Achille Polonara leaves basketball beloved and unbowed
This is not a time to be sad. It is one of celebration. Achille Polonara has announced his retirement from basketball. Obviously we’ll miss him but he won’t be far away. Emmet Ryan on a man whose approach on the court led to so much love when he needed it away from it. Achille Polonara […]
European basketball is wasting its biggest nights
It’s a great time of year if you’re a basketball fan. All four of the pan-continental competitions have either reached or are hitting their climaxes. Yet all involved with the Euroleague, the Basketball Champions League, Eurocup, and the FIBA Europe Cup missed opportunities. Emmet Ryan on why scheduling collaboration is needed. It’s a simple problem […]
Real Madrid turn crisis into control
No Edy, no problem. Real Madrid reminded us just how capable they are of adapting, even without Walter Tavares. On Friday night, missing arguably their most important player, they just plain decided they would beat Hapoel Tel Aviv in Game 2 of the Euroleague playoffs. Emmet Ryan on the sheer inevitability of Los Blancos. Losing […]
Nikola Jokic is right: the Denver Nuggets need changes
It was a grim exit from the NBA Playoffs for the Denver Nuggets. Nikola Jokic knew it too. While he urged against panic, the greatest player in the game today said change is needed. That’s easy to say but making it happen, necessary as it is, won’t be easy, writes Emmet Ryan. The Denver Nuggets […]
This is why Panathinaikos signed Nigel Hayes Davis
Has a 2-0 lead ever been so hard-won? Nigel Hayes Davis had an all-timer moment in a brilliant performance as Panathinaikos took full control of their series with Valencia in the Euroleague playoffs. Emmet Ryan on a second straight classic. Let me tell you something you already know. That was awesome. The only thing standing […]
Alperen Sengun orchestrates a huge Rockets win
Alperen Sengun needed a few minutes to find the tempo. Once he got it, the Houston Rockets star guided his side to a vital Game 5 win over the LA Lakers in the NBA Playoffs. Emmet Ryan on how Sengun showed poise and maturity at the right time. The Houston Rockets have kept the dream […]
Complacency is the biggest enemy for OIympiacos
After a thoroughly convincing Game 1 win over AS Monaco in the Euroleague Playoffs, Olympiacos look primed for a comfortable run to the final four. Emmet Ryan writes that their biggest obstacle might well be that sense of expectation. Let me tell you about 2011. Olympiacos were a year removed from making the Euroleague championship […]
Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs pass their entrance exam
The first series for this version of the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Playoffs went about as well as could be expected. Victor Wembanyama and company took down the Portland Trailblazers with authority but avoided having a total cakewalk. Emmet Ryan on how this was the right kind of prep for the next big […]
Panathinaikos survive the battle but Valencia are here for war
If this goes the full five games, it may well go down as the finest ever series the Euroleague playoffs has ever seen. Valencia and Panathinaikos delivered pure drama in Game 1. Emmet Ryan writes that while Panathinaikos took the day, winning the series is a matter of survival. There was an extra dash of […]
Fenerbahce’s depth proves decisive against Zalgiris
You can plan and scheme for a lot in basketball. After one game of the Euroleague playoffs, Zalgiris Kaunas may have run into something they can’t simply outsmart. Emmet Ryan on how depth carried Fenerbahce to a comfortable Game 1 win. This looked on paper as the Euroleague playoff series with the most potential. Game […]
Franz Wagner and the Magic show the good, the bad, & the injured
The Orlando Magic took a huge step towards progressing in the NBA Playoffs with their Game 4 win over the Detroit Pistons. Franz Wagner showed great signs of adjusting to what’s required of him as well in the win. Emmet Ryan on a performance with lots to like but still room for improvement, if he’s […]
Ergin Ataman and the Theatre of Control
The mental limit is almost invariably misunderstood. Ergin Ataman is a walking demonstration of this. Considering all he has won and lost, it’s remarkable how significant one single series might be. His Panathinaikos side takes on Valencia in the Euroleague playoffs with the Turkish head coach as the centrepiece of the affair. I’ve got a […]