THE Olympic did his… duty in the first game of the series with the Barcelona. The Red and Whites reached the coveted “break” of the home of the Catalans and acquired home advantage in the playoffs of Euroleague. For this to happen, Giorgos Bartzokas had to dig deep into his… hat to reveal some “tricks”. “Tricks” that made all the difference by confusing Roger Grimmow and his colleagues.
Now, the Greek coach is asked to do something similar in Game 2. But this time with a question mark that can play a decisive role in the outcome of the match. That of Philip Petrusev’s participation. Piraeus’ plan will largely depend on whether the tall Serbian steps on the floor or not. If so, then a lot will be judged by the balls he gets. If not, then others will be called upon to be the… aces up Barzokas’ sleeve.
The question mark with Petrusev
Petrusev’s case is delicate. The good news is that the magnetic was clean. However, from the moment he did not train, the technical team of Olympiakos is being questioned. The decision is expected to be made at the last minute. The only thing that is certain is that the Red and Whites would like him to be available more than anything else. The Serb has shown many times since his arrival that he is one of the most talented and capable tall players in the Euroleague.
In the first game he played a decisive role. He scored 12 points and his Net Rating (the difference between points for and against per 100 possessions) was at +17.9, while he took a lot of responsibility, since he was the main spokesperson for 28% of Piraeus’ attacks while he was on the court. At the same time, he “cleaned up” 20% of the total available rebounds, also while he was inside the four lines. Thus helping in an area where the Greek team was not at its best tonight. Therefore, his eventual absence will deprive Olympiakos of some of its momentum.
The others… tricks of Bartzokas
From the beginning of the series, Giorgos Bartzokas showed that he will make the most of the absence of Kostas Papanikolaou. It was a chance to try something Roger Grimmow hadn’t expected. So many believed that Brazdeikis would start in Game 1. Instead, the Greek coach chose to use Luke Sikmas in the “4” and Peters in the “3”. The former Alba player performed very well and provided valuable assists.
So in the event that Petrusev does not compete, then we may see more “tricks”. One possibility is to see Moses Wright get time at the ‘4’. The American could partially cover the gap of the Serb, since he has the necessary agility and, under certain conditions, the long shot. A possible use of Wright at the “4” opens the way for Nikola Milutinov for more minutes. The experienced center took some time and had a positive presence.
Of course, what is not considered a trick is to have Peters reappear in the “4”. Given this, the… differentiation will be made at “3”. Bartzokas showed that he trusts several formations with three guards. Therefore, if Walkup is in a better condition (remember, he played with an injection) then he will get several minutes, since he played only 18 in the first match. Gosh was very good, and Kanaan who wrote the most time than anyone else is a key choice. Three players that are likely to spend a lot of time together. Of course, Brazdeikis also remains in the squad, who played only 8′.
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