With 29% three-pointers, one error (19!) for every assist and nine missed shots, you don’t bet your money on a break. Much more likely at the Palau Blaugrana who last night, sensing the danger, were in a playoff mood.
Despite this, Olympiacos returned to their hotel with the very advantage of the home base. The perfect heist. With glory and honor. Dominating for a full forty minutes in this first leg with Barcelona.
How and why? Don’t look for it. Because this team can do it all. Even turning her problems into an advantage. Does anyone doubt that with so many injuries during the season something happened to… immunity?
Barcelona puts 83 in the Euroleague this year. Yesterday, when the matches were finally decided, they had ten less, caught in the grip of the best defense in Europe. It was short-circuited by Giorgos Bartzokas, pulling aces out of the sleeve of a bunch of unexpected heroes: Philip Petrusef of the first half. The amazing in defense Luke Sikma who came from nowhere to become a “factor” in the victory. Shaquille McKissick, who was created for these matches.
Olympiacos passed Barcelona with Kostas Papanikolaou absent and Tomas Walkup absent (and absent in the fourth period with four fouls). With the first scorer of the year, Alec Peters – “getting down” to the “3” and – taking just one shot! And with Azaia Kanaan being the only one who -rightly- played more than thirty minutes in a situation where no one should forget that there is game 2 tomorrow.
A small work of art. Or another night on the job for the man who has turned Olympiacos into a complete war machine. “The series is still 0-0. We are just looking forward to the next game” Giorgos Bartzokas hastened to send his message to both locker rooms.
No, the back-to-back best coach of the Euroleague does not only play with the square parquet. He is already “playing” with the mind of the inexperienced Roger Grimau in the rookie series of the playoffs. The 45-year-old kept saying how comfortable his team felt at home this year. “We didn’t feel comfortable from the beginning” he admitted yesterday wanting to explain what happened on the way to the 0-1.
Necessary note: The plural if nothing else brings out the 45-year-old’s… politeness. On the other hand, he is already questioning his composure. Welcome to the war of the playoffs. Where Giorgos Bartzokas feels like in his own backyard.