After just two games, this Top 16 promises plenty
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| Vladimir Stankovic, Euroleague.net |
Veteran sportswriter and Euroleague.net collaborator Vladimir Stankovic has been following the best basketball on the continent longer than almost anyone journalist, writing for decades about the sport in major publications in both Serbia and Spain. For the new 2009-10 season, he offers a series of opinion blogs about what's happening on and off the court in the Euroleague.
If someone were to check the Tuesday, January 19 newspapers, one day after the Top 16 Draw, or if someone looks back at the quotes from the betting houses everywhere that day, the find opinions and comments could be summarized in a few lines: Unicaja had been "lucky with the draw", Panathinaikos and Regal FC Barcelona "had it somewhat easy", Asseco Prokom didn't have many options to advance, Group F was the "Death Group", Maroussi BC was happy already just making it into the Top 16... If we look at the standings now, after two games, one can imagine a different type of summary: that outsiders like Prokom and Partizan have 2-0 records, that big favorites like Panathinaikos and Unicaja are struggling at 0-2, that unbeatable Barcelona has just been beaten and that not-so-favorites like Montepaschi Siena are suffering, too.
I can't say - at least not yet - that we are in the middle of the best Top 16 ever, but I can say that this is the most balanced, surprising, exciting and intriguing Top 16 so far!
In the end, that's what we want and what makes this competition grows bigger everyday. Out of a total eight games in Week 2, four finished with a differences of five points or fewer, and another was settled by 10. Only three games, Olympiacos 87-69 BC Khimki, Unicaja 50-70 Asseco Prokom and Zalgiris 68-83 CSKA - didn't have a thrilling finale.
Of those labelled "big favorites" at the time of the draw, only Olympiacos is where it was expected to be. Its two wins, and especially the opening one in Vitoria, justify its role as favorite and open the way to the playoffs. But nobody, be they 2-0 or 0-2, must be forgotten about yet. Of course, some are closer than others. Among those "others" one can find, totally unexpectedly, defending champ Panathinaikos. Its 0-2 record and two straight games with Barcelona in the upcoming weeks make its situation totally difficult.
Partizan miracles
With all due respect for the 20-point win of Prokom in Malaga and Maroussi's upset against Panathinaikos, the great winner of the week is Partizan. In one week, the Serbian team has defeated defending champ Panathinaikos on the road, and the top candidate until now, Barcelona, at home. And it has done both things without Aleks Maric, the highest ranked player in the regular season, who is injured!
I was at Pionir Arena on Wednesday and I lived, once more, an incredible experience in an atmosphere that cannot me matched. Partizan games are not only an important sports event in Serbia, but also a social matter, subcultural and even one of personal prestige. Being at a Partizan game is already very important, probably at the same level as attending an opera premiere, a movie opening or a major musical concert. It was a shame that, due to the tennis Federation Cup between Russia and Serbia, the big Belgrade Arena could not be used, because I am sure that last year's record attendance of 22,000 would have been surpassed. The word in Belgrade is "maybe in the playoffs..."
For the game against Barcelona, Partizan sold, through an auction, two floor seats behind the bench. The starting bid was 150 euros and in a few hours, the bid was already doubled. For its fans, watching Partizan live is (almost) priceless. Another example to illustrate the importance of the "Partizan affair" in Serbia: next week, the most important talk-show on TV, until now reserved only for top politicians (President of the Republic, Prime Minister, President of the Parliament...) will invite coach and guru Dusan Vijosevic!
Brothers in arms
This week has brought us a special curiosity: in the duel between Maroussi and Panathinaikos, the Calathes brothers faced each other. Pat was wearing Maroussi yellow, while Nick was dressing in Panathinaikos green. The elder brother, Pat, won by contributing 11 points to his team's win, including 3 of 4 three-pointers in decisive moments. There wasn't a duel really since Nick only played for 24 seconds, but the history books will read that they played against each other. Another case, maybe even more curious since we are talking about twins, will happen next week when the Lavrinovic brothers, Darjus and Ksistof, will face each other with Real Madrid and Montepaschi Siena, respectively.
History repeats itself
The game between Partizan and Barcelona ended 67-66, but the refs analyzed a video of the final shot for more a good 10 minutes before deciding that the score would stay that way. The last play with Pete Mickeal and Lawrence Roberts is not the issue here, but the fuss and the score are. Why? Only because of a curious piece of data concerning another game that Barcelona lost similarly. I am talking about the 1996 continental title game, on April 11 at Paris Bercy Arena (where this year's Final Four will also be played). That night, Panathinaikos defeated Barcelona by 67-66. The identical result is not the only thing here. That game will be remembered by many for another last play that needed plenty of replays. Barcelona's Jose Antonio Montero broke away to the basket and, seeminly, the title. But flying after him was 2.17-meter giant Stojan Vrankovic, one of basketball's greatest shot-blockers ever. It looked like a done deal in Barcelona's favor until Vrankovic reached up to block Montero's shot - illegally according to replays, because the ball had already hit the board. Legar or not, he saved the win for his team. Protests, appeals, debate followed that night, until the early morning hours, when the decision came: appeal refused, Panathinaikos remained champ. The rest is history.
The numbers
The milestone of the week is that Barcelona played its 200th Euroleague game in Belgrade. Like in many cases, the anniversary will not bring good memories because the game ended with a loss, but the overall record of the Catalan team is very positive: 135 wins against 65 losses. But, as history doesn't start with this Euroleague, the game in Belgrade was Barcelona's 582nd total in 50 years playing European cups. Curiously enough, Barca started in European with a game played in... Africa! It was on January 14, 1960 when FC Barcelona travelled to Casablanca, Morrocco, to play its first game in the former Champions Cup against Marocaine Sports Union. Those were the days when nothern African teams played in FIBA competitions (even the 1949 European Championships took place in Cairo and Europen champ was... Egypt!). Barcelona won by 65-82, opening a new page in its history.
POSTED BY
Vladimir Stankovic, Euroleague.net
DATE:
Friday, February 05, 2010