After eight rounds of the EuroLeague, more than a fifth of the regular season is behind us, but few could have predicted the current standings.
It has become clear in recent years that in the EuroLeague, anyone can beat anyone, and few games feature a clear favorite. However, Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade and Zalgiris Kaunas, along with Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv, currently sit at the top of the standings, which only the most ardent fans of these two clubs could have hoped for at this stage.
However, this is the new reality, and since eight rounds are already a significant number, it’s possible to draw some conclusions about why the Serbian and Lithuanian giants are where they are.
A total turnaround
Crvena Zvezda’s season got off to a rocky start, sitting at the bottom of the standings after two rounds. Following disappointing results both in the EuroLeague and the ABA League, Ioannis Sfairopoulos was dismissed, and club legend Sasa Obradovic took over.
The coaching change is one of the reasons for the Serbian team’s current six-game EuroLeague winning streak. Shock therapy like this often gives teams a jolt, and Zvezda is no exception. But with eight wins in a row across all competitions, it’s clear that the team’s success is about more than just the coach’s arrival. It’s also about a shift in playing style.
Since his arrival, Obradovic has been striving to completely speed up Crvena Zvezda’s game. The Belgrade team struggled with set offenses last season, and this season started similarly despite having more players capable of resolving one-on-one situations.
Zvezda has become a team that thrives in transition, playing at a faster pace, and that suits Codi Miller-McIntyre perfectly. Known as someone who loves fast-paced basketball, attacking in fast-break situations and against unprepared defenses, Miller-McIntyre has flourished, as shown with his 23-point, 12-assist performance against Maccabi.
With just under seven assists per game on average, Miller-McIntyre leads this statistical category, so there his importance as one of Zvezda’s leaders will only grow this season. Zvezda’s good results are also thanks to Jordan Nwora, who has finally been given more freedom in Europe and is showing why he is among the EuroLeague’s best scorers.
Credit also goes to Ioannis Sfairopoulos, who recognized Nwora as someone who, with more shots and supported by Zvezda’s fans, could become the scoring leader of the red and whites. The former Anadolu Efes Istanbul player suffered a minor injury and missed the last two rounds, but it seems he’ll return soon. Together with him, Jared Butler, and Devonte’ Graham, whose return is also expected soon, the Serbian giant will have a large number of scorers on its team.
Of course, the well-known phrase is that offense wins games but defense wins championships, which Sasa Obradovic adheres to as well. Since his arrival, Zvezda has been among the best defenses in the EuroLeague. Before the Maccabi game, Zvezda – since Obradovic’s arrival – was allowing 96 points on average per 100 possessions. For comparison, under Sfairopoulos, it was 122 points allowed per 100 possessions.
Obradovic decided to change the defense since coming to the club, so we now see more switching in the Serbian team’s play. This is aided by the fact that Ebuka Izundu can defend opposing guards, as well as the awakening of Semi Ojeleye, who has found his place in the team, and we are increasingly seeing him and Chima Moneke together on the court.
With the addition of Nikola Kalinic, as well as the physique of Miller-McIntyre, who is also capable of providing resistance to opposing centers in the low post, Zvezda will be a serious rival to anyone, thanks to its physicality and athleticism.
For now, Obradovic’s start is promising. There will be defeats at some point, but the red and whites can be pleased with the team’s revival and the fact that Zvezda has survived the period in which injuries dictated the coach’s decisions and lineups for games
Masiulis’s miracle
Alongside Zvezda, Zalgiris also holds a share of first place in the standings, with the Lithuanian side currently ahead due to a better point difference, despite the fact that the Serbian team won when they met in Belgrade in Round 4.
If Zalgiris could be described in one word, it would certainly be team. Although it was underestimated in the preseason, Zalgiris is fully deserving of its lofty EuroLeague position right now. Led by Tomas Masiulis, who, after years of working as an assistant and winning a EuroLeague title with Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul in Abu Dhabi last May, took on the role of leading his own squad. And so far, he’s doing brilliantly.
The true leader of the team is Sylvain Francisco, who highlighted his MVP candidacy through the first eight rounds with nearly 15 points and 7 assists per game. Interestingly, the two best EuroLeague teams currently also have the competition’s two best passers, alongside Mike James.
The Frenchman excels at setting the game’s rhythm, loves attacking unprepared defenses, recognizes all situations on the court excellently, scores from tough drives, and hits three-pointers over defenders. It’s important to note that alongside him, Zalgiris also has Maodo Lo and Nigel Williams-Goss, who both pose a one-on-one threat. This makes it difficult to switch against Zalgiris, as they know how to exploit such situations.
The team from Kaunas is also athletically powerful, which is most evident in its defense. Zalgiris, with just 76 points allowed per game, is by far the EuroLeague’s best defense. In the last three games, it has held its opponents to an average of just 67 points.
Whatever defense Masiulis’s team plays, their bodies and long arms make it very difficult for opponents. Zalgiris is among the top six teams in both blocks and steals, which, along its fast ball movement and excellent transition play, together with less than 12 turnovers per game, allows the Lithuanians to score a large number of easy points on the other end.
Moses Wright has also flourished in this system, having been unable to show his full potential at Olympiacos Piraeus. In just over 20 minutes on the court, Wright scores 13.6 points, shooting an impressive 72% on two-pointers and 43% on three-pointers. The team as a whole is shooting 42.9% from beyond the arc, the highest in the EuroLeague. For comparison, FC Barcelona is second with 39%.
These shooting numbers are an indicator of the freedom and confidence with which Tomas Masiulis’s team plays. A few games might be attributed to good form, but eight is a significant sample. If it avoids injuries to key players, Zalgiris will be a serious contender for anyone throughout the season.
Some expected dominance from Greek giants, Real Madrid, AS Monaco, or Fenerbahce. But, for now, the EuroLeague’s top spot rightfully belongs to Zvezda and Zalgiris.