Filip Petrusev names PAO's main strenghts, compares Greek to Serbian derby / News - Basketnews.com

Filip Petrusev talks his affinity for big rival games, refers to Panathinaikos' strong points and his return to Europe for a title-aspiring team.

Credit: Emma da Silva/Icon Sport via Getty Images Credit Emma da Silva/Icon Sport via Getty Images

Filip Petrusev had one of his best games with Olympiacos Piraeus when the Reds held off Promitheas Patras 91-77 on Saturday night to make their third consecutive Greek Cup final game.

Filip Petrusev

Team:Olympiacos PiraeusPosition:CAge:23Height:211 cmWeight:107 kgBirth place:Belgrade, SerbiaProfileNewsStatistics

The Serbian big man, who joined the EuroLeague finalists last November, recorded 15 points off 5/7 from the field, plus 3 rebounds and 2 assists.

But now, Petrusev and Olympiacos will have to overcome a bigger obstacle in the form of Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens.

"I've only played against Panathinaikos once," Petrusev, 24, told BasketNews.

In fact, the Greens prevailed 85-80 in that derby which was held at OAKA on January 22. Petrusev put up 18 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists, which had little impact on the outcome.

"We didn't have a full roster. Nikola [Milutinov] got injured in that game in particular," he recalled.

"I think Sunday's game will be a different game than the last one. We will be better, especially after playing those two games. We won but we weren't really ourselves. So, we'll bring our best game against PAO."

Having been part of the Partizan-Crvena Zvezda rivalry last year, Petrusev is aware of the particularities that those derbies entail.

"It's a really big rivalry. In Serbia, we only have two teams. In Greece, there are a couple more, but the biggest rivalry is between Panathinaikos and Olympiacos," he noted.

What's more, those games are the ones Petrusev enjoys playing the most.

"It's what I'm used to. I like that rivalry, the intensity, and everything in Greece. It will be a fun game. Those are the games that I like because there's intensity and pressure," he explained.

Looking at how Panathinaikos operate on the court, Petrusev pointed out that the first thing one observes is their guard play.

Filip Petrusev

MIN:14.77PTS:5.5 (54.39%)REB:3.2As:0.8ST:0.2BL:0.4TO:0.5GM:10ProfileEuroLeague2023/2024

"Lots of talented guards," he remarked.

"We should stop their one-on-one game and isos with [Kendrick] Nunn and [Jerian] Grant. We have enough talent on offense and know what to do. It will be all about the defense and facing their guards."

Petrusev isn't too worried about how the battles in the paint will pan out. Besides, the addition of Moses Wright has rendered Olympiacos even more powerful near the basket.

"We have Mous[Fall] and Moses [Wright] in the paint. We just need to be solid defensively," he warned.

"Moses has brought a lot of energy and spark off the bench. When Niko went down, we needed another guy who could play the '5'. But he's also mobile, he can switch and play good defense. He's been a good rotation player for us. We need a lot of players to keep the intensity high," the Serbian international said.

Following a breakout year with Crvena Zvezda in the EuroLeague, Petrusev tried his luck in the NBA βy signing a deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, the franchise that selected him with the 51st overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. His playing time has been very restricted in the NBA, as he played only one game with the 76ers. He was then traded to the Los Angeles Clippers and to the Sacramento Kings before being waved just a month later.

Credit Stefanos Kyriazis/NurPhoto via Getty Images

"I went through some things in the NBA that weren't expected, that weren't my fault. I think I'm a young player, I need to play. I feel like I can help the team," he said back then.

At 24, Petrusev certainly hasn't given up on an NBA comeback. However, and given his three-year deal with Olympiacos, his immediate future is linked to Europe.

"I feel like I need to keep playing," he continued.

"I lost a couple of months in the States and I look to get back into shape. I want to get better and win championships. For sure, I feel like there are things to prove.

I want to do more, especially on a team like Olympiacos, where there's the opportunity to win a lot of titles. We need to take care of those opportunities," he highlighted.

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