Papanikolaou: “I follow Duda’s advice – It’s too difficult not to have done a training together”!

In detail what Kostas Papanikolaou said to the NOVA camera:

“I’m not trying to extort efforts. I remember that the late Duda (s.a. Dusan Ivkovic) told me “let the game come to you, don’t force efforts” and that’s what I do. If something that characterizes me all these years is my instinct and I follow it, it either leads me on good paths or not.

It sounds very trivial, but it is it’s very difficult for everyone not to have done a workout together. It is very difficult for one team to overcome it. And other teams have injuries, I’m not saying that as an excuse. Every week we try to trick it to come out. Things that are not normal. These bring extra fatigue, which may come out further down. You also cannot see the progress of the team, what is doing well and what is not. It is important to find solutions and get victories».

On the questioning after the defeat by Baskonia: “When there is a good atmosphere in the locker room the times when you need to say something are rare. Our talk all week has been to come back and get on a winning streak. We were discussing that we have to beat Maccabi and then at home. We have guys who know where they are. We are all on a good track and we will continue together. A good locker room can be seen from the games, from the trips and the communication between the players. Since there are no major frictions it shows that there are seals in the group».

For Peters and Fal: “What Alec did last year was very difficult. Be patient watching a kid like Sasha have a magical season. This year he found his time and space and we see that he is a player who has played in big teams and won Euroleague. It is no coincidence that he was in such teams as Efes and CSKA. The way the team plays helps him play and score. He is very sharp and has a lot of basketball in him. Moose we don’t see anything different to what we saw last year. If we at 2m feel overworked, think how Fal feels. Now that he has found his place and his rhythm, he can and does help the team».