2024-04-10 13:52:31
Real are clear favorites for the tournament this season, having already secured first place in the regular season and home advantage in the playoffs four rounds ago.
The representatives of the Royal Club calmly won the first match between them, defeating the Kaunas 93:79. This time, everything was determined by a much better first two quarters, after which the Spaniards built up a 10-point lead, and increased it in the fourth quarter.
“This is the last Euroleague match for us and I only want the best for my players, fans and the Zalgiris organization. We will be playing against the best team in Europe, the champions, and I would like a good atmosphere and return all the love we received from our fans.
I want my players to feel the same way they felt before in the match – total support, no questions asked.
That’s how I see this upcoming match and I hope it will be like that”, said Kaunas strategist A. Trinchieri about Thursday’s confrontation.
Before the decisive round of the regular season, Žalgiris has 14 wins and is in 14th place, while Real is first with 26 wins and 4 wins ahead of second-placed Panathinaikos Athens.
– “Real” ends the EuroLeague regular season as its winners. Also, they are defending the title. Is it safe to say that they will reverse the trend and win the regular season and win the title again?
– I know about such a tendency that regular season winners do not become champions. I don’t know how many times it happened, I don’t keep track or collect such numbers. But I believe that the team that suffers in the regular season becomes the champion of the Euroleague.
The team that usually played successfully in the regular season, for reasons I cannot explain, is unable to triumph in the final four.
Meanwhile, teams that go through injuries, difficult moments in the competition, losing streaks or certain crises, they are said to acquire antibodies for the playoffs and the Final Four.
Now Real have some defeats, but it is good for them to reach the playoffs with such emotions. These are my personal observations.
– Last season, “Real” triumphed in the Euroleague in Kaunas. Could this be an additional motivation to fight again for the championship title?
– You ask too many questions about Real. I’m not in Madrid.
– Laurynas Birutis extended his contract with the team, what are your expectations for his next season?
– Today you challenge me: I have a game against Real, but I’m talking about next season.
I will twist your question a bit. I’m happy for Biro because I always follow a certain philosophy.
The club’s philosophy is to give Lithuanians a chance to play at the highest level, and this is very important to me.
He deserved this chance, he had a great stretch, then he got injured, he went through ups and downs. He is a very intelligent and skilled player. The best time is still ahead of him.
He deserves a chance because he has shown that he cares about the club and he loves the team. He tries to be the best version of himself.
The most natural thing now is to continue the work started, the plan, to develop it. This is natural. Back to expectations, I am a big enemy of them.
Especially when comparing two different seasons. Expectations usually lead to disappointment.
Individual expectations change, motivation changes, everything changes. I don’t want to talk about expectations, I want to talk about the player we have now.
– How is it going with the injury treatment for Arns Butkevičius?
– He definitely won’t play for at least a month. I have no news, because there shouldn’t be any now. He is now in a brace – his ankle is injured. Arn is very important to us, even more important than me.
Arnas is not very talkative and a very serious basketball player. The perfect teammate. The perfect player for the locker room.
I push him out of his comfort zone: I ask him to do things he hasn’t done before.
– Thursday will be the last regular season game of the famous Rudy Fernandez in the Euroleague. What will you remember about this player?
– Rudy is a real player, a winner (laughs). He hit a lot of decisive shots and had an amazing career. I have the utmost respect for him.
I don’t want to talk about his game, he speaks for himself and I can’t add anything. Rudy never thought anyone was better than him. He can play a minute and decide the game, he can play 35 minutes and thus be a guarantee of victory.
I respect him a lot for that. He is one of the most iconic players in the EuroLeague – he seems to have won three EuroLeague titles.
– Three teams are still fighting for a place in the playoffs. If you had to guess, which of the contenders do you think will make it to this stage?
– If one were to follow logic, the answer would be Istanbul’s Anadolu Efes. If I were to watch and guess from my heart, I would say it would be Partizan Belgrade.
– You came to Kaunas in winter. Now it’s spring and the heat pampers everyone. How do you like the weather in Lithuania?
“I feel like a vampire.” I go outside, I see the sun and I’m afraid I’m going to burn.
2024-04-10 13:52:31