By Michalis Stefanou
In last year’s play offs Siena lost the first game in Greece with by a shocking 48 points. But the Italians reacted, they had three consecutive wins and in Game 2 and 4, Malik Hairston killed Olympiacos. He proved to be the key for the wins and Olympiacos coach Dusan Ivkovic never found a way to stop him.
David Moss is considered to be the anti-Hairston in Siena this year, when Malik was signed to a bigger contract by EA7 Milan. And Moss is up to role, having his best yet season in Euroleague and being the second best scorer of his team during the Top 16.
But in the first game he was out of sync, got quick fouls and he was not his usual self. In 18 minutes he scored 5 points with 2/6 shots. In Top 16 he averaged 12,2 points with a 50% shooting percentage in two points shot, 47% in threes and 92% in free throws. Can he do now what Hairston did last year? Here is his answer on Eurohoops!
“I have to stay away from foul troubles for sure and try to find my rhythm, because I wasn’t on the floor. When you get in foul trouble as early as I did is tough. But the win is not a matter of just one person, it’s a team effort. The biggest thing that I can do is to give what I can. Whatever it is, rebounding, taking charges, I am going to give the effort and help us win the series because I believe that we can do it”, says the forward who expects a dogfight in game two.
“It’s going to be the same, it’s going to be a battle, it’s going to be a close call, it’s going to be a fight. We just have to do a better job finishing the game. Because if you look at it, at the majority of the game we had the control, but we didn’t make it in the end”, explains Moss who stayed in the gym for an extra practice in Thursday and it’s sure that he was today to “erase” the memory of his performance in Game 1.