3x3 EuroLeague: worrisome Olympiacos’ slump and exciting battle in Moscow / News - Basketnews.com

Credit: Aykut Akici, Mikhail Serbin - Getty Images, D.Repečka | BasketNews illustration Credit Aykut Akici, Mikhail Serbin - Getty Images, D.Repečka | BasketNews illustration

As usual, before the upcoming Turkish Airlines EuroLeague round, BasketNews presents 3x3 EuroLeague edition.

This week, BasketNews' journalists Uygar Karaca, Giorgios Kyriakidis, and Miguel Lois Vidal discussed the most intriguing game of the double week, Olympiacos Piraeus slump, and Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul's hopes of reaching the playoffs.

Of all games that will take place in this double-week, which one do you wait for the most?

Uygar: I think CSKA-Efes is a no-brainer.

Both teams are certainly not in the exact spot they would like to be, and a loss could be costly. For Efes, playoffs are salvageable, but there are already three games between them and CSKA.

If they lose again, it might effectively mean that Efes could not get the home advantage in the playoffs by any means. Because of the injury, Shane Larkin is playing with half-measures, and Micic cannot save them every day because fatigue hits him hard.

The additional support from role players must arrive as it did against Fenerbahce in the domestic league. They need to find a way to integrate the likes of Chris Singleton or Erten Gazi as fresher personnel is direly needed.

CSKA's league position is better, and so are their results lately. But that has a lot to do with their schedule because the only team that could be labeled as a top team in their last 6 wins was UNICS. They are still in the grey area as far as their self-confidence is concerned.

Giorgos:I understand that Real Madrid-Zenit Saint Petersburg, CSKA-Anadolu Efes, or even Armani Milan-Fenerbahce look appealing on the surface. Those games might even offer lots of drama and exciting basketball.

However, I'm curious to see what happens when Crvena Zvezda and Monaco lock horns in Belgrade on Thursday night. The contest features the league's second-best offense going up against the fourth-best defense.

Zvezda concede only 73.4 points while forcing opponents to 13.4 turnovers per game. Monaco under coach Sasa Obradovic are a different team compared to the Zvezdan Mitrovic era.

Monaco have gradually grown into a smart and effective team, elements that they lacked initially. They were too soft, but as their latest results show (especially their win over Zenit in Russia), they are not afraid of winning anymore.

While still relying on individual quality and players that many EuroLeague teams would love to have, Monaco are still playing attractive basketball, regardless if they win or lose.

On the other hand, Zvezda have mastered the art of making the best of their limited budget. They're a team deserving of all credit, especially this season when many financially similar - or even superior- projects have failed.

They probably won't make the playoffs, but they can keep doing some serious damage to any team incapable of dealing with their physicality.

Miguel: There are plenty of good games this week in the EuroLeague. It is necessary to have more than one device connected to watch everything. Real Madrid have two challenging home games against Olympiacos Piraeus and Zenit St Petersburg.

The Greek powerhouse is not reliable on the road, but they have enough quality. The Russian team is like a toothache. Less pace, but great competitors. Apart from that, CSKA Moscow's game at home against Anadolu Efes is a must-watch for all basketball fans.

The current champs are not in the best spot right now. Let's see what Itoudis has prepared to stop Micic.

Do you think this Olympiacos' slump could be a threat to their playoffs spot?

Uygar:Surely, there is a threat for them to fall out of the playoffs picture because there are so many candidates to make Top8. I don't think they will fall behind Bayern, but surely Efes and a refreshed Monaco are coming for more.

There are two games between Olympiacos and these playoff contenders, and the race will probably get even tighter. Nowadays, the offense is the problem, which is not that unusual in Bartzokas' rigid scheme.

Tyler Dorsey's contribution is a concern as he is nowhere near where he used to be at the beginning of the season. But I think all these have to do something with the disruptions of Covid-19. Their rhythm was broken, and it takes some time to recuperate when you lose the momentum.

When the playoff race reaches the last stretch, the defense will determine the final positions. That is the area that Olympiacos excels. Having said that, the upcoming 5 games, with 3 of them being in Piraeus, will be very crucial.

