After the third road win, in Khimki, scoring 102 points, the level of difficulty for Olimpia rises further as the second of four consecutive road games is in Barcelona, against the team that leads the EuroLeague with a 9-3 record. The fact that Barcelona has lost two of the last three games, and for the first time lost at Palau does not make the game easier, quite the contrary. Barcelona is second in terms of points awarded, just 71.9 per game, and is a team capable of enormous talent. Nikola Mirotic is first in two-point shooting percentage with an almost unsustainable 78.6 percent and produces 16.1 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. A 319-game man with 12.3 points per game in the NBA, with an important past at Real Madrid, Mirotic is clearly the star of a team that can count on several top players, including the best three-point shooter, Kyle Kuric (69.7%), the MVP of the last Final Four played (Cory Higgins), the second best passer in the entire EuroLeague history (Nick Calathes), another former NBA shooter (Alex Abrines) and Brandon Davies among others.
OLIMPIA – After scoring 102 points in Moscow, Olimpia became the league-leading scoring team, averaging 83.5 points per game, and is also the best three-point shooting team with 41.8 percent, the only one over 40 percent. Michael Roll and Shavon Shields are among the top ten in the individual rankings and Kevin Punter (52.3 percent) is not yet included, due to the only six appearances, but is shooting as one of the best. Punter is currently the team top scorer with 15.3 points per game, has always scored in double figures and has been instrumental as a closer, just like Malcolm Delaney, who’s averaging 10.9 points and 4.6 assists per game. Shields obviously is just coming off his Khimki’s impressive performance (career record of points and rating), but the game had several clutch players. including Kaleb Tarczewski’s thunderous start. The 102 points scored in Moscow tied Olimpia’s fifth best offensive performance during the EuroLeague’s era and represent the best road scoring game with no overtime. The 28 assists, on the other hand, represent the second performance ever after the 29 dished in an Olimpia-Maccabi game in 2016. But it is even more relevant that Olimpia is still the team with fewest turnovers in the competition, just 10.6 per game.
COACH ETTORE MESSINA – “We face a team equipped with enormous talent and great tactical organization. Playing them after a loss makes our job even more difficult, since they are going to be extremely motivated and very focused. We are completely aware of how difficult that task will be. Ball circulation and transition defense will be two of the things we’ll have to pay more attention to. At the same time, it’s exciting to play against one of the biggest favorite to win the EuroLeague.”
MALCOLM DELANEY – “We are facing a really talented roster and while they’ve had a few tough losses lately they’ll be looking to respond at home. We just need to focus on getting better and playing with energy”.
THE REFEREES – Robert Lottermoser (Germany), Olegs Latisevs (Latvia), Gytis Vilius (Lithuania).
BARCELONA – Sarunas Jasikevicius is coaching a team very similar to last year, just think that 88 percent of the minutes played so far have been consumed by players who were also in Barcelona last year. The only authentic newcomer is Nick Calathes, but the roles and responsibilities of Leandro Bolmaro and Roland Smits have also changed. Bolmaro, a 20-year-old Argentine playmaker, has already exceeded the total of minutes of last year after being chosen at number 23 during the last NBA draft, by Minnesota. Smits is a Latvian who relocated in Spain and has been in Barcelona for three years. Now, he is shooting 70 percent from the field. Barcelona has in Kyle Kuric the best three-point shooter in the entire competition, but in general they are a team that does not rely much on outside shooting, relying on great inside efficiency. While Barcelona is third to last in three-pointers made, it is second overall behind Valencia in two-point accuracy, 57.8 percent, and first for two-point baskets scored. Last Tuesday Barcelona faced Olympiacos who is last in the three-point shooting, this time it faces Olimpia who is first.
THE BARCELONA CONNECTION – Malcolm Delaney played for Barcelona last year, with 26 appearances in the EuroLeague and 266 points scored. In the history of the two clubs, important players such as Aleksandar Djordjevic, Gregor Fucka, Dejan Bodiroga, Gianluca Basile, Samardo Samuels and Rakim Sanders have played for both teams. Cory Higgins won the EuroLeague playing along Sergio Rodriguez and Kyle Hines at CSKA Moscow. Nikola Mirotic played with Sergio Rodriguez at Real Madrid. In the 2010/11 season both were coached by Ettore Messina. Barcelona coach Sarunas Jasikevicius coached Zach LeDay last season at Zalgiris Kaunas.
NOTES – Gigi Datome has an open streak of 21 free throws made. Kevin Punter has scored a three in each of his last 18 EuroLeague games and has an open streak of 15 double-digit games. Kyle Hines is four two-pointers shy of 1,000 for his career. Zach LeDay is within a rebound of 300 for his career.
