow’s lowest single-game assist ratings in modern EuroLeague:
The 2016 continental champs also hit absolute rock-bottom when it comes to their assist production in comparison with the mistakes that handled the ball to their opponents. Actually, the 5 dimes for 17 turnovers, created worst assist/TO ratio that CSKA ever had in a post-2000 EuroLeague game.
The second worst ratio took place in that game vs Skipper Bologna when the Russian team committed thrice the numbers of assists it produced (4/12) for a 33.33%.
CSKA Moscow’s worst assist-turnover ratios in modern EuroLeague:
CSKA managed to absolutely control the boards 45 – 36 and even grab 18 rebounds on offense. These are normally game-winning numbers, but the Russian outfit royally failed to translate them to buckets since it shot with 17/45 2-pointers (37.8%) and 5/18 (27.8%) from beyond the arc.
Connection to the hoop was an enormous issue and it’s small wonder that this percentage in two-point shots also made it to the “bottom-10” list since it’s the 8th worst record of the team since 2000.
CSKA Moscow’s 2-pointer percentage lows in modern EuroLeague:
EuroLeague stars like Nando De Colo (a three-time All-EuroLeague selection and 2016 season and Final Four MVP) or Sergio Rodriguez (2014 season MVP, among other distinctions) severely underperformed and obviously, this played a big part in the above numbers.
The French combo guard finished with 9 points but shooting with a mere 1/8 from the field, while in his return to Madrid, floor-general extraordinaire “Chacho” sent zero assists to his teammates, the same number as his backup Leo Westermann.
All these are reasons for CSKA to forget this display, but not really a cause for serious worry. Remember that this team underwent a significant backcourt overhaul over the summer (after maestro Milos Teodosic left for the NBA and highly reliable Aaron Jackson wasn’t renewed).
Even though there are two former MVPs conducting the traffic, will take time to build anew the chemistry among guards with a brand new facilitator like Rodriguez and make the offense click with the same notoriously dangerous efficiency it did in the previous years.
Statistics from EuroLeague.net and Overbasket.org.