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McDunkin 12 years, 4 months ago.
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- Posted on: Tue, 02/25/2014 - 1:53pm #54066
McDunkinIf there were a voting for the most successful team of 21st century, Panathinaikos would be a main contender to finish at the top of the ranking. Five Euroleague championships in 13 years is something that no other team has achieved and that makes the Greens the most successful team of 21st century.
However, talking about Euroleague’s best team in a single season since 2000 usually leads to Maccabi Tel Aviv in 04-05. Some of the teams were close, such as 11-12 FC Barcelona, but a Maccabi team featuring Sarunas Jasikevicius, Anthony Parker and Nikola Vujcic set the standard so high that it was unreachable until now.
41-1. This is current Real Madrid’s win-loss record, which almost reads like a misprint. In more than 130 days of action, Real has lost only once and for most of the time reminded you of the Spanish version of the Monstars from Space Jam, which on a bad day would still beat their opponents by a double-digit margin. Last but not least, let me remind you that Real plays in Euroleague and Spanish championship (Liga Endesa), which are the second and the third best club competitions in the world behind just the NBA.
But before comparing similarities and differences to 04-05 Maccabi, it is essential to remember how good Maccabi was nine years ago. In 04-05, Maccabi won back-to-back Euroleague championship and became the first Euroleague team to do so since 1991. Back in 04-05, Maccabi won 20 Euroleague games out of 24 and stayed undefeated throughout Top 16, playoffs and Final Four. The team from Israel had some well-known names on its squad such one of the best Americans ever to play in Euroleague: one of the most dominant point guards of 21st century in Sarunas Jasikevicius, the only player to register triple-double in Euroleague in Nikola Vujcic, as well as future NBA starter Anthony Parker. In that historical season, Maccabi led the league in all main statistical categories – in scoring, assists, field goal and three point percentages, and blocks.
Real also ranks in Top 3 in every major statistical category as they posted an average margin of victory of 20.5 points in its 16 wins. No surprise, some of the most talented players in the league wear Real’s jersey – former NBA player and now one of the best point guards in Euroleague in Sergio Rodriguez, future Chicago Bull and MVP candidate Nikola Mirotic, the winner of the 2011-12 RealGM Euroleague Sixth Man of the Year Award Jaycee Carroll and many others.
04-05 Maccabi
13-14 Real
PPG
92 (1)
88.2 (1)
RPG
33.9 (5)
36.9 (2)
APG
17.4 (1)
18.9 (2)
SPG
11.9 (3)
8.1 (1)
BPG
4.1 (1)
4.1 (1)
2FG%
57.6 (1)
56.1 (3)
3FG%
40.6 (1)
40.9 (1)
FT%
77.8 (2)
82.1 (1)
The number in brackets shows position among 24 Euroleague teams.
Three similarities and key difference
1. Keeping winning starting five: After winning the Euroleague championship in 03-04, Maccabi maintained its whole starting five and that helped them to repeat their success in the following year. Real did the same thing after reaching the Euroleague final in 12-13, as they didn’t initiate dramatic changes and only strengthened the center position by signing Ioannis Bourousis.
2. Versatile frontcourt: Maceo Baston and Vujcic played a major role in 04-05 and together averaged 28.5 points, 11.2 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game. At that time, it was the most dominant “do it all” frontcourt in the league – using post moves and back to the basket play, pick and roll, hitting threes and finishing on fastbreaks. Mirotic and Bourousis have the same importance for Real as they average 20.5 points, 10.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game combined. Without their versatility and contribution on both ends of the floor 41-1 record wouldn’t be possible.
3. Unstoppable offense: The biggest Maccabi and Real advantage against their opponents is their dominant offense. Maccabi averaged Euroleague All-Time high 92 points per game in 04-05, while Real is not so far behind this year with 88.2 points. Both teams’ offences were things of beauty and Tel Aviv and Madrid clubs were able to score in as many possible ways as you can imagine. Also both teams scored more than have of their points off assists, therefore 04-05 Maccabi and 13-14 Real are one of the most fun teams to watch in Euroleague history too.
X. Striking starting five and bench depth: Three members of that historical Maccabi starting five later were named to Euroleague All-Decade Team (Jasikevicius, Parker and Vujcic). That’s a good example of how strong and talented Maccabi starting five was and that would be Maccabi’s advantage over Real. On the other hand, Real bench would probably make it to the Euroleague playoffs on their own and they have been much more efficient than Maccabi’s bench. Rodriguez, Marcus Slaughter, Felipe Reyes, Carroll, Dontaye Draper – pretty much every player of the 12-man squad (except Daniel Diez) can be a decisive factor and turn the game in favor of Real Madrid.
