EL2022/23 - The Playoffs

[ronmercer80]

As someone has already written Partizan didn't seem to take the third game too seriously, playing a fourth game with all the tickets already sold at a very high price should have appeared a huge opportunity to everyone, players and management.

A big mistake, they could have won that game and end it there. They woke up real without reason.

[tonia]

Anything can happen in F4, but experience matters the most in F4 and they have nobody with that except Obra. We have seen in game 5, how they just totally melted down, when they saw the finish.

I wouldn't call it "melt down". Partizan was 9 points down 2 minutes before the end and managed to be just 3 points 40 sec before the end with the ball in their hands. If the instruction given was for Punter to shoot under any circumstances, this is what happened but it didn't work out for them.

[Killer Bob]

I wouldn't call it "melt down". Partizan was 9 points down 2 minutes before the end and managed to be just 3 points 40 sec before the end with the ball in their hands. If the instruction given was for Punter to shoot under any circumstances, this is what happened but it didn't work out for them.

from + 15 in 29th minute to -9 in 37th minute is total meltdown, especially against players that are 38,37 and 35 years old, 10 years from their prime. Those 3 players have won Euroleague 8 years back. It was 37:13 in those 9 minutes.

[tonia]

As someone has already written Partizan didn't seem to take the third game too seriously, playing a fourth game with all the tickets already sold at a very high price should have appeared a huge opportunity to everyone, players and management.

A big mistake, they could have won that game and end it there. They woke up real without reason.

The tickets for the 4th game were released after Partizan's defeat, but I don't think anyone would doubt that they were going to be sold out.
However, I want to believe that this was not the case.

[ronmercer80]

The tickets for the 4th game were released after Partizan's defeat, but I don't think anyone would doubt that they were going to be sold out.
However, I want to believe that this was not the case.

You are right of course, yet it seemed to me that they played the last part of that game without the tension and attention required.

[tonia]

from + 15 in 29th minute to -9 in 37th minute is total meltdown, especially against players that are 38,37 and 35 years old.

If it was a "total meltdown", there would be no Partizan reaction, but there was. If Punter scored, we would not probably be having this conversation.

[Killer Bob]

If it was a "total meltdown", there would be no Partizan reaction, but there was. If Punter scored, we would not probably be having this conversation.

-24 in 9 minutes isn't total meltdown? They hit few desperate shots in the end, when everything was more or less lost, but they have lost the game in those catastrophic minutes. You just can't allow that crippled team like Real scores 37 points in less than 10 minutes. It was mental.

[tonia]

-24 in 9 minutes isn't total meltdown? They hit few desperate shots in the end, when everything was more or less lost, but they have lost the game in those catastrophic minutes. You just can't allow that crippled team like Real scores 37 points in less than 10 minutes. It was mental.

Partizan was 3 points down and had the ball, 40 sec before the end. I would not say that everything was lost at that moment.

[Killer Bob]

Partizan was 3 points down and had the ball, 40 sec before the end. I would not say that everything was lost at that moment.

They should have been in comfortable lead at that point and not 3 points down, if they weren't out scored 37:13 in those catastrophic minutes. And 3 of those 14 points was Punter's very lucky of the board 3.

[Serbian_Layup]

Anything can happen in F4, but experience matters the most in F4 and they have nobody with that except Obra. We have seen in game 5, how they just totally melted down, when they saw the finish.

Sure, and when they were up 18 points, you just knew they were going to melt down, right? Too bad you didn't post it back then so I wouldn't hope too much.

I bet you were much closer to think it was going to be a blowout win for Partizan at that point. Keep acting like you knew it all when in fact you knew nothing.

It wasn't a meltdown. Smailagić fouled out, Lessort and Exum played both with 4 fouls and had to sit down for longer stretches. Real's depth decided the game, even with all of their absences. You just don't seem to understand that Partizan has basically 8-9 rotational players at this level (plus without Avramović for this game). Real has 15. Look at the freaking box score. Even without Deck and Yabusele, Real played with 11 players this game, two of whom had few minutes. Partizan played with 9 players, one of them with only 4 minutes and the other fouled out in like 8 minutes, which basically means they had to carry out this game with 7 players. Mental breakdown was not the reason why they lost this game.

If Partizan keep this core of players and improve their depth chart with couple of players, they will be among contenders next season.

[tonia]

They should have been in comfortable lead at that point and not 3 points down, if they weren't out scored 37:13 in those catastrophic minutes. And 3 of those 14 points was Punter's very lucky of the board 3.

