Every coach in modern basketball is ultimately judged by results.
In order for the result to come, there are specific processes that are divided into levels. His philosophy, his choices, the way he trains and the way he conveys to his players what he wants to show on the field.
Giorgos Bartzokas is a coach with specific principles and red lines that he does not step on. One of his principles is to support his choices. In the first rains and the first twists and turns, this particular coach will close his ears and go with his choices. Especially if the players he has trusted try, fight to support him and it doesn’t work out for them then it is impossible for him to hang them, cut their contract.
Olympiacos so far in the Euroleague has not lost a game that will send it to the… rocks. He has had normal losses, despite the fact that compared to last year he is not playing at the same level. He has significant absences that hold him back, and in some of these cases it is not even clear when they will be able to help the team at Full pace.
The cases of Sikma and McKissick are the most typical. The former has essentially left Peters alone in the “4”, often pulling Papanikolaou there as well, while McKissick is more… vertical peripheral that the Piraeus team has, so without him the “red and whites” are less dangerous .
In the logic of the common fan, Olympiacos urgently needs two players. A short and a forward. In the mind of Bartzokas, it is impossible to cut two of his players, or even with an addition to eat up their time and role. In the logic of the Greek coach, when they return they will be obliged to return the favor he did him on the floor. He will demand more from them and 99.9% will get more.
The only thing that is still not clear is whether Shikma can follow and not of course if he wants to. Suffering from muscle injuries, he has not been able to get into the atmosphere of the team, while it is unknown when he will be fully fit after his recovery.
Tags: Olympiacos players
