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By
Tim Shea
5/1/08
Having spent the past 30 years coaching and scouting in
Europe, Tim Shea has won 2 National Titles as a coach and
also worked as a TV and Radio broadcaster. Shea, who is based
in Spain, has been International scouting director of the
New York Knicks, Phoenix Suns and Charlotte Bobcats. Shea
will be assisting NBADraft.net in our coverage of the 2008
Euroleague Final Four.
MACCABI
TEL-AVIV
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Omri
Casspi |
The Question:
Vujcic. If he is consistent he opens the doors to all the
other weapons that Maccabi has.
-Great
outside shooting. Coach Sherf can play with two playmakers
and use Blumenthal as a “false four”. Eliyahu
causes matchups problems for everybody. There is tremendous
talent on this team from Bynum to Casspi to Halperin to Morris
etc etc. They have quietly turned around their Euro image
and results since mid season and since the veteran Coach Sherf
has been the voice in the locker room.
-Vujcic
is a force and a great talent. Fizer being out puts more inside
pressure on him because the team was constructed with him
in mind.
The Tel
Aviv team has put away big adversaries’ incl. Real Madrid
and Barcelona. Halperin has been a serious leader since the
arrival of Sherf and his shooting has been phenomenal. This
team has all the ingredients to beat anybody in Europe on
any given day. Along with Halperin is Chitown product Bynum
who has shown a maturity and confidence unseen before this
season.
But the
battery of big men, despite the loss of Fizer, is the key
here. Maccabi can have a poor shooting day, but inside they
are skilled and large. Not intimidating, but large on talent.
Morris is having a fine season and Batista provides courage
and muscle while a very interesting young NBA prospect Eliyahu
is always there and ready to compete.
Maccabi possesses the top NBA draft prospect in the main competition
with Omri
Casspi
who will have the chance to help his cause. Casspi is seen
as a strong first round candidate for thie year's draft.
TAU VITORIA
The Question:
To what degree is it important for Tau that the Final Four
2008 is being played in Madrid, Spain? Is there a Home Court
advantage or a disadvantage?
Player
Keys: PG’s Planinic and Prigioni are very different
types of players and leaders. They create tremendous problems
for adversaries, yet sometimes momentary lapses for teammates
due to their differences in style, vision and disposition
on the floor. Somewhat comparable with what happens with Toronto
Raptors Calderon / TJ Ford diversity.
They must
demonstrate that their inside game is up to the challenge.
Splitter and Teletovic have their chance to demonstrate that
they are ready for the jump to the USA and the NBA. Singelton
has to finally prove his worth after the important injury
he suffered and with the Continental Title at stake. McDonald
must try to erase the recent controversy surrounding his “Marriage
of convenience” and his recent public declarations (Club
fine included) against Head Coach Spahija.
Doubt
exists for this 2008 edition of Tau that has been irregular
during the entire season. Rakocevic, Jasaitis y McDonald have
not lived up to expectations and Planninic must show what
he did not show in the NBA, the capacity to “give it
up” and the ability to make the big shots and lead his
team when at PG.
Although
in 2008 Tau won the Supercup, were finalists at the King’s
Cup and are semifinalists in the Euroleague these achievements
ring hollow in Vitoria as the fans are not convinced. Since
Ivanovic, only Perasovic has won a title and only he has the
devotion of the fans and President Querejeta. Recent Head
Coaches Pedro Martinez and Boza Maljkovic weren’t around
long enough to even get to know the names of the streets in
Vitoria. The Club however continues in the Front line of Euro
powerhouses as this is it’s fifth Final Four in only
ten years. Rumor has it that Coach Spahija will be released
at seasons end if this Final Four appearance ends without
the Winner’s Cup.
Although
Taugres and Querejeta have accumulated a lot of respect, on
both the national and international scene, they need this
Cup to solidify their image as the bride and not the bridesmaid.
MONTEPASCHI
SIENA
The Question:
Kaukenas. If he finds the level he is capable of after his
long recovery from injury he brings Sienna’s capacity
to another level. His importance is felt on both ends of the
court.
If opponents
can detain and contain McIntyre, the Sienna team will have
problems. His scoring and the rhythm he provides are fundamental
to the success of Montepaschi. To compensate his stature,
Sienna will resort to the zone or Sato defending on the opposing
PG. A good example is the defensive work he did on Will Solomon.
Ignoring
the drop in the strength of the Italian League in recent years,
Sienna has dominated. Surprising is the high level in production
of new players recently arrived in the Italian A-1 Division
and those that did not have success in other clubs like Barcelona
(Thorton). Coach Pianigiani’s case is similar to Joan
Plaza in Real Madrid in that after many years as first Asst.
Coach his team has reached great heights with him in his second
year as Head Coach.
The only
team to win 2-0 in Euro Quarter Finals, Sienna has been consistently
good throughout the Euroleague season. In the Italian “Lega”
they are undisputed leaders and know how to win. It will not
be surprising to see them walk away Champions. They arrive
at the big show with confidence, rhythm and with relatively
little pressure. Their options are good.
CSKA
MOSCOW
The Question:
Always there at the Final Four but… just look at what
happened at the Final Four last season in Athens. Does it
affect them?
The players
with the large minutes, Papaloukas, Holden, Langdon, Siskauskas,
Smodis, Goree and Anderson would be stars in any Euro team.
Messina has been very good in getting them to play hard and
mean when the time comes.
Interior
play for these guys is fundamental. They are the tallest team
here in Madrid, they are very experienced, the Coach is a
veteran of many, many battles, they have to get over the missing
Savrasenko (injury) and hope that Van den Spiegal can make
up for his absence.
The Final
Four moment arrives at a good time for CSKA. They surprisingly
struggled during this season but that struggle was due in
large part to the absence of Smodis. Once he was back, the
team had the ace in the hole to destroy the opposition from
inside and out. Beating Olympiakos in the Quarter Finals (after
losing the first game at home) was a strong declaration by
this team and just maybe they are the favorites to win it
all here in Madrid. It may be the end of an era in CSKA with
many players and Messina himself in the news often as those
who are open to a change of scenery.
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