Today Zeljko Obradovic gave a press conference before the game against CSKA Moscow. The European champions’ coach referred to the “Greens’” opponent tomorrow, its advantages, Andrei Kirilenko’s presence, but also his own players.
“We are facing a team which many consider has the possibility to reach the Euroleague title. They have great motivation, since last season they did not even reach the Top-16 phase. Compared to last season, they have a different roster and a new coach, a good and experienced coach. Watching their first Euroleague games, it shows that they have a very good team, are excellent in offence and to us the key is defense. It is a team that has almost 50% in 3-point shots. With the exception of Krstic and Kaun, everyone else can shoot three-pointers. In three games they count with 66 assists, meaning 22 on average per game. This says a lot. I will repeat once again, however, that everything depends on our defense. I do not want to talk about their players, because many of them are very good. It will not be easy to stop them. What is interesting is that they have the possibility of using different lineups and what is important is who they will choose to compete in positions 2, 3, and 4, because this is where their strength lies. We must play a very good game if we want to win. Defense will be important; and as I said they are a very good team offensively, but I will also say that they are not that good in defense. I hope that the fans will realize that this is an important game and will come to help the team. I believe it is going to be a very good night for all those who love basketball.”
Obradovic was asked whether a possible victory over CSKA Moscow will also play a psychological role on the team: “It is just a game like every other, in a period of time when our goal is to qualify to the next round, to play in the Top-16. Everyone understands how CSKA is this season. Everyone is waiting to see our possibilities against a team for which everyone agrees is the big favorite for the current season.”
There were questions focusing on the presence of Milos Teodosic and his importance to CSKA Moscow’s game, but also on the presence of Andrei Kirilenko; when asked about the latter, Zeljko Obradovic painted an accurate portrait on him: “Teodosic is an important player for them. He has 18 assists in the first 3 games; but is not just Teodosic. Shved is also very important, he creates the game. Kirilenko too with everything he does for the team: rebounds, assists, steals, blocks. This guy does everything. Another important player for them is Gordon in positions 1-2; Krstic in position 5; Siskauskas may not be creating as he did in previous seasons, but he is still an executer. There are also other players too, such as Khryapa, Vorontsevich, Lavrinovic… So, it is not a matter of just one player. We must play good defense against all of them. All the numbers must be reduced: less assists, lower percentages in both two-point and three-point shots, less rebounds. Everything will have to be different. Tomorrow we will have the opportunity to show if we are a good defensive team or not.”
Then he went on to talk about the reference made to Andrei Kirilenko: “he is a player who does not stop playing during the game. He feels the game like no other. This is something that is difficult to find in a player. If you, for example, take a look at his statistics, you will see he has 13 assists, almost all of which are in fast-breaks. He always moves according to where the ball is, because he follows his defensive player and continues to play according to that player’s reaction. This is why he often takes the offensive rebound, this is why he is often alone and makes the shot, this is why he steals the ball or correctly cuts to the basket… and in defense he is the kind of player who covers and helps everyone. CSKA has a single call for Kirilenko. Everything he does, he does it because he is a great talent and understands basketball like no-one else. That is why he has no problem to play defense in positions 1 to 4, or maybe even in position 5, although there he might be having a bit of a problem. Everything would be easy in defense if you had five players like him.”
The next question was how someone can stop a player like him: “We prepare like we always do. Dimitris (tr.n. Itoudis) has prepared everything, every little detail about him; how he moves without the ball, how he cuts to the basket… He also connects to Teodosic in the game like Teodosic used to connect to Childress. You have to be prepared; you have to concentrate because these are situations that we know of. We must not allow points against us from situations we are aware of.”
In offence, Panathinaikos is going to be looking for “easy points, as we do in every game”, as Obradovic underlined before he went on to say that: “We know that their problem in defense is, same as I believe everyone knows our own shortcomings. As usual, we want to punish the opponent’s weaknesses and through that get easy points in offence.”
Shifting the discussion to Panathinaikos and the condition of the team, the “clover’s” coach was asked about the new players in the team and whether they are at the level he would have liked them to be: “Before the first official game of the season I tell my players in the locker-room that there are no new and old players. They are all Panathinaikos’ players. The preparation stage was very important, but after the season begins things are different. Naturally, for all of us in the technical staff it is certainly much easier when you have players who have been playing here for many years. So, we try to talk to all of them, we speak with them in every practice session and repeat some important things. And I believe that concentration is something that is very important. We prepare the game, the plan that we are going to follow, but often it is the game itself that provides the answers; and the answers to all the questions will be given only after the last game of the season, since it then that we will have a clear picture on all of them!”
Zeljko Obradovic was asked whether the fact that Aleks Maric is quickly charged with offensive fouls is a problem and if so, how much of a problem that is: “It is true that this is a problem for us. I have talked to him about it and I must say that he is working very, very well. In every practice session he is trying to give more than 100%. I have told him that the team needs him and that he must try harder not to commit offensive fouls; he must be ready to help the team more. We believe that the work that Maric, Batiste and Vougioukas do will be very important in the game tomorrow, both in defense and offence.”
