UcanUwill wrote:[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kTIcWZKw54[/youtube]
This is a marvelous video tribute to an incredible player, leader, teammate and now coach!! Someone who plays with drive and joy! Hooray!
Moderator: THE J0KER
UcanUwill wrote:[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kTIcWZKw54[/youtube]
Mirotic12 wrote:Olympiacos and Barca is not decided. That only seems so because of Spanoulis injury. If Spanoulis would be able to play healthy the rest of the games, Olympiacos could easily win that series. This of course is depended on if his knee is healthy or not. It seems not to be. But if it can become OK, they can easily win that series.
Also, I would not completely write off Maccabi just yet. It is very difficult to win at Tel Aviv. So you never know. If they could win 2 games there, then pressure builds to Fenerbahce and the only clutch player they have is Zisis, and on their team he is not even allowed to have a shot. So even though I think they are a lot better team than Maccabi, it's not out of the question. The same scenario happened to Milano last season. Although Rice is much more clutch than Pargo is.
These are both what if scenarios right now, but definitely could happen. The first one is a who knows though. But if Spanoulis turned out at all healthy, probably even Olympiacos is the favorite.
UcanUwill wrote:OLY took a 2-1 lead. Maybe its good I didn't make that bet after all.
I am not sure if year after year, i underestimate OLY's roster, or they just exceed expectations. This year is no different, I look at that squad, and it doesn't seem THAT great.
Mirotic12 wrote:UcanUwill wrote:OLY took a 2-1 lead. Maybe its good I didn't make that bet after all.
I am not sure if year after year, i underestimate OLY's roster, or they just exceed expectations. This year is no different, I look at that squad, and it doesn't seem THAT great.
Well, that series is still not over same way. But like I said, if anything they were the favorite. Yes, you obviously underestimate Olympiacos if you do not understand basic fact that they have by far best player in Europe and no one can stop him.
Spanoulis makes complete nightmare for all the defense and coaches with his ability to score and pass and there is nothing any opponent can do about it, except to hope he plays bad. It is really that simple. Last year Olympiacos would have passed Real also, except they had several many injuries that it was too much for them and Spanoulis played hurt. Even then they almost won.
This year Spanoulis plays hurt and they still look like they will beat Barca. If they finish Barca and he gets 100% healthy by the final four, I would not want to be CSKA at the semi. All the pressure will again be on CSKA, and Spanoulis just lives for those moments. And again, there is nothing the defense can do to stop him if he is fully healthy.
It is either the pass or the score, one way or the other. So yes, you underestimate Olympiacos if you have not figured that out by now. As long as reffing is somewhat fair, which it usually is in Euroleague, if you have one single unstoppable player, you can pretty much win every time, even against teams with much bigger budgets. That is what Olympiacos is proving over and over and over.
UcanUwill wrote:Mirotic12 wrote:UcanUwill wrote:OLY took a 2-1 lead. Maybe its good I didn't make that bet after all.
I am not sure if year after year, i underestimate OLY's roster, or they just exceed expectations. This year is no different, I look at that squad, and it doesn't seem THAT great.
Well, that series is still not over same way. But like I said, if anything they were the favorite. Yes, you obviously underestimate Olympiacos if you do not understand basic fact that they have by far best player in Europe and no one can stop him.
Spanoulis makes complete nightmare for all the defense and coaches with his ability to score and pass and there is nothing any opponent can do about it, except to hope he plays bad. It is really that simple. Last year Olympiacos would have passed Real also, except they had several many injuries that it was too much for them and Spanoulis played hurt. Even then they almost won.
This year Spanoulis plays hurt and they still look like they will beat Barca. If they finish Barca and he gets 100% healthy by the final four, I would not want to be CSKA at the semi. All the pressure will again be on CSKA, and Spanoulis just lives for those moments. And again, there is nothing the defense can do to stop him if he is fully healthy.
