Bartzokas: «We should not get carried away by Monaco’s rhythm»
Olympiacos will be hosting Monaco tomorrow at the SEF (5/11, 20.00 CET) aiming to maintain his home court intact.
“They are the top team in possessions in the transition, and the top team in possessions’ percentage in the transition. So, they like to play at a very high tempo, that gives them a lot of attacks and a lot of offensive rebounds, because they don’t always shoot with very good percentages”, the ‘reds’ coach, Giorgos Bartzokas commented. “It’s very important for us that we control how we execute in offense. We need to protect the ball. Making turnovers, or hasty shots is probable to lead to a very good chance for a fast break for them. We also need to go after offensive rebounding. Monaco plays the game with many possessions and a style of basketball that is not that common in the Euroleague. It is often that you get carried away yourself, because you can also score with ease, but they score too. And suddenly the game goes to a tempo that you are not used to and they are better at”.
About remaining undefeated at the SEF, he said: “Home court is definitely a factor. Those who get to experience the atmosphere, know that it’s very supportive for the team and certainly gives an extra push. However, after all is said and done, basketball is what counts. You need to do the things you have to do well to win games. Euroleague shows there is a new order. There are many teams contesting a playoffs berth. I think that our opponent is a tough competitor for a slot in the playoffs. We don’t have anything else to think about but this game. It’s going to be a tough one. They are a team with a lot of talent, they have a deep roster with quality and I repeat that we have to play a good game to win tomorrow”.
Finally, when asked if the presence of Mike James is going to be among the keys of the game, he replied: “The mere fact that most players average twenty minutes, except for James that averages thirty, is an obvious tell that to the Monaco coach, he’s the most important player. He’s definitely a talented players and it’s difficult to control every aspect of his game, but you can isolate some so that you can contain him”.