Features 579
Will Cummings Leads Galatasaray’s BCL Surge
It was a familiar story for Galatasaray. When all around them were losing their heads, Will Cummings was putting his where most wouldn’t put their feet. Emmet Ryan on yet another headstrong effort in the Basketball Champions League. This one, of course, got them past Tenerife and into Sunday’s final. It is the one certainty […]
Kostas Papanikolaou’s Quiet Fire Powers Olympiacos
His usage is reduced but his importance is obvious. Kostas Papanikolaou is in the autumn of his career but he still hungers to bring Olympiacos one more Euroleague title. Emmet Ryan on how leadership can come outside the spotlight. Who is the most important player for Olympiacos? It’s one of those questions that seems like […]
Why Panathinaikos Fell Apart in Istanbul
Cedi Osman and Juancho Hernangomez looked like they were doing enough for Panathinaikos. Yet instead the Greens lost their heads and Anadolu Efes earned the win to force a decisive Game 5 in the Euroleague playoffs. Emmet Ryan diagnoses the defeat for Ergin Ataman’s side This was very much the good, the bad, and the […]
What Olympiacos Proved in Beating Real Madrid
It was a classic, a mess, and the height of drama. Yet we learned one important thing as Olympiacos ended the Euroleague season of Real Madrid: Georgios Bartzokas and his side can find a way when it matter It’s rare that a game gets both instant classic and clear hot mess status. The Game 4 […]
Old Demons Fall, New Dreams Rise for Olympiacos
It will be a shock if Olympiacos don’t win their series with Real Madrid. Still, the Euroleague top seeds have a chance to make a statement on the road. Complete the sweep and set the table. Emmet Ryan on the need for the Reds to rise in confidence. The Reds took care of business at […]
Shane Larkin Powers Anadolu Efes to Epic Comeback
Shane Larkin sparked a comeback for the ages as his Anadolu Efes side showed enormous guts in the OAKA on Thursday night. Panathinaikos will rue the missed opportunity but all of Euroleague was reminded that Larkin still has plenty in the tank as Efes tied the series It ain’t about how hard you hit. It’s […]
Olympiacos dismantle dismal Real Madrid in Game 1
Olympiacos took charge of Game 1 early and effectively ended by halftime. Real Madrid kept trying, they just didn’t realise they had already lost. With Los Blancos a shambles for the bulk of this Euroleague playoff opener, the Reds looked intimidatingly calm. Real Madrid, the source of nightmares for opposing fans across Europe, looked utterly […]
Panathinaikos Survive Efes Thanks to Juancho Hernangomez
It didn’t quite feel inevitable but you could always tell this wasn’t ending in a blowout. Panathinaikos were kept in the game in large part thanks to Juancho Hernangomez. Eventually the rest of the troops rallied and they, somehow, overcame Anadolu Efes in Game 1 of the Euroleague playoffs. Juancho Hernangomez was a beast and […]
Ergin Ataman Returns to Haunt Efes with Cedi Osman by His Side
For Ergin Ataman and Cedi Osman, the Euroleague playoff series with Anadolu Efes will evoke strong memories. For both, the goal is simple. Panathinaikos need to win this series to prove something to themselves. They face a side in a dangerous position, with little in the way of pressure or expectation. The script writers couldn’t […]
Nikola Jokic Delivers in Brutal Playoff Battle With Ivica Zubac
We expected a heavyweight battle between Nikola Jokic and Ivica Zubac. What we got was a traditional heavyweight style fight between all of the Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Clippers. Emmet Ryan on a Game 1 in the NBA Playoffs that spoke to the tone of the series to come. Keeping it in the tank […]
FC Bayern, Real Madrid, and a Euroleague turning point
FC Bayern face Real Madrid for a place in the Euroleague playoffs on Friday. That however is just one small step on what appears to be a serious acceleration in their basketball journey. Emmet Ryan on how a new and sustainable power might be emerging. It’s going to be tasty. There’s no doubt about that. […]
Reset or reload: Crvena Zvezda at the Euroleague crossroads
With their exit to FC Bayern in the play-in round of Euroleague, Crvena Zvezda’s season in basketball’s big show has come to an end. Emmet Ryan on the complex challenge ahead for the Belgrade club. It was a game where neither side seemed capable of maintaining composure when in front. In the end, it was […]