Dimitris Diamantidis has conquered yet another trophy for his performance on the defensive end. The fifth edition of the trophy of the defender of the year is again in his hands for the fifth time. Euroleague explained in its website (www.euroleague.net) the reason for that, publishing also an interview of the toughest opponent for any player!
“Thanks to his rare ability to lead when opposing teams have the ball, Panathinaikos guard Dimitris Diamantidis has been voted winner of the Best Defender Trophy by Euroleague head coaches for the fifth season in a row. As the Euroleague head coaches have made clear again, no player in recent years has enjoyed so much impact on the defensive end of Euroleague courts as Diamantidis, His impressive statistics only hint at his true value in helping the Greens stop other teams. Indeed, the player nicknamed as "Spider Man" by the Greek media for his amazing reach and quickness, has been the one and only Best Defender Trophy winner since the award was started five seasons ago, coinciding with his rookie Euroleague season. This season, the 28-year-old Diamantidis mastered the gamut of defensive skills - from hawking ball-handlers to making steals to blocking shots and grabbing rebounds - like no few players. He finished the season as the only guard ranked among the Euroleague’s best 25 players in the three most indicative defensive statistics: 10th in steals, 21st in defensive rebounding and 25th in blocks. Historically speaking, Diamantidis is one of only three players - and the only guard - ranked better than 25th during this decade for his totals in those three categories, too. Considering that he also assigned to shut down the top scorer on any opponent that Panathinaikos faces, it is no wonder that the Euroleague coaches have decided again that nobody does defense better than Dimitris Diamantidis!
His numbers for the 2008-09 season add to the unique position Diamantidis holds in defensive statistics for the decade. He is now ranked fourth overall in accumulated steals and boasts the best steals-per-game average of anyone in the top 10. He is tied for the 15th-most blocks all decade, with no other guard present in the top 75. He ranks 23rd for the decade in total defensive rebounds, while only six players - forwards and centers, of course - have more in fewer games than Diamantidis has played. This season, his importance to Panathinaikos reaching the Final Four is clear from one look at the team leaders. Diamantidis ranked first among the Greens in minutes, three-point accuracy and steals, second in rebounding and assists, and third in blocks. What's more, his leadership and determination provide the extra intangibles that make Diamantidis a true superstar. His fifth Best Defender Trophy is added to a stocked trophy case that includes the 2007 Euroleague crown, as well as the Final Four MVP honor and a spot on the All-Euroleague first team that season. He has also been European champion and World Championships silver medalist with his Greek national team. Diamantidis will receive the Best Defender Trophy at the Euroleague Basketball Awards Ceremony on May 2 in Berlin.
-Dimitris, congratulations on being named again by coaches the Best Defender in the Euroleague. Are you surprised at all to keep winning this award?
“It’s something I don’t seek for. I just want to play and enjoy basketball, to help my team. If an award comes with it, I am happy. The only thing I feel is that I am happy”.
-How much did defense have to do with Panathinaikos becoming a Final Four team?
«Defense is definitely a big part of our game. It’s a part of the game that is very important for our team. It gives us a great push, in every single game. Even when the team has a bad day offensively, if you are effective defensively the basis is there to build whatever needed to get the win. It’s a very important part of the game for our team and we try to be as good as it gets in this, every time we step on the court”.
-You seem to be able to guard anyone you want. How does Coach Obradovic decide your defensive assignments before each game? You discuss it together?
«No, we don’t discuss it. It’s the coach’s decision who am I going to guard. My job is to guard whoever he asks me to, to do whatever he asks me to do”.
-One of your specialties is guarding a big man in the low post after a switch, but not letting that "mismatch" hurt your team. How do you handle the big guys so well?
«There are players that are difficult to defend. When you switch in defense during the game, a certain mismatch can be created. When this happens the most important is for the team to stay focused in the plan it has. This is what helps the team in such cases: Your teammates. Our team’s game has to do with getting help from everybody on the court in the case of a mismatch, covering players and/or space. Everything comes back to the basis, which is the good team work in defense. Defense is not an issue of one player alone”.
-What do you consider the key to defending the pick-'n'-roll, the most-used play in basketball these days?
«Pick-n’Roll is a game between two players, so the most important is the player who is “covering” you; your teammate. Your other three teammates who are on the floor are also very important, because they must be ready to cover space and also the pass. It’s a play for two, but once more it’s essential to have the defense of five!”
-Who is the best Euroleague player defending you?
“I really cannot say one name. Or even two. There are so many good players in Euroleague that it’s impossible to name names. It would not be fair”.
-Looking ahead to the Final Four, are you happy to be playing the Greek derby with Olympiacos in the semifinals?
«I am neither happy, nor sad. We knew that the schedule was going to be like this. We are focusing on our team. We know that it’s important to prepare ourselves in the best possible way for the semifinal. We are going to face a very good team. The only different thing is that both teams are from Greece. But I really don’t believe that it’s different from any other semifinal. Our goal remains the same: To get to the final”.
-With two teams that know each other so well, what will be the key to winning?
«The keys are two: Focus and turnovers. We need the first, we don’t need the second. It’s a duel that doesn’t change no matter what the game is, who the opponent is”.
-Two years ago, you were celebrating at OAKA and MVP of the final. Is that night going to be inspiration for you going to Berlin?
«The title itself is a huge motive. I don’t need to remember what happened in OAKA, or that I was the MVP. The motive is that we want to get the win. We want to get the positive result in the semifinal and then to go to the final with the goal to celebrate one more title. It’s something that every team wants. It’s our thought too. We have the will, big will for the title!”