They will be playing against Milano, Efes, and Zenit and needs to win at least two of them.

Giorgos:Yes. Olympiacos are running out of steam lately. It's a process that started right after the Christmas period when almost all players got COVID.

In a recent interview, assistant coach Giorgos Bozikas said that the team's medical experts, gymnasts, and physiotherapists have indicated that roughly a month will be required for athletes to go through the recovery time. On paper, that should happen this week or the following. But COVID seems to be dwelling in Piraeus, as the club announced more cases on Monday.

That's not the only problem that the Reds have to resolve. Olympiacos seem to have lost their identity, becoming too soft on defense and one-dimensional on offense. Andy Rautins has always been a terrific shooter, but he had quit basketball before AEK Athens convinced him to trade his suit for a basketball jersey.

Credit Olympiacos BC

Still, in Saturday's AEK-Olympiacos, the Canadian was able to knock down 7/10 3-point shots, coming off screens and destroying Giorgos Bartzokas's plans. Tyler Dorsey is playing hero ball in an attempt to get over his recent shooting slump. Quincy Acy has never really been able to help in a top-level game.

The question marks regarding the team are multiplying. Crvena Zvezda last week showed how bad things could get when a team doesn't take care of the ball. Τhe double-week includes an almost non-winnable game against Real Madrid and a must-win duel with a very bad Baskonia team.

Olympiacos had better come around soon because if they are 12-10 on Friday night, the season will start to have an intense 2018-19 flavor. That was the first season when the Greeks missed out on the playoffs in spite of them being consistently among the top 5 teams in the first round.

Miguel:I would not say that. They struggled a bit with the outbreak but should be ready to keep their position in the Top 8. If restrictions in Greece allow them to have public again, they will not lose many games at home. It would be a huge disappointment.

Can you see Fenerbache keeping up the momentum and giving a serious fight for a playoff spot?

Uygar: I think the playoffs for Fenerbache are not looking possible. They are out of the relevant Top8, and it is hard for them to take Efes', Bayern's, or UNICS' place.

With the current injury situation and missing their most crucial two players, Nando De Colo and Jan Vesely, there are general concerns regarding their game plan, player structure, etc.

I don't see them taking the 7th or 8th place. The real problem is in the guard position, as it was not very difficult to see in the game against Efes, once again. Markel Starks can bring some ad-hoc solutions in the offense to take some load from the shoulders of Pierria Henry and Marko Guduric. Still, he needs to endure a hard transition for suddenly jumping into EuroLeague level.

I have the impression that as a team, no matter how emphatic they are, an in-game organization is not enough for the playoff spots.

Giorgos: No, I don't think so. First of all, because their two straight wins came over struggling Olympiacos and bottom-placed Zalgiris, it doesn't mean they're really back.

Their last game against Anadolu Efes, where the 2017 EuroLeague champs collapsed in the fourth quarter, shows that there's still work to be done. Secondly, the remaining games are not in their favor. After ASVEL, Fener will play seven times on the road against teams fighting for a better place in the standings or a playoff spot.

Credit BasketNews/D.Repečka

Their home games are against Real, Bayern, CSKA, Zenit, and Panathinaikos. With the exception of the Greeks, who are already out of playoff contention, all the others would simply relish the chance to win in Istanbul, improve their record, and, of course, get Fenerbahce out of the way.

Their 9-10 track doesn't look too bad on paper, and hopes are still alive. But unless they pull off a late, long-term winning streak, their only hope will be to see Nando De Colo and Jan Vesely turn into superheroes once they're both back from injury.

Miguel:They will fight for the Playoffs without a shadow of a doubt. But it would be a surprise to see them keeping up the momentum, to be honest.

They played badly against Zalgiris Kaunas at home. Sasa Djordjevic is on a hard mission without De Colo and Vesely. Marko Guduric stepped up in the last rounds, but I'm not confident he will continue like that.

Fenerbahce need to improve defensively if they want to qualify for the playoffs. Pierria Henry should get a more significant role as he is far from his level at Vitoria-Gasteiz. I will not bet on them.

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