CSKA Moscow 368
Kirilenko on playing for Utah Jazz, CSKA Moscow: “It’s hard to compare”
Amid a crowd of athletes well-versed in jockspeak, Andrei Kirilenko is a breath of fresh air. Though no controversy-stirrer on the Charles Barkley level (and who is, really, aside from Sir Charles himself), Kirilenko is personable, patient, friendly and fluent in two languages in the interview milieu. Kirilenko arrived late to “open media” session after […]
Jonas Kazlauskas vs. Dusan Ivkovic: Euroleague history will be made
It’s a trivia question with an expiration date – and that date is tomorrow. To wit: “Which head coach holds the record for longest time between Euroleague titles?” For the next, what, 26 hours or so, the answer is “Alexander Gomelsky.” Most well-known as the Team USSR coach, the Naismith/FIBA Hall of Famer took the […]
D-Will meets with Prokhorov in Istanbul, snaps in-game pic of Kirilenko
As has been widely reported, a big powwow in Istanbul is currently going on while the 2012 Euroleague Final Four plays out: The meeting of the minds (and money) features Brooklyn Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov, team general manager Billy King and prospective free agent Deron Williams. While Prokhorov checks out his former charge Andrei Kirilenko […]
Who’s to blame? Another look at *that* final Panathinaikos play
BallinEurope bets that Dimitris Diamantidis didn’t sleep too well last night. In handling the ball of the final play in Panathinaikos’ 66-64 Euroleague Final Four loss to CSKA Moscow yesterday, former MVP DD was stifled by the Red Army defense and poor PAO fans could only watch time run out on the Greens’ back-to-back title […]
Live blogging Euroleague Final Four 2012: CSKA Moscow vs. Panathinaikos
Coming from the old school, BallinEurope loves the “live blog” format and so that’s what BiE’ll be doing for tonight’s two Euroleague Final Four games — we’ll probably be running a live chat format for Sunday’s third-place and championship matches, however. Tipoff is at 5pm CET (11am EST) for the first game, featuring tournament favorite […]
Eclipse watching: All-time records under threat at Euroleague Final Four 2012
For all the history/stat junkies out there – including myself, as BiE readers know – BallinEurope today takes a look at what all-time Euroleague Final Four records might fall this year … and some that seem unbreakable. • Under assault could be the all-time free-throw mark of 56 held by Nikos Galis. Galis set this […]
Bertomeu: Euroleague doesn’t need NBA players, system (Welllllll…)
BallinEurope heads out to Istanbul this morning to join the scene at this year’s Euroleague Final Four and start pumping out four days’ worth of steady reportage, historical stuff, stats, quotes, video, etc. But BiE figured he’d leave you temporarily with some gauntlet-throwing type stuff by EL CEO Jordi Bertomeu. In what became a widely […]
Teodosic: “We can’t put Diamantidis on a pedestal.”
You gotta admit, the quote makes a good headline; 2009-10 Euroleague MVP and starting CSKA Moscow playmaker Milos Teodosic is actually showing a bit of modesty to go along with the well of confidence The Red Army squad must be feeling. In reference to CSKA’s upcoming Euroleague Final Four match with Panathinaikos, Teodosic told media […]
Euroleague trophy comes to Istanbul, makes like a tourist this week
Euroleague officials announced last night that one of professional basketball’s most aspiring-to bits of hardware had arrived in Istanbul last night, Naturally brought to the EL Final Four host city via Turkish Airlines – official sponsor of Euroleague basketball. (Although one assumes that the trophy is the traditional cup-like object held by a TA employee […]
Euroleague Final Four: The video preview
And this week … the Euroleague Final Four! To get things started, BallinEurope presents a roundup of highlight clips from the seasons-that-were of CSKA Moscow, FC Barcelona, Panathinaikos and Olympiacos. (Wow, BiE wonders every time upon looking at that list just how the big league could have ended up with a more scintillating Final Four: […]
CSKA Moscow takes VTB United League title; first in history-making triple crown?
Congratulations go out from BallinEurope to the 2011-12 VTB United League champions – to the surprise of few, CSKA Moscow. The Red Army’s 74-62 victory over Unics Kazan in a rematch of last year’s final represents not only its second VTB championship in three seasons of the league’s existence, but the first title in a […]
Spartak St. Petersburg 82, Triumph Lubertsy 73: Epic display of flopping, personal vendetta or match-fixing conspiracy?
Criticizing the referees is the international pastime for fans of every sport as losses are bemoaned and shortcomings blamed on those unloved (and allegedly) myopic zebras. Nothing new here. Cynicism and conspiracy theorizing are particularly rife in this part of formerly Soviet-influenced Europe, with anything up to and including Eurobasket losses. Again, nothing new here. […]