Dimitris Itoudis slams the EuroLeague system: 'We want a play-in' / News - Basketnews.com

Dimitris Itoudis passionately criticized the current system where only 8 teams go to the EuroLeague playoffs out of 18 that participate, ironically suggesting adding more teams and having an even smaller number of them making the postseason. He said the EHCB wants to see a play-in tournament in the competition.

Credit: YouTube/KK Crvena zvezda Meridianbet Credit YouTube/KK Crvena zvezda Meridianbet

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul lost against Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade after overtime on Thursday. Even though the Turkish team eventually guaranteed a spot in the playoffs, head coach Dimitris Itoudis slammed the league's approach to the postseason.

2-pointers this season

57%21,3Points made:21,3Accuracy:56,7%Place in standings:3Record max:33Record min:11Most made 2FGs:Johnathan MotleyTeamEuroLeagueStatisticsSchedule

After the official mandatory part, Itoudis went on to answer the media's questions in Serbian where he opened up about how he feels about EuroLeague's efforts in recent years.

"In the beginning, there were 16 teams and eight could go further, that's 50%. If we compare it with the best league in the world, 16 out of 30 go to the NBA playoffs, and there is a play-in as well. They added something interesting to the fans. Here we added two teams, and still only eight teams go further, it's much less than 50%. Extraordinary, great," the coach started off.

"You can agree or disagree. I've been saying this ever since I was the coach of CSKA, it doesn't matter if we're fifth, sixth, seventh, or eighth now. People are thinking about how to add something, how to offer more games and more interesting games. Here, when 20 teams or 22 teams play, let only 6 of them advance [to the playoffs], maybe that would be better," Itoudis ironically said.

Later on, the coach shared that both he and his colleagues have been giving their ideas to the organization but to no avail.

"When we are invited as coaches, as the EuroLeague Head Coaches Board, to express our opinion because we lead these organizations, we will give our ideas, and we have many of them. We want to have our say. We want a play-in, we want to make it even more exciting," Itoudis told the media. "The Euroleague is already very interesting. Whether ALBA, Panathinaikos, or ASVEL are last, it's not an easy game, it's tough everywhere you go."

With Cazoo Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz's loss against Olympiacos Piraeus, Fenerbahce clinched a spot in the postseason. The team can now finish the regular season in either 6th, 7th, or 8th place depending on the results in the two remaining games between Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade and Panathinaikos Athens, and between FC Bayern Munich and Zalgiris Kaunas.

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