By Javier Molero / info@eurohoops.net
Željko Obradović highlighted Kendrick Nunn’s outstanding performance following Panathinaikos‘ victory over Real Madrid, praising the American guard’s dedication, professionalism, and ability to overcome a challenging start to the season.
Obradović admitted that Nunn’s unusual circumstances had made his integration into the team particularly difficult, revealing that the guard had played more games than he had attended training sessions.
“I have never experienced anything like this in my life: having a player who has played more games than he has had training sessions. Kendrick Nunn did not have a pre-season, and his first game came after just half a training session with the team,” Obradović explained in the press conference.
The coach stressed that Nunn’s passion for basketball and his individual work had been crucial in helping him reach his best level despite the lack of preparation.
“This is not easy, but he is someone who loves basketball. He works on his own, with coaches, and we all know the quality he possesses. We had to be patient with him, with Kostas Sloukas and with everyone who had been injured. It is not easy to start playing again after a two-month break. He has had a fantastic game,” he added.
Obradović also addressed one of the team’s main areas of concern heading into the matchup against Real Madrid: turnovers. After contrasting performances against Anadolu Efes and Aris, the coach emphasised the importance of taking better care of the ball against an opponent renowned for its pace and transition offence.
“We played a poor game against Efes, while against Aris it was completely different. We talked about something that cost us a lot in both games: turnovers. Against Aris, we scored 91 points but committed 20 turnovers and missed 12 free throws,” he said.
For Obradović, those numbers reflected both the team’s offensive potential and the need to improve its decision-making.
“That shows that the team has offensive potential, but we have to take better care of the ball. We had to understand how important this was against Real Madrid, a team that always plays at a high tempo and constantly looks to run in transition,” he concluded.
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