Bartzokas: 'Leading for 40 minutes against Real shows our potential' / News - Basketnews.com

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Olympiacos Piraeus had a great defensive night, forcing Real Madrid to their first defeat in the 2021-22 season (74-68).

Player of the Game EFF 18 Aleksandr Vezenkov Points 16 Accuracy 6-13 Rebounds 10 Assists 0

After the game, Giorgos Bartzokas pointed out that the hosts had control of the game for the most part.

"We controlled the game. We were up for almost 40 minutes, so we deserved to win. Real Madrid are a big team, there are no gaps on their roster. They are a very athletic squad with 2-3 players in each position.

To lead by almost 40 minutes and to show such intensity is an indication of the potential of our team. I give big credit to our fans, who gave us great support. We missed them a lot last year," the coach of Olympiacos said at the post-game press conference.

Bartzokas went on to make clear that no matter how big that win was for his team, Olympiacos should keep a low profile by all means.

"Because I am Greek and because tomorrow everyone will say that we will win the EuroLeague, I will just say that this is a victory in our second game. We got to have the same approach, be humble, and think about the next game. That's the only way you can be successful."

Referring to the 68 points conceded by Olympiacos, the Greek coach admitted that he's happy with the performance.

"Although we made some tactical mistakes, I am very satisfied. Only Williams-Goss caused some trouble with pull-ups and floaters. We are very stable. When a team shoots at such a low percentage, it means that it has been dealing with pressure."

Asked regarding Thomas Walkup's offensive contribution, Bartzokas replied that he isn't worried about it.

"I don't mind at all that he doesn't shoot. We were at +10 when he was on the court. I'm sure that he can never be a liability, even when he doesn't shoot, because of the character and the mentality he's got," Bartzokas concluded.

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