By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
No more scenarios. The playoffs are set and the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season ended for eight teams. And on the process, a historic achievement was registered.
MVP
By the numbers, Zalgiris Kaunas Brandon Davies was the MVP, but Calathes finally finished a EuroLeague game with a triple-double, a feat that has not happened since 2006. And while Panathinaikos was expected to make to the playoffs, they did it by grabbing the sixth spot and with Calathes stealing the show.
BEST FIVE
- Nick Calathes: He simply made history
- Vasilije Micic: He had one more big game with 18 points and eight assists, as Anadolu Efes erased any last hope for AX Armani Exchange Milano to make it to the playoffs.
- Kostas Sloukas: Yes, it’s a three-guard lineup since Fenerbahce‘s leader had 22 points and five assists, plus the winning shot against Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv, as his team stayed unbeaten at home for the regular season.
- Will Clyburn: He made things happen for CSKA Moscow which played for their pride and got the win over Baskonia Vitoria Gastiez. He finished the night with 16 points and 6 rebounds for a 20 ranking
- Brandon Davies: His amazing performance was the key for Zalgiris Kaunas on the way to the road win against Real Madrid and the playoffs. He had 27 points, 10 rebounds, two assists, and two steals.
Coach of the week: Sarunas Jasikevicius
Very few believed that Zalgiris Kaunas could make to the playoffs. One of the proud few was, of course, Saras and he more than deserves being in this spot for getting qualified by beating Real Madrid on the road. Coach Rick Pitino managed to make a similar turnaround, but at least on paper Panathinaikos have the better roster and they sealed the deal by beating at home Buducnost VOLI.
Sarunas Jasikevicius: A hero of the peoplepic.twitter.com/It3a1UF7pg
— Eurohoops.net (@Eurohoopsnet) April 4, 2019
Last word: End of an era
With just around 2.000 fans in their gym, Olympiacos playing without injured Vassilis Spanoulis beat Darussafaka Tekfen by 25 despite an almost tied first half. With both teams already out of the playoffs, it was not about the result, but about the almost empty stands and the notion that this season suddenly transformed after the 20th round to a symbolic end of an era for the former back-to-back champs.