04-05 Maccabi
13-14 Real
PG
Jasikevicius
Rodriguez
SG
Burstein
Fernandez
SF
Parker
Darden
PF
Baston
Mirotic
C
Vujcic
Bourousis
Crunch-time fives of Maccabi and Real.
To sum up, despite it still being midseason, Real Madrid is already in the conversation to be named the best team of 21st century. Without question Real seems to be just as good and dominant as Maccabi was in 04-05, if not better. However, in order to be a new number one, Real still has to do one thing and one thing only – beat everyone on their way to the final and raise the Euroleague trophy in Milan.
0 - Posted on: Tue, 02/25/2014 - 2:04pm #874588
theprophetParticipantnice read, and thank you for sharing! it can’t happen at this point, but i would like to see an exhibition game between real and an nba team currently in season form (not pre season form) some day. i think they can hang against some teams.
0 - Posted on: Tue, 02/25/2014 - 2:04pm #874696
theprophetParticipantnice read, and thank you for sharing! it can’t happen at this point, but i would like to see an exhibition game between real and an nba team currently in season form (not pre season form) some day. i think they can hang against some teams.
0 - Posted on: Tue, 02/25/2014 - 4:53pm #874758
akaftanParticipantOne of the best posts I have read in a while.
CSKA has also had some great squads. If I’m not mistaken, the year Maccabi repeated as Euroleague champions, CSKA also had one of the best seasons even, with a combined Euroleague and Russian League record of about 45-1. They just smashed almost every opponent, and if not for being upset by Tau Vitoria, Maccabi-CSKA would have made an epic final. They featured heavyweights such as Theo Papaloukas, David Andersen, JR Holden, and Marcus Brown.
CSKA’s best team though, at least since the year 2000, might have been the lockout-influenced 2011-12 season. Like the 2004-05 squad, they too failed to win the title, being shockinlgy upset by the very young Olympiakos, whom they had beaten in the Final 16 stage twice, by 32 and 28 points. They were a total of 21-1 in the Russian League and 19-2 in the Euroleauge before losing in the final on a last-second shot. They had Andrei Kirilenko, Milos Teodosovic, Nenad Krstic, Jamont Gordon, Sasha Kaun, Sammy Mejia, Viktor Khryapa, Alexei Shved, and Darjius Lavrinovic. Not only was their talent far superior (it was possibly good-enough to qualify for the EC playoffs), they played exceptionally well as a team.
McBest (or others)–how do you think the 2004-05, and especially the 2011-12 CSKA teams would fare against 04-05 Maccabi and 2013-14 Real?
0 - Posted on: Tue, 02/25/2014 - 4:53pm #874649
akaftanParticipantOne of the best posts I have read in a while.
CSKA has also had some great squads. If I’m not mistaken, the year Maccabi repeated as Euroleague champions, CSKA also had one of the best seasons even, with a combined Euroleague and Russian League record of about 45-1. They just smashed almost every opponent, and if not for being upset by Tau Vitoria, Maccabi-CSKA would have made an epic final. They featured heavyweights such as Theo Papaloukas, David Andersen, JR Holden, and Marcus Brown.
CSKA’s best team though, at least since the year 2000, might have been the lockout-influenced 2011-12 season. Like the 2004-05 squad, they too failed to win the title, being shockinlgy upset by the very young Olympiakos, whom they had beaten in the Final 16 stage twice, by 32 and 28 points. They were a total of 21-1 in the Russian League and 19-2 in the Euroleauge before losing in the final on a last-second shot. They had Andrei Kirilenko, Milos Teodosovic, Nenad Krstic, Jamont Gordon, Sasha Kaun, Sammy Mejia, Viktor Khryapa, Alexei Shved, and Darjius Lavrinovic. Not only was their talent far superior (it was possibly good-enough to qualify for the EC playoffs), they played exceptionally well as a team.
McBest (or others)–how do you think the 2004-05, and especially the 2011-12 CSKA teams would fare against 04-05 Maccabi and 2013-14 Real?
0 - Posted on: Tue, 02/25/2014 - 4:53pm #874760
akaftanParticipantOne of the best posts I have read in a while.
CSKA has also had some great squads. If I’m not mistaken, the year Maccabi repeated as Euroleague champions, CSKA also had one of the best seasons even, with a combined Euroleague and Russian League record of about 45-1. They just smashed almost every opponent, and if not for being upset by Tau Vitoria, Maccabi-CSKA would have made an epic final. They featured heavyweights such as Theo Papaloukas, David Andersen, JR Holden, and Marcus Brown.
