Priftis: “Zalgiris is the best match-up for Olympiakos, AEK may also be out”

EEC Web Radio hosted Dimitris Priftis, who spoke about this year’s Euroleague, the team that would best suit Olympiacos in the play-offs, and also about AEK’s progress in the BCL. In detail, the Greek coach spoke:

For this year’s Euroleague: “She is exciting, very competitive this year and it shows in the score and the results in general. Euroleague basketball has a similar format, more or less there is a tendency in recent years to leave an initiative to the players. The teams show quality, there are teams that play in the same style, but with some differences, that is, some teams are more organized and play a little more disciplined and in others, due to the roster, the philosophy of the coach and the ability of the players, you see a greater percentage based on individual game, for example Monaco, Maccabi, Fenerbahce, Panathinaikos with Bacon for a large part of the season. There are also teams that play with a little more patience, such as Barcelona, ​​Olympiacos, Armani, Partizan.”

On which team would be the best match for Olympiakos in the playoffs: “This is a big analysis. Zalgiris and Partizan have very strong bases, although they will have a home disadvantage. Maccabi and Partizan I believe are in a “grey zone” where they look up rather than down. I believe that Zalgiris would be the best match-up and then I would put Baskonia, I wouldn’t put Partizan so much. There are some data that some groups match with some others. Baskonia is not easy to mark, it has a style of play that is very much in the transition game, with sometimes excessive shots, the protagonist is Howard, it has very good shooters, but it certainly does not have the experience that Olympiacos has.”

For Efes Anatolou: “Efes, which is fighting for the top eight, we could say is having a bad year, completely unstable and “closing” a very successful cycle, but I believe that it would not be the best matchup for any team at the top, because it has the “metal”, experience and has done it again. In my opinion, the pivotal game for Efes’ last-ditch effort was the one at Alba’s headquarters.”

For the meeting between AEK and Hapoel Jerusalem in the “8” of the BCL: “AEK has changed its profile since Christmas and has made some additions and subtractions. From the games and the way she plays, she looks much improved. Hapoel is a serious team that plays well all year, they have some players who are in good form, they have very good guards. AEK, however, has shown that they can get results even away from home, the matches they have lost away from home they have lost with difficulty. I think Lemar is better than Frazier and there he has found an advantage. In addition to the fact that a player who “sticks” everywhere and creates good correlations in the way he plays and through his experience is Oriola, who has significantly helped AEK acquire a cohesion and present an experience at times when he needs her. Let’s wish AEK good luck.”

For the favorite in the BCL: “For me in the BCL the team that stands out is Malaga both based on the roster and based on the basketball it presents on the floor. He proved it in the Copa del Rey and in general in the BCL. He has a full roster, consistently plays well and has the edge in basketball.”