Getting ready for Final Four - NIKOS ZISIS - Welcome to EUROLEAGUE BASKETBALL

For me, going to the Final Four is surely an incredible experience. This is one of the main reasons that I came to CSKA - knowing the tradition of this team, the strength and quality of the team, how well-organized it is - and, of course, for me to get better as a player. For sure, the opportunity to play in the Final Four is important to me. It's unlucky that I have a small injury, but I am fighting to come back and hope to be 100-percent ready. I think I am going to will myself to do it, to be there no matter what. In any case, it's nice to be part of this team, and not only playing the Final Four, but maybe as one of the favorites. Even so, in a Final Four, the label of the big favorite a lot of the time doesn't mean anything. There are two games the champion needs to win, and the team that is more prepared, focused and in better shape will win the trophy. That's why our team now is only thinking about Tau and the semifinal, because it's really the first of two big finals in a row.

Experience can definitely be a big factor. I am going for the first time, and maybe that says I don't have experience, but on the other hand, I have experienced big games like this with my national team in the final of the European championships, and almost in the World Championships final, before I got injured. So I have been to big competitions with my national team and I have a clue how it is. These types of events are big celebrations, with great atmosphere, beautiful gyms and a lot of people. Maybe for a player who hasn't been through it before, it can be a little overwhelming, a small shock, and a little too much. But Tau is very dangerous and has played four in a row, so there's not a big difference in experience for my team. Maybe we can say that Siena has the least experience, but they have a great team, too. So is it a factor? It can be, but maybe more in theory. What matters most is the 40 minutes of playing on the floor.

For sure, it was a tough night when we lost against Olympiacos. We lost the first game of the playoffs, lost it at home and lost the homecourt advantage we had been fighting for the whole season. And the difficult thing was to travel and play two days later in Athens a huge game that could cost us all our Final Four dreams. The team showed big character and personality to come back from the loss and especially to come back from a terrible first quarter in Athens, too. We stepped up our offense and started scoring a lot - it's always great to score, as you know - and put the pressure back on Olympiacos. I think they were not used to playing those kinds of games with 12,000 people there waiting for them to take the ticket to the Final Four. After the first quarter, that game was fun for us. Then, Game 3 in Moscow became very tough for Olympiacos to win. Psychologically, everything was with us. We knew that if we played a good game, we would win. And we did. We showed character.

So now we are going to the Final Four, and it's even more special because of the 50 Years anniversary and all the great players who will be there. Of course, these are legends. When I was a young kid, I was watching and admiring all of them. I grew up with them. It is going to be a nice moment for sure to see them. The are like our hall of fame of European basketball. It will be fun to watch and to understand that you are taking their place in our sport now. Now, you are the athlete all the kids watch and want to be like. It makes you feel special.

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NIKOS ZISIS - MOSCOW, RUSSIA