One of the most anticipated weeks arrives for the fans of European basketball. The Euroleague looking for a new champion, and May 23 to 25, he Etihad Arena de Abu Dabi It will house the final Four of the continental competition, one of the great sporting events of the year. In Sport we continue to renew the reasons why each of the four classified can leave the United Arab Emirates with the title, and today is the turn of Olympiacos.
The Greeks fulfilled the forecasts that placed them at the beginning of the season in the list of the favorites. After finishing the regular phase in first position with a balance of 24 victories and 10 losses, those of Georgios Bartzokas They had a difficult playoff on the road to the final to four in which they measured the Real Madrid. After winning the first two games in Piraeo (84-72 and 77-71), the whites pointed the third (80-72), but the Hellenes finished off the task in the fourth (84-86) taking out the ticket for the F4.
It has been a terribly equalized campaign in the Euroleague, and that first position in the qualifying table reflects that The Bartzokas team has been the most regular during the season. The Greek coach managed to maintain the wide bulk of template that the latter seasons worked so well, and that he had stayed very close to reaching glory. In 2023, a basket of Sergio Llull He prevented them from lifting a title that they achieved for the last time in 2013, while last year, the white team was a executioner again, this time in the semifinals (87-76).
Fournier's great return to Europe
To that solid base, the club chaired by the Angelopoulos brothers signed two stars with which to aspire to everything. Input, to a Evan Fournier who decided to close his career in the NBA to return to the old continent. There could be doubts about French returned to Europe to 'retire', but their numbers speak for themselves: 16 points, 2.2 rebounds, 2.5 assistance and something more than one robbery per game. The Frenchman has given the Greek perimeter more dynamite, and his signing has been a success.
Evan Fournier scored the Barça -winning basket – Olympiacos / Dani Barbeito
Olympiacos also achieved the return of his prodigal son, a Sasha Bezenkov whose adventure in the NBA only lasted one season. The Hellenes managed to seduce him by making him the best paid player on the continent, with a higher salary to the Four million euros net By course. A unusual figures in Europe, but that have turned the Bulgarian into what it is: one of the best Euroleague players.
Tiencoenkov, 'MVP' numbers
Tiencoenkov has resumed his career in Euroleague at the same level he left. 'MVP' of the season in 2023, Sasha has not repeated this course for details, and the prize has gone to his citizen rival, Kendrick Nunn. But in this campaign he has signed 20 points and 6.7 rebounds per game, And in terms of annotation, only Nunn y Carsen Edwards They have had a better average (20.4).
TIMEENKOV AND FOURNIER, two Olympiac figures / EFE
TIMEENKOV, a total player
Tiencoenkov is a player unpredictable for the multitude of resources offered in attack. There is nothing that is bad: From threatening from the outer line, to have a good game reading that makes him move through the best areas of the track, an intelligence that allows him to be lethal without bouncing, and some basket penetrations in which he practically always takes something positive. Load the rebound and it is intense in defense. He will turn 30 on August 6, but the former Barça player is still immersed in his best years of basketball.
Sasha timeenkov and Jabari Parker, two of the best '4' of the Euroleague / EFE
In a game as team as basketball, having a differential factor as timekov can be clave, And more in these parties that are usually decided for small details. The economic reason was important to return to Europe, but with the insured money, now many times it has in its hands to be a legend of the Euroleague, and that happens to add titles and return to the European glory to Olympiacos 12 years later.
