The Army Men do not need extra motivation: the Greeks prevailed in previous three meetings including two stops on the way to the title, in the Final Fours. This season Oly also won at home and ready to fight in Moscow even without its leader and captain Vassilis Spanoulis.
“This will be another very important game against strong opponent, another final for us,” CSKA head coach Dimitris Itoudis said. “We need this victory and we know it don’t come easy. We will be ready. I urge our fans to come and help us win.”
CSKA has no major injuries.
“Relativity” connections
Teodosic spent four seasons with Olympiacos early in his career between 2007 and 2011. He won the 2010 Euroleague MVP, helped the Reds to a pair of Final Four appearances and was a teammate of current Olympiacos players Vassilis Spanoulis, Georgios Printezis, Kostas Sloukas and Dimitrios Katsivelis.
Kyle Hines spent two seasons with Olympiacos from 2011 through 2013 and helped the Reds win back-to-back Euroleague titles. He was a teammate there of five current Olympiacos players: Vassilis Spanoulis, Georgios Printezis, Kostas Sloukas, Vaneglis Printezis and Dimitrios Katsivelis.
Olympiakos head coach Giannis Sfairopoulos was an assistant to Jonas Kazlauskas in 2011-12 season for CSKA.
Past matchups
Wins/losses: 16-11
1994-95 – European Championship for Men’s Clubs. Quarterfinals. CSKA – Olympiacos: 95-65 (+30)
1994-95 – European Championship for Men’s Clubs. Quarterfinals. Olympiacos – CSKA: 86-77 (-9)
1994-95 – European Championship for Men’s Clubs. Quarterfinals. Olympiacos – CSKA: 79-54 (-25)
1995-96 – European Championship for Men’s Clubs. Ïîëóôèíàëüíûé ðàóíä. CSKA – Olympiacos: 96-91 (+5)
1995-96 – European Championship for Men’s Clubs. Ïîëóôèíàëüíûé ðàóíä. Olympiacos – CSKA: 72-78 (+6)
1996-97 – Euroleague. Qualification Round. Olympiacos – CSKA: 82-51 (-31)
1996-97 – Euroleague. Qualification Round. CSKA – Olympiacos: 70-79 (-9)
1997-98 – Euroleague. Preliminary Round. Olympiacos – CSKA: 86-74 (-12)
1997-98 – Euroleague. Preliminary Round. CSKA – Olympiacos: 77-58 (+19)
1998-99 – Euroleague. Preliminary Round. CSKA – Olympiacos: 75-81 (-6)
1998-99 – Euroleague. Preliminary Round. Olympiacos – CSKA: 74-76 (+2)
2002-03 – Euroleague. Regular Season. CSKA – Olympiacos: 74-67 (+7)
2002-03 – Euroleague. Regular Season. Olympiacos – CSKA: 77-79 (+2)
2003-04 – Euroleague. Top 16. CSKA – Olympiacos: 80-66 (+14)
2003-04 – Euroleague. Top 16. Olympiacos – CSKA: 69-93 (+24)
2006-07 – Euroleague. Top 16. Olympiacos – CSKA: 64-85 (+21)
2006-07 – Euroleague. Top 16. CSKA – Olympiacos: 83-79 (+4)
2007-08 – Euroleague. Regular Season. CSKA – Olympiacos: 88-79 (+9)
2007-08 – Euroleague. Regular Season. Olympiacos – CSKA: 71-67 (-4)
2007-08 – Euroleague. Quarterfinals. CSKA – Olympiacos: 74-76 (-2)
2007-08 – Euroleague. Quarterfinals. Olympiacos – CSKA: 73-83 (+10)
2007-08 – Euroleague. Quarterfinals. CSKA – Olympiacos: 81-56 (+25)
2011-12 – Euroleague. Top 16. Olympiacos – CSKA: 78-86 (+8)
2011-12 – Euroleague. Top 16. CSKA – Olympiacos: 96-64 (+32)
2011-12 – Euroleague. Final. CSKA – Olympiacos: 61-62 (-1)
2012-13 – Euroleague. Semifinal. Olympiacos – CSKA: 69-52 (-17)
2014-15 – Euroleague. Top 16. Olympiacos – CSKA: 84-76 (-8)
Smells like TEAM spirit
Notis Psilopoulos, Giannis Stavroulakis, sport24.gr for cskabasket.com
Olympiacos Piraeus featured in the first position of Group F in Top 16 until Game 9 with 8-1 record, plays attractive basketball during the season, celebrated very important victories and surpassed teams with great budgets and ambitions like CSKA Moscow and Fenerbahce Ulker Istanbul. Despite the losses from Fener and Laboral Kutxa in Vitoria, Giannis Sfairopoulos’ team is determined to gain the home court advantage in Euroleague playoffs.
