George Bartzokas expressed the belief that Olympiacos can go far this year after the 101-73 victory over Panathinaikos.
«Congratulations to our players and fans. It was a complicated match for us before the start. We only had a little training to prepare. We spent a lot of energy to win in Kaunas and we also had the trip, so it was questionable what energy we would have. But the motivation in such games is always great and the fans push the players to play louder. It was just a victory in the regular season, we have three more matches ahead of us and especially the first one in France is very difficult against Monaco“, He stressed initially and added:
«The job of a coach is always difficult. Players are not machines, they have the right to relax. Those who do not say what everyone wants to hear understand that ups and downs are in the game. This is the new era in European basketball, with as many games as in the NBA. Panathinaikos beat us in the second ten minutes with the offensive rebound and did the same in the third. But when the difference went down below 20 points we reacted well after the timeout and the difference went up a lot».
As for whether he was waiting for this appearance, he said: “I was not surprised, because we have made other emphatic appearances, such as with Maccabi and Armani. If our constant is defense, we can open the game. We are a really good team. When you are on the field for so many years, nothing surprises you».
As for whether he expects a similar picture in the playoffs with Panathinaikos? «I would love to, but you do not know… We have shown a stability that in the remaining three months until the end of the season we will be at a serious level. Our concern is to be a serious team. It was a really big win, especially for our fans, but we should not be overly optimistic. We will do the evaluation at the end of the season».
Regarding the performance of Hassan Martin, he stressed: “If you’re unfair in your criticism, it’s a nice incentive. Challenge is part of the sport. Hassan plays well, is lighter and healthier and the team trusts him. In some parts of the game he is very good».
As for the home advantage, he said: “The goal of the administration was to be at 8. If we are fifth or sixth is it a failure? We want to finish as high as possible and we will see if we can do it».
Finally, about the shared participation time, he said: “In the previous match, it was commented, perhaps negatively, that he played with seven players. Coaches work with instinct knowing better than anyone else the psychology of the players. Journalists and the public are here to comment. We have very good material, we do not have the roster of Barcelona and Real, but we are very happy with the roster we have and we believe that it can take us far».
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I am currently a news writer for News Bulletin247 where I mostly cover sports news. I have always been interested in writing and it is something I am very passionate about. In my spare time, I enjoy reading and spending time with my family and friends.
