By Utkan Şahin / info@eurohoops.net
An important aspect of the round-robin schedule of the EuroLeague Regular Season is the endurance of the players. No matter the talent within the squad, injuries can negatively affect the W-L record of any team.
During the 2017-18 Regular Season, only 44 players were able to participate in all thirty contests. This year 57 made it all the way through, 22.7% of the total compared to 17.3% of last season. Also, 198 players averaged over ten minutes per game.
FC Barcelona Lassa rotated 13 players using seven of them in all thirty matches. Anadolu Efes and Zalgiris Kaunas follow with six 30/30 players apiece. On the other side, no Herbalife Gran Canaria squad member played in every game.
Eurohoops presents the Ironmen of the 2018-19 EuroLeague Regular Season:
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Fenerbahçe Beko (4/16) |
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CSKA Moscow (3/16) |
Kyle Hines, Othello Hunter, Alec Peters |
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Real Madrid (2/16) |
Fabien Causeur, Jeff Taylor |
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Anadolu Efes (6/13) |
James Anderson, Doğuş Balbay, Vasilije Micic, Adrien Moerman, Tibor Pleiss, Krunoslav Simon |
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FC Barcelona Lassa (7/13) |
Victor Claver, Thomas Heurtel, Kyle Kuric, Pierre Oriola, Kevin Pangos, Chris Singleton, Ante Tomic |
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Panathinaikos OPAP (3/16) |
Nick Calathes, James Gist, Lukas Lekavicius |
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KIROLBET Baskonia (5/15) |
Ilimane Diop, Darrun Hilliard, Marcelinho Huertas, Vincent Poirier, Luca Vildoza |
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Zalgiris Kaunas (6/17) |
Brandon Davies, Marius Grigonis, Arturas Milaknis, Edgaras Ulanovas, Thomas Walkup, Aaron White |
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Olympiacos (4/15) |
Zach LeDay, Kostas Papanikolaou, Georgios Printezis, Nigel Williams-Goss |
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Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv (4/15) |
Angelo Caloiaro, Johnny O’Bryant, Alex Tyus, Yovel Zoosman |
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FC Bayern Münich (4/14) |
Danilo Barthel, Nemanja Dangubic, Nihad Dedovic, Petteri Koponen |
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Mike James, Curtis Jerrells, Mindaugas Kuzminskas, Vladimir Micov |
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Khimki Moscow Region (2/16) |
Tony Crocker, Malcolm Thomas |
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Herbalife Gran Canaria (0/20) |
– |
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Buducnost VOLI (2/19) |
Nemanja Gordic, Edwin Jackson |
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Darüşşafaka Tekfen (1/15) |
Stanton Kidd |
Here are the Top 10 Ironmans according to their total minutes played:
#10 Giorgios Printezis (Olympiacos)
Total Minutes: 767:03
Average: 25.3
Stats: 10.6 pts, 5.2reb, 1.3ast, 12.6 PIR
It wasn’t a season to remember for Giorgos Printezis. Olympiacos didn’t even make the playoffs.
The Greek star produced his worst stats since his 2014 when he struggled through injuries.
On a positive note, he avoided such issues to go through all thirty 2018-19 matches.
#9 Nikola Kalinic (Fenerbahçe Beko)
Total Minutes: 771:58
Average: 25.4
Stats: 9.8pts, 3.3reb, 1.9ast, 10.9PIR
Fenerbahce Beko’s X-factor was Nikola Kalinic and his best EuroLeague campaign.
After an injury-plagued 2017-18 season, the Serbian forward was present throughout the 2018-19 Regular Season.
Kalinic improved his stats all-around by playing over thirty minutes in seven occasions.
#8 Nicolo Melli (Fenerbahçe Beko)
Total Minutes: 777:28
Average: 25.5
Stats: 7.4pts, 4.3reb, 1.7ast, 9.3PIR
It’s no secret that Nicolo Melli is a strong power forward, but this year he worked overtime.
With his teammates, Jan Vesely and Joffrey Lauvergne, out for large chunks of the campaign, he took on a larger role.
He started in 29 out of the 30 matches going over 30 minutes nine times.
#7 Nigel Williams-Goss (Olympiacos)
Total Minutes: 787:56
Average: 26.1
Stats: 9.2pts, 4.2ast, 2reb, 8.8PIR
Similar to Printezis, Nigel Williams-Goss wasn’t at his best this year.
His hot performances with Partizan NIS paved the way for his move to the Greek club, but he didn’t meet expectations with the Reds.
Williams-Goss was included in the starting five 24 times and played a total of 787 minutes.
#6 Edwin Jackson (Buducnost VOLI)
Total Minutes: 791:55
Average: 26.2
Stats: 9.8pts, 2.5reb, 1.9as, 8.7PIR
Buducnost made a lot of changes, but Edwin Jackson was a permanent solution.
The French guard helped the team with 9.8 points per contest.
Jackson was one of the two players of the Montenegrin side to compete in all thirty matches.
#5 Vasilije Micic (Anadolu Efes)
Total Minutes: 825:07
Average: 27.3
Stats: 12pts, 5.5ast, 2.2reb, 13.7PIR
Brought to support Shane Larkin, Vasilije Micic offered much more.
The Serbian guard certainly played a major role for Anadolu Efes that secured fourth place.
In his best season yet, Micic remained on the court over thirty minutes in eleven occasions.