Reds want to return back in Final Four, where they celebrated back-to-back titles (2012, 2013) but the main question has to do with “life without captain”. Vassilis Spanoulis was injured before the game against Fenerbahce Ulker (13/03, in SEF) but he wanted to play at any cost! He shared 10 assists against the Turkish team but his leg could not follow his mind and his intentions. Probably it could be better if Spanoulis did not play. Olympiacos could avoid that risk but the game was so important and he could not miss it! It was a bad loss for Reds but this team chooses the difficult path from the beginning of the season. Giannis Sfairopoulos and his assistants know that they are still on target and a possible victory against CSKA Moscow will change everything.
With Dusan Ivkovic as their coach Olympiacos created his own style of play, based on teamwork, chemistry and clear roles for each player. Strong defense, rebounding and fast game-transition for easy basket on the fast break are the key features for ’’red’’ gameplay. On this style proceeded coach Giorgos Bartzokas (2012-2014). On this style continues and coach Giannis Sfairopoulos. Simply, coach Sfairopoulos pays more attention on defense.
“Our game starts from defense,” he says every time. The Reds have become tougher on defense and are more turning to physical game. Sfairopoulos gives tremendous importance to tactics and wants his systems in defense and offense to become reality during the games. He also gives much freedom to the players and trusts their personality. In general, he has a plan and clear goals in the game, especially on how to eliminate the opponent. He is calm and at critical points his players don’t feel anxious. He is communicative with the players. There is mutual respect and trust. He insists that the team is above all. Giannis is a low-profile guy who believes that the players are the protagonists, not the coach.
Olympiacos’ main gameplay is pick-n-roll. In these offensive situations, Spanoulis and Kostas Sloukas consist the main “creators”. Both of them are great passers. At the same time, Spanoulis is not available for the game against CSKA in Russia, because they are injured. This means that Vangelis Mantzaris and Oliver Lafayette will help more, in the creative part of the game and on offence. To be specific, Lafayette takes more shots from middle range in recent games. On the other hand, Mantzaris insists on post-up game. Olympiacos’ best player in low-post is Giorgos Printezis, one of the greatest European forwards who plays with back. He has very good “connection” with basket and he is in great shape. Bryant Dunston and Othello Hunter help on defense and offence, but the first one has problem in free throws. They have good finish close to the basket and, also, they work in pick-n-roll situations. Matt Lojeski is the big shooter of the team and, at the same time, the guy who helps in all aspects of the game! He always has “full” statistics. Ioannis Papapetrou is in good situation after his injury and, the most important, has gained confidence. Keep in mind that his first appearance this season was in Milan (74-83 for Olympiacos, March 6). Bred Petway is out and Olympiacos has problems in rebounds. Reds had serious problems in this part of the game but they are getting better gradually.
The Greek team plays hard and pressing defense, plays “nasty” close to the basket and coach Sfairopoulos’ main target is to eliminate the opponent’s playmaker. Take it for granted that he will try to eliminate Milos Teodosic. He will try to eliminate the creative part of Milos’ game. Generally speaking, Olympiacos tries to ’’cut’’ the communication among the players of the opponent team, forcing the opponents to go on individual efforts. At the same time, Olympiacos is a ’’transition team’’. Reds love to run in open court, after a good defense and score in fast breaks or transition. If Olympiacos finds rhythm in this part of the game, then no team can stop them! Tremell Darden and Dimitris Agravanis are getting better and better and they will help their team against CSKA Moscow, especially in defense. For sure, Spanoulis is the leader and the captain but Olympiacos has as basis the team effort, the chemistry and the teamwork. They will have big problems if Spanoulis and Sloukas finally do not play because they are players who help in offense-creativity. We will know if they probably the next days. It’s very difficult for a team to play critical games without two basic guards but keep in mind that Olympiacos celebrated the victory against Anadolu Efes in Peace and Friendship Stadium last week, without them! As for defense, Olympiacos plays usually with switches on defense and sometimes has weaknesses in mismatches.
