Olympiacos 291
The Italian Maccabi: Why Montepaschi Siena must win the Euroleague
With the Euroleague quarterfinals tournament beginning later this month, many are penciling in either CSKA Moscow or FC Barcelona as 2011-12 title holders. (Indeed, the odds at a representative sportsbook have the former at 4/5 and the latter at 5/2.) Meanwhile, relative dark horse Montepaschi Siena (running, with shortest odds, at 11/1) may be under […]
Bundesliga roundup: Brose Baskets go for 18 threes in blowout; Bayern Munchen loses away again; Howard joins Ludwigsburg
From the land of Dirk, David Hein reports on a few happenings in Germany’s top division of basketball. Read on to find out about the divergent paths of Brose Baskets Bamberg and Bayern München, Matt Howard’s new home, and the Fraport Skyliners’ surprise win last week. Brose Baskets fend off pretenders Ratiopharm Ulm So much […]
Batiste buzzer-beater not quite enough; Olympiacos tops Panathinaikos, 78-77
As though Greece didn’t have enough problems on the weekend already, the latest Olympiacos-Panathanikos clash also ended in a bit of controversy yesterday evening. In short, the visiting Greens trailed throughout the game, digging themselves as much as a 20-point hole. However, Mike Batiste and Ioannis Bourousis helped bring PAO back in the second half […]
What good can Dominic James bring to Partizan?
Welcome to Partizan Belgrade, Dominic James! “Now,” wonders the Grobari fan, “what can he do for us?” BallinEurope’s man in Serbia, Marko Savkovic, takes a look at the former Marquette Golden Eagle vis-à-vis Dragan Todoric’s master plan for the club. In our praise of Partizan’s system of basketball, we’ve stated how this team’s success has […]
Euroleague Power Rankings: Do-or-die Week Edition
The key word in week three of the 2011-12 Euroleague Top 16 round: Blowout. The closest game was decided by eight points (Bennet Cantù 82, Maccabi Tel Aviv 74) and the average match showed a 16-point differential as certain teams (CSKA Moscow, FC Barcelona, Montepaschi Siena) asserted their superiority, a couple of sleeping giants (Olympiacos, […]
Euroleague Power Rankings: Big Red Machine, Blaugrana Rolling Edition
After a week two loaded with upsets and shocking blowouts, BallinEurope’s Euroleague Power Rankings go through quite a shuffling going into Top 16 round, week three … except of course at the top, where all indications have the championship matchup between CSKA Moscow and FC Barcelona feeling more inevitable than ever. How is your team […]
Euroleague Power Rankings: Top 16 Tip-off Edition
It seems like forever, but Euroleague 2011-12 resurrects itself for Top 16 opening night tonight. What better way to celebrate, reckons BallinEurope, than with some good ol’ power rankings? Once again, the caveat emptor-ish bit: These ratings are formulated from once source (namely yours truly) and are based on the way teams are trending at […]
Earl Boykins and D.J. Mbenga to Olympiacos – If so, when?
So it’s not quite Kirilenko-to-CSKA, but it’s got BallinEurope on pins and needles. To wit, the ostensible signings of Earl Boykins, a free agent currently listed as the shorter player in the NBA ranks, and fan favorite D.J. Mbenga by Olympiacos. For nearly a week, the story of the Reds signing the 5’5” Boykins has […]
Posters absoluts & Monsterdunken: The Eurocentric slam dunk of 2011 – plus 25 others
Before BallinEurope signs off for 2011, let’s give a late Christmas gift to the dunkaholics out there, shall we? Below runs a collection compiled through the year featuring dunks by Europeans, on Europeans or perhaps simply in Continental games. The first 20 will listed by competition, followed the top five runners-up and the champion jam […]
Euroleague Top 16 Draw: Final results, early reactions
Get ready for phase two of the 2011-12 Euroleague season, as today league officials will be determining the groupings for the Top 16 round. BallinEurope will be watching the live stream over at Euroleague.tv, though quite a few nations — Spain, Greece, and Israel among them — have local sports stations shows the draw as […]
Euroleague Top 16: Sorting out the advancement scenarios (plus Official Fearless Predictions™)
It’s one Euroleague game remaining in 2011 for each of the regular-season entrants, and with only four teams mathematically eliminated – Asseco Prokom, SLUC Nancy, Spirou Charleroi, Union Olimpija – a great many of the 16 matches on tonight and tomorrow night’s slate remain significant. BallinEurope takes a look at the opportunities for advancement into […]
Sergio Kerusch crushes with jam against Kyle Hines, Olympiacos
Right, so here’s a dunk of the week candidate for you. Former Western Kentucky Hilltopper and current rookie Sergio Kerusch got, like, 20 feet of air while posterizing Kyle Hines badly for his Aris Thessaloniki against Olympiacos on Sunday night. Though Kerusch’s jam gave the underdog visitors a 44-43 lead going into halftime, the Euroleague […]