Bartzokas: "We have to play a focused game"

Olympiacos will be hosting Maccabi Tel Aviv tomorrow (27/01, 20.30 CET) aiming to get one more win that will keep the team at the top of the Euroleague seeding. 

"We have to play against a team that beat us in the first round" was the initial comment the coach of Olympiacos, Giorgos Bartzokas got to make. "A team that plays with intensity thanks to its athleticism in all its positions. We have to execute our game plan very accurately to beat them. We don't believe that the 2 - 8 record proves anything, in the sense that the Euroleague has shown us that all games can be challenged by everyone. We will try to execute our plan and play as focused as we can, because the Euroleague can always harbor unexpected situations". 

On whether defending against the Israeli team guards will be the 'key' to the game, he said: "Each game is different and each player has different characteristics. For sure we are going to have to guard their two main scorers and facilitators efficiently, but we can sincerely not underestimate any other one player in any other one position. They are all good players. Also, it's not only the responsibility of the player that has to guard a certain opponent, it has to do with the group defensive operation of the team. We have to stop their facilitation. A team that creates can easily go for a high score. Their players would have to have an amazing day".