Georgios Bartzokas shared his first impressions after Olympiacos was defeated by Crvena Zvezda in Round 15 of the EuroLeague.
The head coach of Olympiacos was not satisfied with how his team played in Belgrade.
“This was our worst game of the season. All the players of Olympiacos played below their level. With such an approach, there is no chance of beating Crvena Zvezda. I congratulate Zvezda on the win; they did everything necessary to win. This was our worst performance of the year, and we need to look in the mirror and realize that we need to do everything possible to win at this level, not just to play for numbers and statistics.
We had 17 turnovers, 20% shooting from three-point range, defensively we were softer than butter, Fall is out, Wright is out, and several players had been sick in the previous days. We didn’t play as a team, we played pretty badly. We tried to solve the game individually, lost every ball where there was contact, and we deserved to lose” – said Georgios Bartzokas.
Third loss in four games
“Just a week ago, we beat Panathinaikos, and that was a very important win. I can’t say that this is a tough loss for us. Every game in the EuroLeague is demanding, and we need to be present both physically and mentally. Names and salaries don’t win games, only unity does.
Of course, we have many ongoing problems, and everyone is trying to do the necessary things. Nikola Milutinov has been training without competition, and that affects us. But that’s not an excuse. We have to stick to the game plan and have a better approach. It’s still the beginning of the season, and I remain positive, but we must find answers to these issues.”
Crvena zvezda and its possibilities
“We didn’t play well because the team didn’t fight, while they were diving for every ball—completely the opposite. In my opinion, Crvena Zvezda has great players, and with the new signings, honestly, I saw yesterday that Alba Berlin was just a shot away from beating Partizan. Therefore, there’s no game where you can take a win for granted. No one is a robot, but when you have players, fans, and an owner like Olympiacos, you’re always expected to do your best.”
Atmosphere
“It’s the same in our arena, but it would have been even better if they hadn’t thrown things onto the court. That’s not an excuse, if we had played better, we would have won” – explained Georgios Bartzokas.
Filip Petrusev as a loan player at Crvena Zvezda
“I signed Filip Petrusev and brought him from the NBA. These days, it’s easy to comment. He played great at the start of the season, he’s talented, but we are human beings. We all stay, leave, and work in the environment we want. In any case, Filip Petrusev is someone whose rebounds and talent we miss. Now we have Moustapha Fall and Moses Wright, and for some reason, both are out. It is what it is.
Last year, we lost all games to Spanish teams except Valencia. When we finally beat Barcelona, we went to the Final Four. That’s not a rule. Sometimes, it’s a matter of momentum, and Partizan and Crvena zvezda have great teams, but we didn’t do that in any of the games against Serbian teams.”
Crvena Zvezda is currently eighth in the standings with an 8–7 record, while Olympiacos is fifth with nine wins and six losses.
In Round 16, Crvena Zvezda will play against Anadolu Efes in Istanbul, while Olympiacos will face Virtus in Piraeus.
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