CSKA’s best team though, at least since the year 2000, might have been the lockout-influenced 2011-12 season. Like the 2004-05 squad, they too failed to win the title, being shockinlgy upset by the very young Olympiakos, whom they had beaten in the Final 16 stage twice, by 32 and 28 points. They were a total of 21-1 in the Russian League and 19-2 in the Euroleauge before losing in the final on a last-second shot. They had Andrei Kirilenko, Milos Teodosovic, Nenad Krstic, Jamont Gordon, Sasha Kaun, Sammy Mejia, Viktor Khryapa, Alexei Shved, and Darjius Lavrinovic. Not only was their talent far superior (it was possibly good-enough to qualify for the EC playoffs), they played exceptionally well as a team.
McBest (or others)–how do you think the 2004-05, and especially the 2011-12 CSKA teams would fare against 04-05 Maccabi and 2013-14 Real?
0 - Posted on: Tue, 02/25/2014 - 4:53pm #874651
akaftanParticipantOne of the best posts I have read in a while.
CSKA has also had some great squads. If I’m not mistaken, the year Maccabi repeated as Euroleague champions, CSKA also had one of the best seasons even, with a combined Euroleague and Russian League record of about 45-1. They just smashed almost every opponent, and if not for being upset by Tau Vitoria, Maccabi-CSKA would have made an epic final. They featured heavyweights such as Theo Papaloukas, David Andersen, JR Holden, and Marcus Brown.
CSKA’s best team though, at least since the year 2000, might have been the lockout-influenced 2011-12 season. Like the 2004-05 squad, they too failed to win the title, being shockinlgy upset by the very young Olympiakos, whom they had beaten in the Final 16 stage twice, by 32 and 28 points. They were a total of 21-1 in the Russian League and 19-2 in the Euroleauge before losing in the final on a last-second shot. They had Andrei Kirilenko, Milos Teodosovic, Nenad Krstic, Jamont Gordon, Sasha Kaun, Sammy Mejia, Viktor Khryapa, Alexei Shved, and Darjius Lavrinovic. Not only was their talent far superior (it was possibly good-enough to qualify for the EC playoffs), they played exceptionally well as a team.
McBest (or others)–how do you think the 2004-05, and especially the 2011-12 CSKA teams would fare against 04-05 Maccabi and 2013-14 Real?
0 - Posted on: Tue, 02/25/2014 - 8:02pm #874794
King CaluchaParticipantI’ve always been a Barcelona fan (in both soccer and basketball), but I’ve got to admit this Real Madrid team is way too good.
When you mix a great set of dynamic guards (Rudy Fernandez, Sergio Rodriguez, Llull, Carroll) with a versatile scoring big like Mirotic, big things happen in international bb. Too much firepower…
0 - Posted on: Tue, 02/25/2014 - 8:02pm #874685
King CaluchaParticipantI’ve always been a Barcelona fan (in both soccer and basketball), but I’ve got to admit this Real Madrid team is way too good.
When you mix a great set of dynamic guards (Rudy Fernandez, Sergio Rodriguez, Llull, Carroll) with a versatile scoring big like Mirotic, big things happen in international bb. Too much firepower…
0 - Posted on: Wed, 02/26/2014 - 7:24am #874769
McDunkinMe personally would have to go with those OG Maccabi teams. Way back when I was in middle school we had a "sample channel" which pretty much gave you a week it so long of free viewing of a random channel you would usually have to pay for, NBATV was on there around the time of the Euroleague final four. This was the same year I first started following Draftcity…now known as "The site that shall not be named" and nbadraft.net (Chen Jianghua "The Chinese A.I. brought me here…how sad is that..) but anyway I started watching them and was hooked I would watch all of their games on NBA TV euro game of the week. I still wish Sarunas and Maceo would’ve had as good of NBA careers as Anthony did but anyway they got me hooked on the international scene.
But looking at it from a neutral point of view that CSKA 2012 team had a better all-around bench maybe as good, if not better than, this years Real Madrids bench. All of the teams you mentioned had a great starting five but those two teams in my opinion atleast had the better benches of the group to go along with everything else that made them so legendary.
0 - Posted on: Wed, 02/26/2014 - 7:24am #874877
McDunkinMe personally would have to go with those OG Maccabi teams. Way back when I was in middle school we had a "sample channel" which pretty much gave you a week it so long of free viewing of a random channel you would usually have to pay for, NBATV was on there around the time of the Euroleague final four. This was the same year I first started following Draftcity…now known as "The site that shall not be named" and nbadraft.net (Chen Jianghua "The Chinese A.I. brought me here…how sad is that..) but anyway I started watching them and was hooked I would watch all of their games on NBA TV euro game of the week. I still wish Sarunas and Maceo would’ve had as good of NBA careers as Anthony did but anyway they got me hooked on the international scene.
But looking at it from a neutral point of view that CSKA 2012 team had a better all-around bench maybe as good, if not better than, this years Real Madrids bench. All of the teams you mentioned had a great starting five but those two teams in my opinion atleast had the better benches of the group to go along with everything else that made them so legendary.
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