EL2022/23 - The Final Four (Kaunas)

[Killer Bob]

https://twitter.com/marcabasket/status/1660910056219525120?s=46&t=ZwFe0o3ePrgaWOU-eXvWaw

His European career ended even quicker than I expected.

[Jazz]

F4 is special format, it's very difficult to win it, even when you have far the best team. You can look at last 10 years or from the beginning, result is the same, Real the best team. And like things are standing no one will come close soon, if ever.

3 titles for Llull's Real is great achievement, Barca in the whole history has 2.

It's not the fate, Real survived Partizan and players have suddenly begun to believe. They didn't panic ever, not in game 5 being 18 points down, not against Barca in first half, when Barca couldn't mss and not against Oly. They were double digits down in every game and always came back. Their opponents on the other side weren't nowhere near that conviction. All 3 teams have broken under pressure in the end. People are saying Real didn't deserve it, I see things totally different. They deserved the most, because of the difficult path they took.

True about Barca. Feels like they could be waiting a while for title number 3.

It was an interesting role reversal for Olympiacos after all those times they went into Final 4s as the underdogs and typically making comebacks late in games.

[Levenspiel]

Plus, before Llull hit the winning shot I kept thinking of what someone on here posted (sorry can't remember who it was right now) about fate being on Real's side.

I thought you were referring to me here, but no. When Llull hit that shot, I remembered saying after the Barca-Real game in the RS where they were about to win it but lost with Llull's missed shot that "Real shows too much respect for their legends and lose". And here they trust him for the most important shot of the season, and he makes it. I guess they know something.

[Killer Bob]

My bad, I meant the 2016 playoffs. Forgive my confusion, Sloukas and Fener gave Real more than a few problems in those years.

3 in 8 is very good but it's quite selective to count only from 2015, especially when there were several F4 disappointments in the preceding years and Llull has been with real since 2007...
2012-14 there was a serious argument for Real being the best team in those seasons and they were certainly the most entertaining.

In all seriousness, Real's three veterans have played so many F4 games at this point that they weren't going to be phased by the occasion at all.
Plus, before Llull hit the winning shot I kept thinking of what someone on here posted (sorry can't remember who it was right now) about fate being on Real's side.

F4 is special format, it's very difficult to win it, even when you have far the best team. You can look at last 10 years or from the beginning, result is the same, Real the best team. And like things are standing no one will come close soon, if ever.

3 titles for Llull's Real is great achievement, Barca in the whole history has 2.

It's not the fate, Real survived Partizan and players have suddenly begun to believe. They didn't panic ever, not in game 5 being 18 points down, not against Barca in first half, when Barca couldn't mss and not against Oly. They were double digits down in every game and always came back. Their opponents on the other side weren't nowhere near that conviction. All 3 teams have broken under pressure in the end. People are saying Real didn't deserve it, I see things totally different. They deserved the most, because of the difficult path they took.

[Jazz]

I remember very well 2017, because I was watching it in Istanbul. Do you know that Llull has scored 28 points in semis, so he was hardly the 1 to blame. On the other hand Sloukas with 9 points was hardly instrumental for the win.

Real has won 3 titles in last 8 seasons, it looks pretty impressive to me.

My bad, I meant the 2016 playoffs. Forgive my confusion, Sloukas and Fener gave Real more than a few problems in those years.

3 in 8 is very good but it's quite selective to count only from 2015, especially when there were several F4 disappointments in the preceding years and Llull has been with real since 2007...
2012-14 there was a serious argument for Real being the best team in those seasons and they were certainly the most entertaining.

In all seriousness, Real's three veterans have played so many F4 games at this point that they weren't going to be phased by the occasion at all.
Plus, before Llull hit the winning shot I kept thinking of what someone on here posted (sorry can't remember who it was right now) about fate being on Real's side.

[ronmercer80]

That Vezenkov is better player than 20% of curent nba players im sure.But nba its all about situation players gets in.

One thing when 19 old european kid is drafted by nba and he can spent 2-3 years on bench and working with skill coaches and finally gets real minutes.

Tottay diffrent when eurleague star goes to nba at his peak years and dont have time 2-3 years of waiting and need to build his name from basically zero in nba people eyes

nba caoches basically have no clue who is best euroleague players unless that player is their draft pick.Enough to hear how biggest nba podcasters like Windhorst or Lowe talks about euroleague,for them is like some china league

Of course the coach and the rest of the team must believe in the European player especially if he is already 26 years old. But if not I wonder why they should sign him. Better to renounce forever.

Vezenkov has plenty of scoring alternatives and he seems to fit perfectly to the NBA iso systems. His defensive abilities would be perhaps the biggest issue.

[Straight forward]

Situation is good for Vezenkov. Brown visited to see him which shows serious intentions. Kings offense and overall structure of the club (offense prevails defense) fits well too. Only Jokic would be better fit for Vezenkov other than Sabonis. So EL MVP has a very good shot to become Kings role player.

[Shawshank]

That Vezenkov is better player than 20% of curent nba players im sure.But nba its all about situation players gets in.

One thing when 19 old european kid is drafted by nba and he can spent 2-3 years on bench and working with skill coaches and finally gets real minutes.

Tottay diffrent when eurleague star goes to nba at his peak years and dont have time 2-3 years of waiting and need to build his name from basically zero in nba people eyes

nba caoches basically have no clue who is best euroleague players unless that player is their draft pick.Enough to hear how biggest nba podcasters like Windhorst or Lowe talks about euroleague,for them is like some china league

[papaluk4mvp]

Meh, that's very similar to Sloukas travel vs Fener. No one would ever call that and that's fine imo.

I tend to agree,however comparing to Sloukas here Llull is steady and he moves both feet.However it is very difficult to call it

[Killer Bob]

Seems like Llull go for a walk

Lol. I'm sure you have complained about Sloukas' buzzer beater too.

[paspalj]

Seems like Llull go for a walk

Meh, that's very similar to Sloukas travel vs Fener. No one would ever call that and that's fine imo.

[papaluk4mvp]

https://twitter.com/outbasket/status...Xufgpe27N36RpA

Seems like Llull go for a walk

[papaluk4mvp]

https://twitter.com/outbasket/status/1660593961319161858?s=48&t=OlH81nbkXufgpe27N36RpA

[Killer Bob]

Vezenkov can be easily a stable double-digit NBA scorer and add a respectable number of rebounds. Working and understanding the game would further improve his numbers. It's up to him. I would go there now, immediately, or otherwise say no to the American dream forever.

Look, it's not that simple in Nba. First you have Nba stars, then you have already proven rotational players, then you have young prospects and at the end you have not anymore young players from Europe. And Kings will be with big expectations next year, it's a different situation than playing for tanking team.

He probably would be able to produce 10+ points, if he gets 25+ minutes. Problem is, that's very unlikely. The most likely scenario is that he will finish deep on the bench, like Cancar or both Hernangomez brothers.

[ronmercer80]

Vezenkov can be easily a stable double-digit NBA scorer and add a respectable number of rebounds. Working and understanding the game would further improve his numbers. It's up to him. I would go there now, immediately, or otherwise say no to the American dream forever.