EuroLeague Experts pick the biggest “sleeper” of the season

31/Oct/19 12:49 October 31, 2019

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31/Oct/19 12:49

Eurohoops.net

Five rounds in and the EuroLeague Experts address one major issue: which team is the biggest “sleeper” thus far?

By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net

The Round 5 EuroLeague “Experts Round Table” takes on a spin on the most dangerous offensive team, the hardest defense to penetrate, as well as the league’s biggest “sleeper” so far in the season.

Per EuroLeague.net:

1. What EuroLeague team do you believe has the most dangerous offense?

Joe Arlauckas

“This EuroLeague season has not started as strong offensively as I remember last year, but there are still eight teams that are averaging more than 80 points a game. The offensive surge is coming from the north, as two Russian teams have been filling it up. Both Khimki and CSKA look strong, but let’s see how the unfortunate injury to Will Clyburn, last year’s Final Four MVP, might affect CSKA‘s offensive production.”

Dimitris Karydas

“Even with the painful and costly loss of Will Clyburn, the No. 1 selection here is CSKA Moscow. There are too many weapons in the very balanced and pluralistic offense of Coach Itoudis, plus the master-class ability of the coaching staff to exploit every weakness in an opponent’s defenses. A second option could be the more ‘free spirit’ offense of that other Moscow-based team, Khimki. They shoot the ball extremely well and can kill any EuroLeague opponent on a given night.”

Juan Antonio Casanova

“Barcelona, CSKA and Khimki have scored the most, but we have to take into account which opponents they faced and the fact that Barcelona played three of its opening four games on the road, winning them all. You have to see how the points are scored. Nikola Mirotic has been majestic with 20 points on average, and after him, three of his teammates – Kyle Kuric, Brandon Davies and Cory Higgins – score at least 10 points per game. Going over these names reveals the balanced scoring Barcelona has in all spots and its good ball movement (20.3 assists per game). And all of that without such a reliable point guard as Kevin Pangos, who has not played yet.”

Antonis Stroggylakis

“Between CSKA Moscow (87.0 ppg.) and Khimki Moscow (88.8 ppg.), the two most productive scoring teams in the EuroLeague so far, I’ll go with the reigning champion. CSKA’s recent display in Berlin and the win over ALBA showcased how the “Army Men” can deliver even when they are hindered by turnover problems and even while facing strong defensive pressure by their opponents. CSKA can adjust to issues that can appear mid-game and also has individual weaponry and coaching guidance that are combined for the most lethal offensive package in the competition.”

Frankie Sachs

“When looking for the most dangerous offense, it’s not only about which team scores the most or has the most players averaging a certain number of points. The former can be a factor of the pace a team plays at, and the latter is impacted by which high-volume scorers a team has. I think the most dangerous attack is the team that has the most ‘scorers’, meaning players who could be go-to options on a different team or in different circumstances. Can a team put four or five dangerous scorers on the floor at once, thus also limiting the effectiveness of double-teams? While Anadolu Efes Istanbul is part of the conversation, for me the answer is FC Barcelona. And considering that most of its key players are new to the roster this season, Barcelona will only get better as its chemistry builds.”

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