Scariolo, on the increase in Euroleague games: “It was a mistake, everyone is rethinking the format”

“We hope this break hasn’t stopped us. We were coming off eight wins out of ten and now we have to start all over again. We’re not starting from scratch because we had some momentum that we hope to recover from soon, starting with tomorrow’s game,” Scariolo commented.

He also spoke about the level of Anadolu Efes, who, although not playing their best basketball, are capable of achieving impressive victories. “I think they’ll get some of their injured players back, and they’re always a very strong team at home. In the EuroLeague, it’s difficult to identify a game that isn’t challenging, but this one has many points to consider,” he added.

“The opponent has changed coaches, and in the first game, the reaction is always very energetic. And then, because the first game after the international break is unusual due to players returning, the need to rest some players…,” Scariolo commented.

He was referring to Andrés Feliz, a trusted player who recently played in the FIBA ​​World Cup Qualifiers with the Dominican Republic. “In fact, Andrés Feliz can’t travel after arriving in Madrid this morning, and others will have limited playing time. We have several issues we need to manage,” he added to the media.

He also talked about the modern EuroLeague and what he thinks of the format, the teams… “This EuroLeague is more competitive than ever. In the last two years, the number of high-level teams has grown. That has an impact. Also, the number of games has increased. I think that was a mistake. Everyone is rethinking the format. This doesn’t allow for the normal day-to-day work with the teams. We are very far from the NBA mentality where you can lose four games in a row and it’s no big deal. We don’t have that sporting culture to understand that in this new scenario, you have to know how to value wins and losses,” he said in the lead-up to the game.