It is either the pass or the score, one way or the other. So yes, you underestimate Olympiacos if you have not figured that out by now. As long as reffing is somewhat fair, which it usually is in Euroleague, if you have one single unstoppable player, you can pretty much win every time, even against teams with much bigger budgets. That is what Olympiacos is proving over and over and over.
Heck, I guess you are right.
I know Spanoulis is very good, and I like Printezis a lot, though he is not very consistent. But over than that, when I look at OLYs roster, I always end up being underwhelmed. A lot of journeymen Americans. Maybe I do underestimate them a lot, but none of Lojeski, Lafayette, Darden, Petway, Hunter... none of them seem that great at all. They also won two championships with Acie Law starting, of all people.
OLYs GM must be a damn genius, because he really knows how to build a successful team.
PZiv wrote:Real is in, which I don't like, but Barca is out which I like.
OLY, FEN, CSKA, REAL will be great on F4.
Mirotic12 wrote:
Actually, Acie Law was never their starter. Mantzaris always has been. But as I say here several times, there is no such thing as starters and bench in Europe. That's just an American thing. I try to explain that here several times. That is why guys like Papaloukas and Sergio Rodriguez have been Euroleague MVPs without ever starting a single game. Because it really honestly means nothing whether you start or not in Euroleague.
Anyway, being a journeyman in Europe is not a bad thing. Maybe in USA it is, but not in Europe. In Europe even the very best of the best players can be journeymen. So being a journeyman has no reflection on how good you are.
Also, remember that in Europe the coaches pick the players, not the GMs. It was Georgios Bartzokas, the former coach of Olympiacos that picked them. And yes, he has a very high basketball IQ. I think he is easily one of smartest European basketball coaches I have seen. And he is even smarter at evaluating players and putting together a team.
Anyway, you have to realize, those players from Olympiacos are extremely athletic and they play very hard and very physical defense. Maybe you are not impressed by any names, but if you watched them play defense and watched them attack the rim, play above the rim, run the floor - things like that, you would be impressed.
UcanUwill wrote:I wouldn't say being a starter doesn't mean anything in Europe. Game start strategy is still very important. I know what you are saying, in Europe the starter will not be necessarily better player then its bench counterpart, nor he will be more important. Thats especially the case with big budget super clubs, that has very deep rosters and has a luxury to start players like Rodriquez of the bench or change their starting lineups whatever they want. But on your average club, starter position still means a lot.
When I said journeymen, I probably meant that those players didn't had a strong career pedigree. They came from lesser know teams, so when I look at their names, I tend to underestimate them, they just weren't well known as some other Euro players. Barcelona is full of very well known players, They are your typical powerhouse that throws money at well established names. OLY on the other hand.... Before joining OLY, Dunston played for Cimberio Varese, Lojeski for Oostende (Belgium), Petway from Aegean B.C.,.. Darden and Lafayette had Euroleague experience prior, but they were mediocre at best.
So I really have to give OLYs general manager and coaching staff props, for finding those players and building a very sound team. Thats a very hard thing to do. I believe they are the best defensive team in the Euroleague. And when you have all those defenders do what they do, while having Spaoulis on the other end, thats a winning combination for sure.
UcanUwill wrote:Great Britain will have an Euroleague team next season. I wonder how many Brits actually care though.
TheTrooper wrote:UcanUwill wrote:Great Britain will have an Euroleague team next season. I wonder how many Brits actually care though.
I hate modren sport with all this crap. I mean....better give one more spot to Russia, Spain, Turkey or even Germany, they too have big markets and have money if that is the only criteria for having an Euroleague team..... at least someone from those places plays and watches basketball.....but no, they want to promote the sport in a nation that is time after time showing no interest at all for the sport.
All about how big the "potential market" is and the money.
UcanUwill wrote:All first team and Second team announced !
FIRST team
Boban Marjanovic
Felipe Reys
Nemanja Bjelica
Vassilis Spanoulis
Milos Teodosic
SECOND team
Ante Tomic
Devin Smith
Rudy Fernandez
Andrew Goudelock
Nande De Colo
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