Four reasons why Barcelona vs. Zalgiris is a must-watch playoffs series / News - Basketnews.com

The emotional connections between the two teams, with Saras being a former coach of Zalgiris and the presence of Lithuanian players on both sides, add an extra layer of intrigue to the series. Zalgiris is a team that has nothing to lose, while Barca will be feeling the pressure to perform and live up to expectations.

Credit: Erikas Ovčarenko, Rodolfo Molina/GettyImages, zalgiris.lt Credit Erikas Ovčarenko, Rodolfo Molina/GettyImages, zalgiris.lt

2nd seed vs. 7th seed. The only quarterfinal series that could be labeled as a classic David vs. Goliath story.

The odds are stacked against Zalgiris Kaunas, who are facing an uphill battle versus a more capable and experienced Spanish giant -- FC Barcelona.

Still, on any given day, anything can happen.

Let's take a look at the reasons that can render this playoff pairing as thrilling and intriguing as any of the other three.

Big heart vs. Tremendous talent

Zalgiris have only three players -- Lukas Lekavicius, Edgaras Ulanovas, and Rolands Smits -- with EuroLeague playoff experience. Neither of them won the EuroLeague title.

Meanwhile, Barca hold the most playoffs participations as a club (15) in the EuroLeague history and owns a highly skilled lineup that includes EuroLeague veterans and champions like Nikola Mirotic, Cory Higgins, Tomas Satoransky, Nikola Kalinic, and Jan Vesely, among others.

Their presence has made Barca a top contender for the EuroLeague championship, and their second-place ranking in the regular season confirms their talent.

Zalgiris rely on their defense, but Barca is the third-best defensive team in the entire league, conceding 76.7 points per game.

This particular series may be challenging to watch because both head coaches emphasize a defense-first approach. But at the same time, Kazys Maksvytis and Sarunas Jasikevicius are known for making adjustments and improvements that suggest a remarkable chess match.

This season's Zalgiris trademarks -- hustle plays, fighting for every 50/50 ball, and perseverance -- could be an area where the Greens might find some extra possessions. Of course, Jasikevicius won't let this become a series trend.

Credit Alfonso Cannavacciuolo/GettyImages

Emotional series

These two teams have plenty of connections, with Saras being at the epicenter of attention due to his close ties with Zalgiris.

Kaunas-born mastermind revived his hometown team during his four-year tenure there. His achievements, which include two EuroLeague playoff appearances and a 3rd place in 2018, are a testament to his success.

Jasikevicius landed in Catalunya after victory songs, tears of joy, and unwavering Kaunas support. Still, it's hard to overwhelm the emotional discharge when competing in front of your own crowd at a packed Zalgirio Arena.

Playoff nights are special in the heart of Lithuania, and Saras knows it very well.

Rokas Jokubaitis is another Lithuanian tie in this series. EuroLeague Rising Star made his first professional steps in the Zalgiris organization before making the leap to the pinnacle of European basketball.

On the other end, Rolands Smits might try to prove his worth against Nikola Mirotic, as the Latvian served as Barca's backup power forward for three years.

The desire to play a more significant role was one of the main reasons Smits left Barcelona and refused some solid offers in Spain.

Credit Panagiotis Moschandreou/Euroleague Basketball via Getty Images

In addition to all the bonds and links, it will be a battle between two hot-headed Lithuanian coaches.

Maksvytis is a co-leader of technical fouls received in the regular season, having 8 of them in his account, while Jasikevicius shares the fourth spot with 6 technical fouls and one of just two total ejections during the entire 2022-23 EuroLeague campaign.

No place like home

Although Barcelona has won 80% of their EuroLeague games over the last two decades (61.2% in the round-robin era), Zalgiris have taken two of the last three -- both in Kaunas.

The home-court factor could be real in this series. Zalgiris came out victorious in 13 of 17 regular-season games at home, including the match vs. Barca in Round 4 (73-72).

Interestingly, the Catalans have the same 13-4 home record and a convincing 93-74 Round 26 win against Zalgiris. What's more, they enter the playoffs with an active seven-game winning streak at Palau Blaugrana.

The last five EuroLeague games between Barca and Zalgiris were won by the home squad.

While Zalgiris captured two narrow wins, Barcelona crushed their opponents on all three occasions, winning the home games by an average margin of 22 points.

Ease vs. Pressure

Zalgiris have nothing to lose. They are overachievers who have silenced basketball experts and denied pre-season EuroLeague power rankings.

The Greens turned a fresh page and made a giant jump over 11 positions, comparing the last two EuroLeague regular seasons.

Despite seven new signings before the season, the severe Achilles injury of Keenan Evans, and two mid-season reinforcements, Zalgiris gave it all to achieve what seemed barely possible.

Any fan of Zalgiris would agree that is more than someone could ask for this day.

No pressure equals freedom of play. In other words, when players are not under tension, they can feel more relaxed and creative and more likely to enjoy themselves and perform at their best.

Meanwhile, Barcelona is always under the lens. Any other EuroLeague result than a place in the Final Four is considered a big failure.

And Barca has a history of making things complicated. Last season, Jasikevicius' team met injury-plagued FC Bayern Munich and went to the do-or-die Game 5. The same story goes with Zenit Saint Petersburg in the 2020-21 season.

Palau Blaugrana played a prominent role in both affairs, and Barca, a regular-season winner of those campaigns, endured a high level of expectation and pressure.

Barcelona arguably got the most limited rival, looking at Zalgiris and other possible options -- Fenerbahce, Partizan, and Maccabi.

Credit D.Lukšta

Glancing from the Barca management standpoint, it's a must-win series no matter what.

The series could also be a deciding factor for Jasikevicius' future in the club. In the case of defeat, it's hard to imagine how Barca's general manager Juan Carlos Navarro and other executives could ignore the collapse.

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