Georgios Bartzokas, the head coach of Olympiacos, spoke after his team’s loss against Barcelona in the EuroLeague play-off game.
Bartzokas aimed to achieve a double break after a big win in the opening game and to wait comfortably with a 2-0 lead for the continuation of the series in Piraeus. However, he didn’t succeed, as Jabari Parker was unstoppable.
“We have to raise the level in certain aspects. Perhaps we thought we had accomplished the mission by getting an away win and securing home-court advantage, but it’s not the case. But every game is a different story. They deserved the win and played with determination. In crucial moments, when we came back into the game and made a comeback, we had to make better decisions.
We allowed open shots from Parker and Abrines due to our mistakes, which allowed them to extend their lead. The technical fouls against us were crucial at the end. Now we’re tied 1-1 and going home for the next two games. It will be a real battle, and we’ll have to be ready for it,” said Georgios Bartzokas.
About Barcelona
“They are a great team, with great players, and they had the support of the Palau. We should have started better, but we committed fouls in the early plays. In these games, contact and physicality are important because there is tension, and it wasn’t the best way to start.
We had many open and easy shots in the first half, but we missed a lot with Canaan and Walkup, who don’t usually miss. Sometimes, you put pressure on your opponents by making those open shots. We have good shooters, but we need a better shooting percentage if you want to win here at the Palau.”
Kostas Papanikolaou
“I think we will have Papanikolaou available. He started some cardio work this Friday, and there are still practice sessions ahead, although he is weak after a feverish process,” said Greek coach.
The third game of the series between Olympiacos and Barcelona will be played on April 30th at 8:30 PM, with the Greek team hosting the game.