So after last week’s picks, here’s how we stand on the season (remember, our picks started in Week 2): SLAM: 17-7; FREAKNICK: 17-7. It’s a dead tie between the Euroleague Adventures boys, let’s see if someone can pull ahead in Week 4.
Zalgiris @ Cibona
Slam: The time has finally come and Jamont Gordon says, “GIVE ME A WIN!” Cibona
Freaknick: Martynas Pocius gets back on track and proves he can be wekk in, week out stud. Oh, and Travis Watson’s a beast. Zalgiris.
Montepaschi @ FB Ulker
Slam: The boys from Turkey just can’t put it together right now and did anyone else see Romain Sato last week? Montepaschi
Freaknick: Fenerbahce-Willie Solomon=better, but Montepaschi-Lavrinovic=Mega Romain Sato, so Fenerbahce<Montepaschi. It’s basic math. Montepaschi.
Asvel @ Barcelona
Slam: Yeah the first quarter might be interesting but after that let the fireworks begin. Barcelona
Freaknick: Welcome back, JC. Barcelona.
Unicaja @ Orleans
Slam: Omar Cook and Taquan Dean are playing like basketball identical twins tight now, and you just can’t beat chemistry like that. Unicaja
Freaknick: Unicaja will win and Shammond Williams will make zero impact. Unicaja.
Caja Laboral @ Maroussi
Slam: Does Caja Laboral have their groove back? Hopefully Pau Ribas can keep it going with Huertas out. Caja Laboral
Freaknick: Will this be the week Mirza Teletovic looks in the mirror and realizes Continue Reading…
South Carolina Gamecocks, that is. While South Cackalacky fans are busying themselves wondering why Steve Spurrier still hasn’t delivered a football championship, they could have been logging on to EurocupBasketball.com last season to find a couple of alums putting up huge numbers for the eventual champions, Lietuvos Rytas. In fact, to say they were merely “champions” is a slap in the face. Let me clarify: they won all five titles they played for last year: the Baltic President’s Cup, Baltic League Title, Lithuanian League Title (Eidson dropped 41 in the final game), Lithuanian Cup and last but not least, the Eurocup Championship. The center Petravicius picked up Eurocup Final Four MVP Honors while Chuck E. Threes was named the Eurocup MVP thanks to an all-around line of 15.9 points, 5.7 rebounds and 5.1 assists.
The duo’s success with Lietuvos Rytas helped launch the squad from the ‘Cup to the ‘League this year, but it also landed them with new teams for the 2010 campaign. The point forward Eidson will try to help Maccabi get back to the promised land while Petravicius will man the middle for an Armani Jeans Milano squad that is desperate for some toughness. Gamecock fans: will you be watching?
Gather ’round the campfire and listen to a D-lightful story about legendary coaches, giant saviors, and backcourts running amok with Americans!
1. Can Sergio Llull and Novica Velickovic take the next step together?I don’t expect a Kobe-Shaq feud. Not even Penny-Shaq. On the contrary. As an optimist and a fan of high quality basketball, I want to see those two young guns grow up together and mature into a two-headed powerhouse. With Llull igniting the offense, Velickovic knocking down shots and staying active on defense, and Felipe Reyes doing what Felipe Reyes does down low, head coach Ettore Messina must feel like he’s left Heaven and been downgraded to Paradise. I think both Llull and Velickovic are selfless enough to make this thing work together, but if they want to make a Final Four in their first year together, “making it work” won’t cut it. Last year’s Rising Star (Velickovic) needs to keep on climbing and Llull needs to add some rocket fuel of his own. All that’s left for Messina to do is monitor the launch.
2. Is Marius Petravicius the league’s biggest offseason signing? It might sound like a ridiculous stretch, but hopefully the next few sentences will convince you to reconsider: Armani Jeans Milano’s season was a rollercoaster divided into thirds, each section as befuddling as the next. They started the season with four straight losses before winning seven of their next eight and ultimately dropping their final four contests (the fourth was an inexplicable 72-96 loss to then 0-5 Asseco Prokom in the Top 16). Giorgio Armani doesn’t even have to deal with supermodels this whimsical. But once the numbers made their way down the catwalk, the reason became shockingly clear: 22nd (out of 24) in team rebounding, 3rd in fouls committed, and 23rd in fouls received. I look at these numbers and see a diminutive little man dressed like Ricky Martin saying “Hi! I’m AJ Milano and I desperately need a big man or three.” No worries Ricky! Help is on the way! Petravicius was the Eurocup Final Eight MVP for Lietuvos Rytas, averaging 12.9 and 6.1 on the season for the Eurocup champs, and he is exactly what AJ Milano needed. With three players (Hawkins, Thomas, Vitali) averaging double figures last season and four others (Price, Hall, Mordente, Sow) scoring over eight per game, this is the go-to guy they need on the inside when the shots aren’t falling. Call me crazy, but I see a team capable of a run to the Final Eight.
