By Aris Barkas/ barkas@eurohoops.net
First of all, as you can see in our Game Center, the teams which are near the top of standings are starting to play better than those who are starting to lose their playoffs hopes.
Secondly, for the first time, there’s a gap of two wins between the 8th and the 10th spot in the standings. So those who are in the tail of the race for the playoffs don’t have many chances to blow from now on. And the team of our MVP didn’t blow their chances in Belgrade.
MVP
Alexey Shved
He is a one-man offense and that was proven once again. Shved had 29 points in Khimki Moscow Region’s road win against Crvena Zvezda and he scored 29 points, making five threes and missing just one free throw. There’s no deadlier scorer than him in the competition and he will go down shooting, no matter what.
BEST FIVE
- Alexey Shved: The best pure scorer in the EuroLeague
- Cory Higgins: He wins the efficiency award in CSKA Moscow‘ triumph over Anadolu Efes with 21 points and just one missed shot (4/5 2p. 3/3 3p. 4/4 FT)
- Mindaugas Kuzminskas: He is probably the best among equals in the win of AX Armani Exchange Milano over Unicaja Malaga. He finished the game with 17 points (4/7 FG, 7/7 FT), two rebounds, three assists and no turnovers.
- Augustine Rubit: He had his best EuroLeague game yet, leading Brose Bamberg to the win over Zalgiris Kaunas with 22 points, 9/14 field goals and seven rebounds.
- Jason Thompson: In the hard game against Panathinaikos Superfoods, he held his ground with 14 points, 7/8 field goals and also 7 rebounds.
Coach of the week: Giannis Sfairopoulos
After a bad loss in Baskonia, the reaction of Olympiacos was fierce against Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv. When everything was said and done, the Reds had won by 30 and they are left alone in the second spot of the standings. Not bad for a team which is still bothered by injuries and so far never dropped from the top of the standings. Sfairopoulos made his players react and he gets the credit.
Last word: Oh, Rudy
Love him or hate him, he still has it!