Day 12 Euroleague

CSKA Moscow - Barcelona

* CSKA started the game with putting pressure on Barca's passing lanes. It made Barcelona to turnover 8 times in the first quarter. Most of them were ball stolen by the defence (16 steals in the game!), which helped CSKA score some points in the fast break. But more important, this pressure on the passing lanes kept Barca on 11 points in the first ten minutes. It is not that Barca missed a lot - the Catalans simply couldn't get any shot opportunities. At some point, after loosing the ball time after time, the players in yellow started loosing their self confidence, and even simple passes ended up with a turnover.

* Bartzokas' reaction was interesting. Since his team was not able to make most of it's offensive plays, Barcelona played simpler basketball in the second quarter. They played a lot of one on one and used basic pick'n'roll plays, in order to isolate players and make points. Simple and effective: less moving the ball around, more shot opportunities. Barca found out they are shooting in great precentages from the field, when they get the shot opportunities.

* Tyrese Rice gives the rival's offence the illusion, they can take advantage of his small size and post him up. It is just in illusion. Despite he is just 1.85 meter high, the those attempts ended up with turnovers. CSKA gave up the idea quickly.

* Moscow defended the paint tremendously well, even in the cost of getting three point shots. Barcelona's big men were almost never left to make an easy shot from close range. Tomic had 2/7 from the 2pt range (scoring his first field goal 3 minutes to the end of the 3rd quarter), Doresy was able to make just one shot (in garbage time). CSKA sent them to the line: both Tomic and Dorsey are not doing well from there. Together they made a poor 2/6 from the free throw line.

* Another part of CSKA's defensive plan was to attack Navarro after a screen. They put the focus on him. After his first basket from long range, Itoudis called a time out. That was Navarro's last 3 pointer of the game. He finished the game with just 8 points.

* In the last quarter, Itoudis changed his defence to knock out the Catalans. CSKA started to auto-switch after every screen, letting their big men guard Barca's guards. Seemingly, such a defence create a miss match. But as written above, Barca's offence in the paint tonight almost didn't exist. It was the long range shots that kept them alive for 30 minutes (having impressive 52% from the 3pt). Once CSKA's big guys guarded the Catalans guards, they were not able to make those shots at all. Once again, Moscow prevented Barca from scoring not by taking off their shot proventage, but rather simply by eliminating their shot opportunities.

* Teodosic with another double double (16 points, 11 assists). It is fun to watch him playing. He draws double and triple ups. Someone is always waiting in the weak side, free, and Teodosic sees him. Well, he sees everything on the court.

* Higgins had also a magnificent night, with 23 points and 5 steals. Most of the game, Barcelona played with a back line that included at least one mediocre - and I am gentle here - defender. It was either Navarro, Oleson or Koponen. None of them can handle Higgin's athletisicm, and he made the best out of it.

* Some years ago, it was thought to believe that a well trained team should avoid turnovers and excessive shooting from long range. Itoudis (and Teodosic) is prooving this theory wrong. CSKA is running the court sometimes like a wild horse. From time to time it leads to turnovers and/or unresponsible three point shots, which help to rival to gain a mini-momentum, like at end of the 2nd quarter. But when the pass is completed, or when the crazy three points shot gets in, it is psychologically killing the rival. This is what happened at the end of the third quarter, when the Russians replied to Barca's three points shot with two of their own, and finished the quarter with the psychological upper hand. One need to have the guts to play such an unorthodox basketball. CSKA does.

#Euroleague #CSKAMoscow #Barcelona