Rokas Giedraitis spoke about the issues in his team’s game and the adaptation to the new coach’s system after the defeat against Barcelona.
The Lithuanian emphasized, in an interview with Meridian Sport, that the details decided the match in Barcelona.
Back and forth, up and down throughout the whole game. We were down by 17, managed to come back, but overall, I think we fought well. Small details cost us the victory. That’s the key… small, small, small details. Fast breaks, rebounds.”
Rokas Giedraitis also emphasizes the importance of noting that the team hasn’t been collaborating with the new coach for a long time.
“You know, we are short with the new coach. I think we still need time to adapt to his system. But we work on it every day. It’s getting better and better. We just need to learn how to play a smart ending, especially the last five minutes when it’s closed. If we improve that, everything will be fine.
Regarding what could have been better in the game of the Belgrade red and whites, Giedraitis says:
“It’s hard to say now. First of all, we can’t allow ourselves to fall behind by seventeen. In the end, these are all little things. We need to know how to play so that we don’t have this loss of concentration. We have to be consistent, play the entire forty minutes, and try to win.”
Rokas Giedraitis also points out that Barcelona plays much more freely this season compared to the previous one.
“Last year with Saras, they were much more strict and went in the direction he leads them. The new coach gives them more freedom. They like to run like a true Spanish team. That’s their strength. They have excellent players.“
Barcelona remains second in the EuroLeague standings with a record of 6-1, while Red Star is at 2-5.
In the next round, Barcelona will visit Baskonia, while the Belgrade red and whites will host Fenerbahce.