Shane Larkin on Micic's buzzer-beater: 'He's MVP for a reason, we expect those things from him' / News - Basketnews.com

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Vasilije Micic took all the spotlight in the first EuroLeague Final Four semifinal, knocking down a buzzer-beater 3-pointer, which secured a 77-74 victory for Anadolu Efes Istanbul against Olympiacos Piraeus.

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Shane Larkin was looking at the final possession from one of the best places possible.

Coach wanted to go iso on top with Vasa," Larkin described the final possession to BasketNews. "He was playing pretty well, he wanted the ball, he's experienced in those moments and we trusted him."

"He got his shot, let it go, and knocked it down. We expect those things from Vasa – he's an MVP, Final Four MVP, and top scorer of the league for a reason. He delivered it tonight for us," Larkin added.

If Micic took the matters into his hands at the end of the game, Larkin was carrying Efes in the first half.

He got 16 points (0/1 2PT, 4/8 3PT, 4/4 FT), 6 assists, 4 drawn fouls, and 20 PIR.

"In the first half I got it going, but in the second I started to cramp up a bit in my calf," Larkin revealed. "It slowed me down a little bit."

"My teammates remained aggressive, they were hitting big shots. Elijah Bryant stepped up in the second half, and Vasa (Micic), obviously made a huge shot. Chris singleton had big buckets. It's a team effort. It's always been a team for me, I never was about myself. Great team effort and win," Efes star continued.

Anadolu Efes fans can remain calm – Larkin assured that the injury is not serious.

"No, nothing serious. I was able to play it through. I took some stuff, got massages, and was able to be back. I'll drink a lot of water and will prepare for the next game," he answered.

You said you want to establish yourself as one of the best in the competition. Do you think performances like that make your case?Today it was a great game for both teams, I think I played pretty decent, but I think I could have been better. At the end of the day, winning games, advancing to the finals, and being a champion help for the resume.

Player of the Game EFF 21 Shane Larkin Points 21 Accuracy 6-18 Rebounds 0 Assists 7

I just have to enjoy it and leave it as a champion and be as best as I can be.

What made the game so close?In the second half we were aggressive, just didn't hit our shots like we usually do. They started making their shots and got some steals. They are a great, scrappy team. They fight hard and are an experienced team.

It's a Final Four, anything can happen. Great game, great atmosphere. Their fans were amazing tonight.

You also built an 11-point lead but you wasted it pretty quick. What happened?Elijah hit 3 or 4 threes in a row, but then we started to miss some jump shots. Tyler Dorsey started to make some shots, and Vezenkov got it going. They're a great team and in these kind of games, it’s always going to be back-and-forth [battle].

It's not going to be where one team dominates. It's going to be ups and downs, we just need to stay calm, and stay experienced in these moments. At the end of the game, our experience came through and helped to push us to the championship game.

Which team would you prefer in the final?It doesn't really matter. You play Madrid in the final, you play Barca in the final – they are both great teams. Whichever team it will be, we know it's a well-coached team, with great talent. It's going to be a battle, we have to focus on ourselves and get ready.

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