Absence of Exum and Lessort
“To dwell on what we had or didn’t have leads nowhere. I believe in this team. Analysis is always needed, both the good and the bad, there was both. We’ll see where we stand and what we are. We have playoffs now, the ABA League, on Wednesday against the team that beat us in the regular season. The series against Igokea, there’s time for everything else. P. J. Dozier is not fit to train, I hope for good practices before Igokea.”
About the atmosphere
“Partizan’s games transcend basketball. The atmosphere is incredible and cannot be seen in other arenas. Partizan’s fans are by far the best. In the neighborhood where I live, I met a man from Izmir, a Karsiyaka supporter, and he bought a ticket for this game. Not to mention the rushes for tickets. Games like this are no longer just basketball. Many people from outside come, the city and the country benefit, and I hope we represented this country and city in a nice way. I am proud to be here, where decency is at a level where we should be proud. I couldn’t even imagine when I came here that we would experience what we are experiencing, a constantly filled arena. We’ve created a new generation of fans.”
More than 300,000 supporters
“We are proud to be the most watched for the second year in a row. The figure is only in the Arena, I don’t know how much all that is followed on social media and television. What all that will mean for next year, I don’t know what to tell you. I hope Partizan becomes a permanent member of the league. Starting from the Management and the President, the working community of Partizan, all of these are part of this, there are many things to improve so that everything is at an even higher level.
Nothing happens by chance, fans know why they come, whether losing or winning. We’ve outgrown the importance of just winning. There’s only one champion every year. EuroLeague starts with the fact that there’s no team that doesn’t have ambition. How EuroLeague will develop and whether Partizan will succeed in obtaining an A license would be fantastic for both us and EuroLeague.”
Chanting for him
“I am proud of how they welcome me, my players, and my team. The decision to return to Partizan has proven to be as it is, like a fairy tale. What they’re giving me, I understand as an even greater obligation. I live for this club to continue to be what it is and for this mutual love to remain. Partizan cannot be just one or two people. Only through collective work can we reach an A license,” concluded Obradovic.
Reminder, Valencia in the previous round lost all chances of advancing further with a defeat from Asvel, as did Partizan, which was not helped by Anadolu Efes being better than Crvena Zvezda.