Olympiacos: The SOS points for Barcelona

Olympiacos continued its preparation for Wednesday’s game against Barcelona, ​​with which it will begin its obligations for the quarterfinals of the Euroleague. The “red and whites” know the Catalans well, they faced them twice this year, yes they lost at home and away, but that doesn’t worry them.

They are confident that they can manage to get a double, which will bring them closer to the final four. The Piraeus have analyzed the game of the Catalans and have set their goals.

1) The battle for rebounds

Barcelona is one of the best rebounding teams in the Euroleague this year. He has the 3rd best performance with 36 average per game. The Catalans even have several players who contribute in this part, such as Willy Hernangomet (4.9), Jan Vesely (4.4), Tomas Satoranski (4.4), Jabari Parker (3.9) and Nikola Kalinic ( 3.9). They have the characteristic that everyone rushes for every possession. The “blaugrana” had won the battle of the air, both in SEF (26-32) and in Barcelona, ​​who got +10 (33-23) with 11 offensives, managing to score with second attempts. Giorgos Bartzokas recommended caution to his teammates. Correct box-outs, energy for every lost ball claim, while Olympiacos may not play for a long time with changes in defense, so that no mis-matches are created in the racket.

2) Duels in position “5”

It is no secret that to a large extent the battle of the playoffs between Olympiakos and Barcelona will be decided inside the racket. The Catalans have two big and experienced bodies, with fluency and skill in attack, who according to the evaluation system are also the team’s top performers. The reason for Jan Vesely (12.9 points, 64.5% 2-pointers, 4.4 rebounds 1.3 assists), who is going through his second youth this year, but also Willy Hernangometh (11.1 points, 4.9 rebounds, 59% two points). They share the center post, they are a constant value for the “Blaugrana” and their duels with Mustafa Fal, Nikola Milutinov and Moses Wright will be of great interest. Time for the tall people of Piraeus to show their worth.

3) Command the duo of guards

Barcelona this year likes to play in the “asoduos” with Nicolas Laprovitola (12.8 points, 5 assists, 40.4% three-pointers) and Tomas Satoranski (7.2 points, 4.1 assists, 34.7% three-pointers), who perform excellently. They have even “bonded” like a duo. They work extremely well with each other. Thomas Walkup, Isaiah Kanaan, Nigel Williams-Goss and Giannoulis Larentzakis will be asked not only to limit them, but also to wear them down in defence. Whichever team succeeds and commands the guards, will have the first reason to control the pace.

4) Attention to the pick and roll, Abrines and Kalinic at the “4”

In the SEF game in the first round, Barcelona struggled at some point with Satoranski, Laprovitola, Abrines, Kalinic in the “4” and Vesely. The presence of the Serb in position “4” gave flexibility to the Catalans, as a result of which they counted a 14-0 streak. 66-59 became 66-73, the “Blaugrana” turned the match around and took the victory in the end. Laprovitola and Vesely have terrific chemistry on the pick-and-roll, with Abrines setting help screens and creating space. It is a formation that “hurt” Olympiakos and Piraeus will try to react.

5) Passes and movement away from the ball

Barcelona knows well that Olympiacos has great talent and fluency in creating and circulating the ball. And the Catalans have taken care to limit the “red and whites” in this way of playing. Giorgos Bartzokas has asked his players to play in Barcelona as a team. To pass more, dribble less and above all not to be static. Have movement away from the ball, cut inside the racquet to get to the easy basket. To stay consistent in the plan for pick and roll collaborations, to look for the extra pass for the free shot. To take initiatives for one-on-one phases, but not to make this their main mode of development, something they had turned to in the first match between them in the SEF. Why then did this happen? Because the Catalans aim to turn the Olympiacos players into individual actions and this is a trap they don’t want to fall into again.