Euroleague Playoffs 42
Kostas Sloukas was the definition of must-win mentality for Panathinaikos
One mistake. That was all it took to unleash the beast. Kostas Sloukas took out his frustrations in style on Thursday to guide Panathinaikos to Game 2 victory over Maccabi Tel Aviv in the Euroleague Basketball playoffs If this is how Kostas Sloukas responds to one mistake, imagine what he’d do after an actually bad […]
Is this the beginning of the last dance for Ricky Rubio?
His legacy began with an Olympic run and a Euroleague Basketball championship. Now, he might be looking to close it in similar fashion. For Ricky Rubio, this series between FC Barcelona and Olympiacos may be about writing the final chapter his way. There’s no confirmation on anything with Ricky Rubio’s basketball career beyond this summer. […]
Sarunas Jasikevicius and the need to succeed
Everyone wants to win. Sarunas Jasikevicius needs it. With him leading Fenerbahce into a Euroleague Basketball playoff series again Monaco, Emmet Ryan on the fiery coach determined to prove his way works There’s no shortage of places where Sarunas Jasikevicius is loved. That’s not the debate. The question for the former player who has rapidly […]
Markus Howard is ready for one big playoff ride with Baskonia
Get ready for a ride made of vibes. Markus Howard is the man for Baskonia as they prepare to take on Real Madrid in the Euroleague Basketball playoffs. Emmet Ryan on how Howard has made a connection like few others with fans in Vitoria-Gasteiz When your key scorer goes 1 of 7 inside the arc […]
Thank you Partizan
KK Partizan lost a game of basketball on Thursday night to Real Madrid but they succeeded where it mattered and that will never be forgotten We have a saying in Ireland, we describe people as “More Irish than the Irish themselves.” It refers to people that move here and adopt our habits, our mannerisms, our […]
The Sloukas game
What else is there to say? Kostas Sloukas did what we all knew he could do even when we didn’t see it coming I mean I already tweeted it but, wow, poor Kostas Sloukas. Imagine having to walk around every day of your life with grapefruits that big. The shot heard around Europe that led […]
It was never going to be straightforward
Countless nerves, two short handed teams, and one wild crowd ensured drama was going to be on the menu no matter what at the Stark Arena Real Madrid took Game 3 having looked destined to not even make a game of it because of course this series between Los Blancos and Partizan must continue to […]
Vezenkov just has that vibe
He was already the favourite for MVP before Game 1 but Sasha Vezenkov carried himself like one in the victory for Olympiacos over Fenerbahce The stats were nice, they tend to be with players that impress, but it was how Sasha Vezenkov carried himself through a well-earned win on Wednesday that really showed the level […]
The irrational stress we live for
Game 1 in the Euroleague playoffs is a wildly unbalanced beast in terms of stakes, or at least the imagined stakes, and few games made the beauty of the madness of such a scenario quite as clear Elie Okobo went 0 of 3 from deep in the first half of Game 1. It felt like […]
Doncic takes his licks as Real Madrid make it to Belgrade
It was the last shot for Panathinaikos and Real Madrid looked like they’d never let them get it. A night where Real Madrid ended up having to survive a furious flurry was also, writes Emmet Ryan, the night where Luka Doncic got his reward after being roughed up throughout the series Two and a half […]
Baskonia still under the radar
Considering the strength of their comeback and their roar down the stretch, the consensus is still cool on Baskonia’s chances of pulling an upset in the playoffs. Emmet Ryan on why Zeljko Obradovic and Fenerbahce will be taking nothing for granted when they face off in the Euroleague post-season. The road for Baskonia to the […]
Doncic enters the lion’s den
He’s the most touted prospect in European history. His back-up is hurt. Now he’s got to lead his side into the toughest environment in European basketball. Luka Doncic lives for this kind of pressure but that doesn’t mean the odds are in his favour. Emmet Ryan on how the challenge of Panathinaikos in the Euroleague […]