3. Which backcourt pairing will lead their team to the Top 16? At this point, I’m looking at Panathinaikos and Madrid as locks for the next round with Milano as a probable participant. The last spot is up for the taking, and Khimki, Asseco Prokom, and Oldenburg will need their guards to lead the way. Khimki has acquired perhaps the best guard pairing of the offseason with Carlos Cabezas from Unicaja and wily veteran Raul Lopez from Madrid (not to mention former Kansas Jayhawk Keith Langford). If Daniel Ewing and David Logan both return to Prokom, they’ll have a combo that totaled 29 PPG in 2008-09. Like Prokom, the German champions Oldenburg will feature a pair of Americans that can get it done with former Missouri Tiger Rickey Paulding and Arizona Wildcat Jason Gardner. The games between these three teams will end up determining the fourth team, and I suspect the real fireworks will take place beyond the arc.
Group D Preview – Panathinaikos, Real Madrid, Armani Jeans Milano, Asseco Prokom, BC Khimki Moscow Region, EWE Baskets Oldenburg
By: Slam
Panathinaikos looks to repeat as Euroleague Champions
Best Team – Panathinaikos: The Triple Crown Winner (Greek Regular Season, Greek Champions, Euroleague Champions) is primed for another run at the title. The Greens infused some young talent into their veteran team with the likes of Nick Calathes and Milenko Tepic joining the fold. Both Calathes and Tepic are very young players who look to have very bright futures ahead of them as they are very skilled passers and scorers. Panathinaikos still has their devastating 1-2 combo on the inside in Nikola Pekovic and Mike Batiste who can both score on anyone. The strength of this team though is in their guards as Vissilis Spanoulis, Dimitris Diamantidis, Drew Nicholas, Stratos Perperoglou, Calathes, and Tepic are all highly talented players. Panathinaikos has too much depth for any other team in this group to keep up with.
Khimki Moscow is looking to make a great first impression in the Euroleague
Surprise Team – BC Khimki Moscow: While I have said throughout these previews that buyer beware of these new teams to the Euroleague, Khimki is different. They have been attracting a lot of talent to their team this offseason with the signing of point guards Carlos Cabezas and Raul Lopez to run their offense. Khimki has two superb scorers in Carlos Delfino and Jorge Garbajosa who can both shoot lights out. Look for Khimki to play an exciting brand of basketball and score a lot of points this season.
Nikola Pekovic is an animal at attacking the basket
Best Player – Nikola Pekovic, Panathinaikos: Itwas very hard to pick the best player in the group with the likes of Spanoulis, Diamantidis, Felipe Reyes, Mike Hall, and Carlos Delfino; but when it came down to it Pekovic is the most dominating player in the group. There is barely anyone in the Euroleague that can guard him because of how strong and assertive he is on the offensive end. His only problem is his Continue Reading…
Let’s take a look at the 5 best NBA Players that could possibly go over and play in the Euroleague next year:
Will an NBA team want him? Or is Europe his only Option?
1. Allen Iverson
Yes, the NBA icon Allen Iverson could be looking to play overseas next season. It sounds like Detroit doesn’t want him back and there are very few teams in the league he could fit into. He still has a lot of talent and quickness but he is starting to age pretty fast. Iverson would still be an instant stud in the Euroleague as his talent would be superior to anyone out there. Iverson is 34 and his body has taken a beating over the years but I’d still expect a big name team such as Maccabi Tel Aviv or CSKA Moscow to make a run at him.
Artest will have to shape up his behavior if he wants to play abroad
2. Ron Artest
Another NBA star could be making his presence felt in Europe. Artest would be an undersized power forward in Europe who would be stronger than almost any player in the league. He could dominate with a devastating ability to get to the basket because very few defenders could handle him once he gets in the lane. Artest still has a good amount of basketball in him, but Euroleague teams might be scared of his behavior in the past. Look for a team that isn’t quite good enough to be among the elite Euroleague teams but still has money, like Efes Pilsen, AJ Milano, and the always willing to spend Olympiacos, to try and aquire him.
Linas could make a lot of money in Europe
3. Linas Kleiza
Kleiza is a Lithuanian product who has been playing his NBA ball with the Denver Nuggets. He was a key cog in getting the Nuggets to the Western Conference Finals. He is a very long small forward with a deadly outside shooting touch. He can play both forward positions which will make some NBA teams covet him this off season. Kleiza though could be a monster in the Euroleague with his ability to shoot outside and drive to the basket, his offensive talent would be hard to match. Most all Euroleague teams would be excited about the prospect of adding Kleiza as he is entering his prime. There always is a chance he wants to go home and play for Zalgiris too. Continue Reading…
Zalgiris @ Cibona
