Barcelona gets a head start
Olympiacos lost to Barcelona 73-57 in the first quarter final of the Euroleague play-offs and the 'reds' are now trailing the series 1-0. The second game is on Friday (17/4) at 21:00 CET.
'Thrylos' had a good start in the game and was leading at the beginning, but remained scoreless for five minutes and the Catalans finished the first quarter leading 20-8.
Thrylos' defense got better in the second quarter, the Piraeus team also improved their scoring percentages and hence the difference went below two digits (35-26). The 'reds' were unsuccessful each time they tried to come close to the score in the third quarter, and the hosts maintained their lead (50-38 at 30').
The players of Giannis Sfairopoulos did not give up in the last quarter either. They kept fighting but were 'betrayed" by their bad shooting and Barceloan won the first game of the series 73-57.
Δεκάλεπτα: 20-8, 35-26, 50-38, 73-57.
Barcelona (Pasqual): Doellman, Hezonja 5, Huertas 3 (1), Abrines 6 (1), Navarro 10 (2), Satoransky 9 (2), Pleis 6, Thomas 5, Oleson 5 (1), Lampe 8, Nachbar 10 (3), Τomic 6.
Olympiacos (Sfairopoulos): Petway 5 (1 3p, 1as), Hunter 7 (3 reb, 1 st), Dunston 5 (4reb, 1bl), Spanoulis 1, Papapetrou 5 (1 3p, 1reb), Sloukas 5 (2reb, 4as), Printezis 4 (3reb), Agravanis 9 (1 3p, 2reb, 2as, 1st), Mantzaris 4 (1 reb, 2as),Lafayette 5 (1), Darden 2, Lojeski 5 (1).
GIANNIS SFAIROPOULOS: "I would like to congratulate Barcelona for a deserving victory. We began the game very well. We played right on both ends of the court during the first three minutes of the game, but we then lost concentration, did not do what we had planned before the game and the fact that we didn't score cost us, we did not have any concentration either in defense after that. We also lost a lot of offensive rebounds, we were trailing by two digits, and it was hard to get back in the game. We improved a few staff later on, but continued not to 'read' the game right, made bad decisions, did not play as a team and we now need to improve our performance and get ready for the next battle. We have had some injury issues, Spanoulis and Hunter were hurt and Dunston got hurt as well during the game. I hope it's nothing serious. We have 17 players who we believe in and count on as a total. We hope our injured players are better in the next game, it's very hard to come back following a long period of inactiveness due to injury. Rebounding is a combination of height, but also of how much you want to get that rebound. We allowed our opponents only three offensive rebounds in the second half and this is the way we want to battle for the defensive rebounds. It's also important that we weren't shooting the ball well; this affects our rebounding too since when you miss shots that costs your fighting spirit defense wise. We need to improve on our offense in the second game".
DIMITRIS AGRAVANIS: "It doesn't count if a player plays good or bad. The thing is that we lost, when you lose, everyone does. I don't think it was that much our defense's fault as our offense's one. We were quite hesitant and nervous, making bad decisions. We need to prove that we want it more. We have a chance at going to the Final Four. We lost a game, but the thing is to believe that we can do it. Pressure is on the host's part and not on the guest's. I think that we are going to prove who we really are on Friday. The team is built around Vassilis, but if we haven't helped him as we should have done. It is us, especially the tall players, to help him get into rhythm, because he's our best player".
MILAN TOMIC: "There is no time to be disappointed. Of course you cannot be happy when you lose. We have one day to look at our mistakes and prepare the next game. It's just 1-0, the series is a long one and we need to prepare for what comes next. I believe that it was our offense that hurt us the most, not defensive rebounding and defense as much. In the first half, despite Barcelona's 12 offensive rebounds, we only received 35 points. Our problem was mainly an offensive one. This is what we need to change in our players' minds, to have a better movement of the ball. Our offense should be reading plays better. Our players can do it, because they are professionals and they can make it at a very high level".