Playoffs strengths and weaknesses

May 25, 2012

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.

Well, as it should be in any well-planned and organized competition, we are facing the most thrilling weeks of the Euroleague's 10th season. Yes, we will still have an even more spectacular weekend ahead, during the 2010 Final Four in Paris, but there will be plenty of time later to talk about the season finale. With the start of the Playoffs, however, we delve into these series of five games. I am not going to analyze all the matchups (a job that has already been done, and very well at that, by Euroleague.net) or the possibilities of one team or another making the Final Four. I'd just like to give my opinion on each of the eight quarterfinalists.

ASSECO PROKOM

To me, Prokom is biggest and most pleasant surprise of them all. For the first time, the Polish champ will be among the eight best teams in Europe. I think that the key to their success, apart from great club management, has been built on two points: a great selection of foreign players and the head coach, Tomas Pacesas, almost a bench debutante who has shown great maturity and courage. American players Qyntel Woods and David Logan are pillars on this team, but there are two more players who average more than 10 points: Dan Ewing (10.4) and Ratko Varda (10.8). One more player close to those numbers, Ronnie Burrell (8.7) and then four players who average over 5.5 points.

Strong point: Prokom survived a solid Top 16 group.
Weak point: lack of Playoffs experience

PARTIZAN

Talking about Partizan's third consecutive Quarterfinal Playoffs appearance, the first idea that comes to mind is: continuity. It may sound absurd to talk about continuity when a team loses four starters from the previous season (Novica Velickovic, Milenko Tepic, Uros Tripkovic and Stephane Lasme), but Partizan's case is unique. Thanks to the work of coach Dusan Vujosevic, who has been on the bench for almost a full decade, there's a well-established system and each new player learns his new role fast. The second key: Partizan just doesn't miss when selecting foreign players.

Strong point: rebounds (a total of 599, the best this season).
Weak point: turnovers (also leading the Euroleague with 278 so far)

MACCABI ELECTRA

Great season for the Israeli champs. Maccabi making the Playoffs didn’t surprise me, but I do admit that I was by its top spot in their difficult Top 16 group. As it should always be with a winning team, Maccabi has improved month by month to reach its peak at money time. Just like Partizan, Maccabi has the seal of its head coach, the charismatic Pini Gershon. With his return to the bench, glory days are back in Tel Aviv. Another key point: the choice of American players. Throughout history, Maccabi has always featured top-notch American players from Tal Brody to Anthony Parker, but lately their Americans come from Eastern Europe, with experience drawn from a different basketball school. Alan Anderson arrived from Cibona, Chuck Eidson from Lietuvos Rytas, Stephane Lasme (who is from Gabon, but was formed as a player in the States) shined in Partizan, and Andrew Wisniewski played for Crvena Zvezda and Cibona. Maciej Lampe, who left the team midway through the season, had played in Russia with BC Khimki and Guy Pniny also spent some time in FMP of Belgrade when he could not play in his country.

Strong point: defensive rebounds (430, the Euroleague leader).
Weak point: two-point shooting (51.2%)

CAJA LABORAL

The key word here could be "spirit". Winning spirit, of course. With a practically new team and plagued by injuries during the season, Caja Laboral managed to reach the Playoffs for the fifth straight season. Its game is conditioned by the presence, or absence for that matter, of Tiago Splitter. But it is a team that never surrenders, and is always capable of reacting.

Strong point: outside shooting (54.7% in two-pointers, 40.4% in three-pointers)
Weak point: rebounds (total 495, worst among quarterfinalists)

REAL MADRID

Its second goal, the playoffs, was achieved, but not without problems. It's a work-in-progress team with some expert players (some might say too many), that would have a different outlook had they finished first in their Top 16 group. But things are what they are, and that means Madrid will have to face Regal FC Barcelona to know, for sure, if its project is valid for this season already or will have to wait until the next one. Playing the Final Four for the first time in almost 15 years is the main challenge.

Strong point: experience on the court and on the bench
Weak point: inconsistency

CSKA MOSCOW

They are always here. CSKA started the season with a miracle win followed by consecutive defeats, but after has been increasingly strong and made the Playoffs without problems. With a renewed team, having lost Erazem Lorbek and Terrence Morris, with Matjaz Smodis injured, and with a new head coach in Evgeny Pashutin after the Ettore Messina era (four finals in four years and two trophies lifted), it was not easy at all. But CSKA has played seven straight Final Fours and the fans believe that Paris will be the eighth.

Strong point: several, for instance, three-pointers (42.4%, best among playoff teams)
Weak point: rebounds, only one more (496) than playoff rival Caja Laboral

OLYMPIACOS

With a trophy already won this season (Greek Cup), the first one after many years, the team from Piraeus breathes easier now. But they want more. They have played a great season that must have a big finale in Paris. This is the team that has covered best all positions on the court. You can't call any of its players reserves, really. There's quality everywhere: they lead the Euroleague in points per game (88), assists (19), two-point shooting (60.7%) and index rating (101).

Strong point: the team as a whole
Weak point: turnovers, 14 per game

REGAL FC BARCELONA

Up to this point, the main favorite to win the Euroleague. No ups and downs here. Barcelona possesses the authority and confidence that characterize great teams. It has a deep roster in which every player can be key at any given moment in the game, and in the next be secondary, working for the team. The only problem I see here can be the pressure of being favored, which Barcelona has handled rather well so far.

Strong point: the roster
Weak point: none (if they handle the pressure)

POSTED BY

Vladimir Stankovic, Euroleague.net

DATE:

Saturday, March 20, 2010