Last Sunday (29/03), Olympiacos played without Spanoulis, Sloukas, Petway and Tsairelis but had no problems against Korivos, a team that tries to avoid relegation in Greek Basket League. Reds won 70-87 and remained in the first position with 21-1 record (Panathinaikos is second, with 20-2). Lojeski (16 points, 6 assists), Hunter (15 points, 7 rebounds) and Agravanis (13 points, 6 rebounds) were the best players of Olympiacos.
Important numbers
Milos Teodosic leads the league this season in assists with an average of 7.1 per game.
Teodosic has scored in double figures and made at least 1 three-pointer in 17 consecutive Euroleague games.
Teodosic needs 8 more three-pointers to catch Zalgiris assistant coach Sarunas Jasikevicius for eighth place on the Euroleague’s all-time list with 315 threes.
Nando De Colo has made 26 consecutive free throws in Euroleague games.
Sonny Weems has made at least 1 three-pointer in six straight and 17 of his last 18 Euroleague games.
Manuchar Markoishvili needs 7 more three-pointers to reach the century mark for his Euroleague career.
Short dossier
Olympiacos Pireaus, Greece
Founded: 1925
Colors: white, red
Homecourt: Peace and Friendship Stadium (10.845)
Presidents: Panagiotis and Giorgios Angelopoulos
Head Coach: Giannis Sfairopoulos
Website: www.olympiacosbc.gr
Trophy case:
- 3-time Euroleague champions (1997, 2012, 13);
- Intercontinental Cup winners (2013);
- 10-time Greek champions (1949, 1960, 1976, 1978, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2012);
- 9-time Greek Cup winners (1976, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1994, 1997, 2002, 2010, 2011)
Notis Psilopoulos, Giannis Stavroulakis, sport24.gr for cskabasket.com
Olympiacos Piraeus featured in the first position of Group F in Top 16 until Game 9 with 8-1 record, plays attractive basketball during the season, celebrated very important victories and surpassed teams with great budgets and ambitions like CSKA Moscow and Fenerbahce Ulker Istanbul. Despite the losses from Fener and Laboral Kutxa in Vitoria, Giannis Sfairopoulos’ team is determined to gain the home court advantage in Euroleague playoffs.
Reds want to return back in Final Four, where they celebrated back-to-back titles (2012, 2013) but the main question has to do with “life without captain”. Vassilis Spanoulis was injured before the game against Fenerbahce Ulker (13/03, in SEF) but he wanted to play at any cost! He shared 10 assists against the Turkish team but his leg could not follow his mind and his intentions. Probably it could be better if Spanoulis did not play. Olympiacos could avoid that risk but the game was so important and he could not miss it! It was a bad loss for Reds but this team chooses the difficult path from the beginning of the season. Giannis Sfairopoulos and his assistants know that they are still on target and a possible victory against CSKA Moscow will change everything.
With Dusan Ivkovic as their coach Olympiacos created his own style of play, based on teamwork, chemistry and clear roles for each player. Strong defense, rebounding and fast game-transition for easy basket on the fast break are the key features for ’’red’’ gameplay. On this style proceeded coach Giorgos Bartzokas (2012-2014). On this style continues and coach Giannis Sfairopoulos. Simply, coach Sfairopoulos pays more attention on defense.
“Our game starts from defense,” he says every time. The Reds have become tougher on defense and are more turning to physical game. Sfairopoulos gives tremendous importance to tactics and wants his systems in defense and offense to become reality during the games. He also gives much freedom to the players and trusts their personality. In general, he has a plan and clear goals in the game, especially on how to eliminate the opponent. He is calm and at critical points his players don’t feel anxious. He is communicative with the players. There is mutual respect and trust. He insists that the team is above all. Giannis is a low-profile guy who believes that the players are the protagonists, not the coach.