Real should also have made most of their home advantage, instead of losing both 2 first games in Madrid ..
It's all about the way we look at situations.

[Killer Bob]

Sure, and when they were up 18 points, you just knew they were going to melt down, right? Too bad you didn't post it back then so I wouldn't hope too much.

I bet you were much closer to think it was going to be a blowout win for Partizan at that point. Keep acting like you knew it all when in fact you knew nothing.

It wasn't a meltdown. Smailagić fouled out, Lessort and Exum played both with 4 fouls and had to sit down for longer stretches. Real's depth decided the game, even with all of their absences. You just don't seem to understand that Partizan has basically 8-9 rotational players at this level (plus without Avramović for this game). Real has 15. Look at the freaking box score. Even without Deck and Yabusele, Real played with 11 players this game, two of whom had few minutes. Partizan played with 9 players, one of them with only 4 minutes and the other fouled out in like 8 minutes, which basically means they had to carry out this game with 7 players. Mental breakdown was not the reason why they lost this game.

If Partizan keep this core of players and improve their depth chart with couple of players, they will be among contenders next season.

What are you talking about? I didn't say that I knew that Partizan will meltdown, I say that they did, after being out scored 37:13. If -24 in crucial period in game 5 isn't meltdown, then I don't know what it is.

1. Tavares had 4 fouls in 3rd.

2. Deep roster? Ndaye didn't play almost anything the whole season. Causeur played first few minutes after being injured 4 months back and Randolph was out 9 months before this playoffs. All those got minutes only because there were nobody else. And then you have 3 over 35 years old players, who were avenging around 5 points in this season. Add Hanga who is averaging 4 points too. That's your depth.

3. You should ask Obra, why 37 old Sergio outscored the whole Partizan roster in crucial period. I doubt that the answer is not having enough players.

[Serbian_Layup]

What are you talking about? I didn't say that I knew that Partizan will meltdown, I say that they did, after being out scored 37:13. If -24 in crucial period in game 5 isn't meltdown, then I don't know what it is.

1. Tavares had 4 fouls in 3rd.

2. Deep roster? Ndaye didn't play almost anything the whole season. Causeur played first few minutes after being injured 4 months back and Randolph was out 9 months before this playoffs. And then you have 3 over 35 years old players, who were avenging around 5 points in this season. Add Hanga who is averaging 4 points too. That's your depth.

Real missed a handful of players for this game and yet Mateo could field 11 men rotation. That is not deep roster, no matter the age, form or whatever?

Partizan played the whole 4th quarter with crucial players in foul trouble. And one already was fouled out. They gassed out. Simple as that.

[Killer Bob]

Real missed a handful of players for this game and yet Mateo could field 11 men rotation. That is not deep roster, no matter the age, form or whatever?

Partizan played the whole 4th quarter with crucial players in foul trouble. And one already was fouled out. They gassed out. Simple as that.

Ndaye is not better than Vukcevic and Causeur and Randolph were not in condition to help Real, but Mateo didn't have any chance other than play Ndaye and Randolph because Poirier was out and Tavares in foul trouble the whole game and he can't play small ball without Yabusele and Deck.

You really don't see how limited Real's options were without all those players? Depleted front court and basically no chance to play small ball without 2 crucial players for that. Partizan might have fewer players, but they had players to play their game and Real didn't. Do you really believe that 37 years old Sergio dominating the ball is a winning basketball? Partizan had the game in their pocket but they just gave it away.

[Serbian_Layup]

Ndaye is not better than Vukcevic and Causeur and Randolph were not in condition to help Real, but Mateo didn't have any chance other than play Ndaye and Randolph because Poirier was out and Tavares in foul trouble the whole game and he can't play small ball without Yabusele and Deck.

You really don't see how limited Real's options were without all those players? Depleted front court and basically no chance to play small ball without 2 crucial players for that. Partizan might have fewer players, but they had players to play their game and Real didn't. Do you really believe that 37 years old Sergio dominating the ball is a winning basketball?

The reason why Obradović didn't play Vukčević is becasue he lacks physicality and can't stay on the floor. Ndiaye is very physical and strong, gave real presence in the paint and stonewalled Leday in the post couple of times. Causeur hit very important three which is more than Trifunović did for Partizan im 4 minutes, right?

Sergio Rodriguez is still a class. He can't win you a series, but he can win you a game. That's all Real needed from him.