By Aris Barkas/ barkas@eurohoops.net
With four weeks into Euroleague’s regular season, only four teams remained perfect. In Group A Real Madrid, in Group B CSKA Moscow, in Group C Barcelona and in Group D Olympiacos are at 4-1. However teams like Zalgiris (3-1) and Panathinaikos (3-1) emerged and stole the show in a gameday full of upsets. So here are our awards and what it will be remembered.
MVP
It’s been a long time since an American player had put such an one show in Euroleague. If Anderson wasn’t playing for Zalgiris, then the win against Unics Kazan would have been a long shot. With him on the court, scoring 27 points on 8/17 shots, having 9/9 free throws – two of them really crucial in crunch time – and also adding 11 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, 4 turnovers and one block, the Lithuanians are already the big surprise of the regular season. And make no mistake, this is Anderson’s team.
Best five
- Milos Teodosic: He is impressive in the start of the season, being named October MVP for VTB League, and killing Unicaja with 27 points, 5/6 threes, 10 assists. That’s how he can get away with 5 turnovers.
- Roko Leni Ukic: He has the experience and the shot to emerge in crucial moments. That’s what he did in the road win of Cedevita at Tel Aviv, having in total 17 points on 6/14 shots and also 6 assists, 2 rebounds, 1 steal and no turnovers in 23 minutes of action.
- James Anderson: He had his career night in Euroleague.
- Luke Harangody: He had 23 points on 5/7 threes, he answered every push of Laboral Kutxa to get back into the game in the fourth quarter and he led Valencia to its first win for the season.
- Damian Kulig: He scored 22 points and also had 6 rebounds in a historic night, as Turow got its first win in Euroleague over the German champions Bayern Munich. Yes, it was a night to remember in Poland.
Best losing performance: Jayson Granger
Pargo and Langford scored as usual, but Granger at the gym of CSKA had the best night of his Euroleague career with 20 points and 10 assists. He is emerging as the leader of Unicaja, specially after Zoran Dragic’s decision to leave, and he seems to be constantly improving his game.
The biggest win: Barcelona
With Brad Oleson making the difference, Barcelona remained perfect by getting the win over Fenerbahce in Istanbul. Group C is by far the hardest of the regular season and the Catalans prevailed on the road over one team which – in theory at least – is a final four contender. Of course the ambitions of Barca are much higher than a first phase win, but nobody had a harder task this week than the “Blaugrana”.
The upset: Cedevita
It’s a sports movie scenario. The team without a win goes to the gym of the defending champions and outplay them, getting its first win of the season, which can lead them even to the second phase. Given the fact that the Croatians’s competition is Limoges and Alba, the result in Tel Aviv can end up being the advantage which will lead to their qualification to Top16.
The underachievers: EA7 Milano
Also Neptunas and Limoges surrender on the road to Galatasaray and to Alba, but we expect more from EA7 Milano, even at OAKA against a resurrected Panathinaikos which produce great basketball. Once more the units of the Italians didn’t produce team basketball and despite their road win over Bayern, things are not going to get easier for them from now on. Milano can’t be considered a disappointment yet, because the Greens played just great and also because there is also…
The disappointment: Bayern Munich
We are just in the fourth week of action in regular season, but Bayern already has its back on the wall. After losing to Turow the Germans are in real danger of missing the Top16. They have already lost at home to EA7 Milano and it will not be a surprise if Turow doesn’t get an other win in the rest of the regular season. After losing Malcolm Delaney, the team also seems to have a lost a big part of its character.
The rising star: Dario Saric
He is the most talented player of his age in Europe and Dario Saric finally played like he should in the win of Anadolu Efes over Nizhny. In 22 minutes, he scored 18 points in 22 minutes and he also had 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals and 2 turnovers. A glimpse of things to come.
The last word: Red and white madness
Olympiacos beat Crvena Zvezda, but this game will be remembered for the fans who didn’t leave an empty seat in “Kombank Arena” and chanted for both teams, because of the special bond that the Greek and the Serbian club share. Just see the video and you will understand.
Euroleague 2014-2015 – 4th Day
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Alba Berlin |
Limoges |
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Laboral Kutxa |
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CSKA Moscow |
Unicaja Malaga |
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Panathinaikos |
EA7 Milano |
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Galatasaray MP |
Neptunas |
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F.C. Barcelona |
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Zalgiris |
UNICS Kazan |
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Nizhny Novgorod |
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Cedevita Zagreb |
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PGE Turow |
FC Bayern |
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Dinamo Sassari |