Olympiacos’ main gameplay is pick-n-roll. In these offensive situations, Spanoulis and Kostas Sloukas consist the main “creators”. Both of them are great passers. At the same time, Spanoulis is not available for the game against CSKA in Russia, because they are injured. This means that Vangelis Mantzaris and Oliver Lafayette will help more, in the creative part of the game and on offence. To be specific, Lafayette takes more shots from middle range in recent games. On the other hand, Mantzaris insists on post-up game. Olympiacos’ best player in low-post is Giorgos Printezis, one of the greatest European forwards who plays with back. He has very good “connection” with basket and he is in great shape. Bryant Dunston and Othello Hunter help on defense and offence, but the first one has problem in free throws. They have good finish close to the basket and, also, they work in pick-n-roll situations. Matt Lojeski is the big shooter of the team and, at the same time, the guy who helps in all aspects of the game! He always has “full” statistics. Ioannis Papapetrou is in good situation after his injury and, the most important, has gained confidence. Keep in mind that his first appearance this season was in Milan (74-83 for Olympiacos, March 6). Bred Petway is out and Olympiacos has problems in rebounds. Reds had serious problems in this part of the game but they are getting better gradually.
The Greek team plays hard and pressing defense, plays “nasty” close to the basket and coach Sfairopoulos’ main target is to eliminate the opponent’s playmaker. Take it for granted that he will try to eliminate Milos Teodosic. He will try to eliminate the creative part of Milos’ game. Generally speaking, Olympiacos tries to ’’cut’’ the communication among the players of the opponent team, forcing the opponents to go on individual efforts. At the same time, Olympiacos is a ’’transition team’’. Reds love to run in open court, after a good defense and score in fast breaks or transition. If Olympiacos finds rhythm in this part of the game, then no team can stop them! Tremell Darden and Dimitris Agravanis are getting better and better and they will help their team against CSKA Moscow, especially in defense. For sure, Spanoulis is the leader and the captain but Olympiacos has as basis the team effort, the chemistry and the teamwork. They will have big problems if Spanoulis and Sloukas finally do not play because they are players who help in offense-creativity. We will know if they probably the next days. It’s very difficult for a team to play critical games without two basic guards but keep in mind that Olympiacos celebrated the victory against Anadolu Efes in Peace and Friendship Stadium last week, without them! As for defense, Olympiacos plays usually with switches on defense and sometimes has weaknesses in mismatches.
Last Sunday (29/03), Olympiacos played without Spanoulis, Sloukas, Petway and Tsairelis but had no problems against Korivos, a team that tries to avoid relegation in Greek Basket League. Reds won 70-87 and remained in the first position with 21-1 record (Panathinaikos is second, with 20-2). Lojeski (16 points, 6 assists), Hunter (15 points, 7 rebounds) and Agravanis (13 points, 6 rebounds) were the best players of Olympiacos.
Important numbers
Milos Teodosic leads the league this season in assists with an average of 7.1 per game.
Teodosic has scored in double figures and made at least 1 three-pointer in 17 consecutive Euroleague games.
Teodosic needs 8 more three-pointers to catch Zalgiris assistant coach Sarunas Jasikevicius for eighth place on the Euroleague’s all-time list with 315 threes.
Nando De Colo has made 26 consecutive free throws in Euroleague games.
Sonny Weems has made at least 1 three-pointer in six straight and 17 of his last 18 Euroleague games.
Manuchar Markoishvili needs 7 more three-pointers to reach the century mark for his Euroleague career.
Short dossier
Olympiacos Pireaus, Greece
Founded: 1925
Colors: white, red
Homecourt: Peace and Friendship Stadium (10.845)
Presidents: Panagiotis and Giorgios Angelopoulos
Head Coach: Giannis Sfairopoulos
Website: www.olympiacosbc.gr
Trophy case:
- 3-time Euroleague champions (1997, 2012, 13);
- Intercontinental Cup winners (2013);
- 10-time Greek champions (1949, 1960, 1976, 1978, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2012);
- 9-time Greek Cup winners (1976, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1994, 1997, 2002, 2010, 2011)
