BASKETBALL IS AN EXCUSE
The wonderful Court Side Newspaper help us to understand what happened in the Thursday EuroLeague games. The most important result came from Madrid where Real defated CSKA 82-69.
By the way, Olimpia Milano lost again. Last week the Red Shoes lost in Moscow by CSKA, this week they have been defeated in Milan by Fenerbahce. Not a good start for coach Pianigiani and his boys.
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Country: Russia
Town: Moscow
Colors: red & blue
Arena: Megasport Arena
Leagues: Euroleague & VTB United League
Coach: Dimitrios Itoudis
Official website / Wikipedia page
Supplier: Nike
It has been reported that CSKA MOSCOW is chasing Sergio Rodriguez, who spent last season in the NBA with the Philadelphia 76ers.
According to eurohoops.net CSKA Moscow and Sergio Rodriguez’s agents met in order to discuss the possibility of him signing with the Euroleague powerhouse. Somehow eurohoops.net is the EuroLeague press agency, so we should trust this source.
The four European Cups are finished, it’s the right moment for updating The Cigarafterten European Basketball Power Rankings.
The Cigarafterten
European Basketball Power Rankings
Tuesday, May 30th
1️ FENERBAHCE (+3) – the turkish team won Euroleague 2016/2017. they are the European kings. This is a good news for Turkey, a country in love with basketball.
2️ CSKA MOSCOW (-1) – the russian giants will try to win Euroleague next season. Meanwhile, Dimitrios Itoudis boys want to win the VTB United League. We are confident they can do it.
3️ REAL MADRID (-1) – this team faces Unicaja Malaga in Liga ACB semifinals. It would not be easy for Real to win the title, but this is the reason why we like the spanish league. So many teams can fight for the title every year!
4️ OLYMPIACOS (-1) – who are the two finalists in the Greek League? Olympiacos and Panathinaikos, as usual. We think the Greek League is the most boring league in Europe. Do you agree?
5️ BASKONIA (+2) – Sito Alonso’s boys played a good basketball in Euroleague regular season, but then they failed in the playoff. Now Baskonia faces another challenge: the Liga ACB semifinal versus Valencia. What a challenge!
6️ PANATHINAIKOS (=) – as you want to build a strong team, you have to play in a strong league. Panathinaikos and Olympiacos need stronger rivals in Greek League. As soon as possible.
7️ MALAGA (-2) – we all are waiting to see Joan Plaza boys in Euroleague next season. Meanwhile, we can see them in Liga ACB semifinals.
8️ BAMBERG (new entry) – the german champions got their spot in the Bundesliga finals. As you know the Bundesliga winner will play in Euroleague 2017/2018, as we wrote in our article Euroleague 2017/2018: we already know 13 of the 16 teams.
9️ CRVENA ZVEZDA (new entry) – not only a good season in Euroleague for this wonderful serbian team. Crvena Zvezda has already won ABA Liga and Serbian Cup and they are still in race for the Serbian League title.
1️0️ EFES (new entry) – another turkish team in the Top 10. Efes got his ticket for Turkish League semifinals. We would not be surprised to see them in the finals.
Country: Turkey
Town: Istanbul
Colors: yellow & blue
Arena: Ulker Sports Arena
Leagues: Euroleague & TBSL
Coach: Zeliko Obradovic
Official website / Wikipedia page
Supplier: Nike
God bless European Basketball! Today, Friday, April 28 we have two great events: Euroleague Playoffs Game 4 and FIBA Champions League Final Four.
The Cigarafterten
European Basketball Power Rankings
Friday, April 28
01 CSKA MOSCOW– Dimitris Itoudis‘ boys defeated Baskonia 3-0 in the Euroleague playoffs. Now the Russian team has time to focus on VTB United League. A CSKA player very hot is Cory Higgins: 13.7 points average in the Euroleague playoffs.
02 REAL MADRID – The question is: can Real win Euroleague and Liga ACB? We think Los Blancos can win one title, but not both.
03 OLYMPIACOS – The season depends on the duel with Efes in the playoffs. Tonight Olympiacos will play Game 4. We don’t know the future, but anyway, we still see Olympiacos as one of the best team in Europe.
04 FENERBAHCE – Ten days ago we wrote Fenerbahce was favorite against Panathinaikos. In our Road to Istanbul Preview we thought Fenerbahce could win 3-1, you know Gigi Datome and friends has won 3-0. We were right.
05 MALAGA– Do you know Unicaja Malaga will play in Euroleague next season? Don’t miss to follow Malaga moves this summer.
06 PANATHINAIKOS – Pana fans don’t understand why their teams have been destroyed Fenerbahce. The answer is simple: Fenerbahce play in TBSL, a very competitive league, while Panathinaikos play in the poor Greek League.
07 BASKONIA – This team lost 3-0 against CSKA Moscow, anyway the 3 games confirmed that Baskonia is a great team. One of the best in Europe.
08 TENERIFE – So many good players in this team. Do you want one name to follow? the Lithuanian forward Marius Grigonis.
09 DARUSSAFAKA – It’s Friday, April 28 and Darussafaka is still alive in Euroleague. Isn’t it wonderful?
10 NANTERRE – Libertè. Egalitè. Fraternitè: Nanterre is the FIBA Europe Cup champion! This is a good news for the French basketball.
Country: Russia
Town: Moscow
Colors: red & blue
Arena: Megasport Arena
Leagues: Euroleague & VTB United League
Coach: Dimitrios Itoudis
Official website / Wikipedia page
Writing about all things NBA.
