Euroleague Top 16: Week 5

After missing the last two weeks of Euroleague action, HoopsGrind is back covering the action on the old continent.

The implications of today’s games and possible scenarios can be found here.

This weeks’ action kicks off with Russian Giants, CSKA Moscow, squaring off against a resurgent Olympiacos side.

The key matchup in this game will undoubtedly be former backcourt mates Milos Teodosic vs. Vassilis Spanoulis.  Both guys have been playing great this season and are two of the best perimeter players in the Euroleague.

Another interesting matchup will be Andrei Kirilenko against a revitalized Georgios Printezis, who’s been playing excellent for this year and is big part of the reason Olympiacos has been winning games.  Olympiacos has also shored up their roster with the additions of former NBA benchwarmers players Joey Dorsey and Acie Law whose teams did not make the top 16.

– Nets owner, Russian presidential candidate, and billionaire Mikhail Prokorov is sitting courtside for this game.

– Ramunas Siskauskas, who started the game on Spanoulis, picks up two quick fouls and is replaced by HoopsGrind’s #2 rated overseas free agent, Alexey Shved as CSKA races out to a quick 8-0 lead.

– Joey Dorsey gets the Greeks on the board with a powerful move in the paint and promptly follows it up the next possession with a putback jam off a Spanoulis miss.

– CSKA can’t miss right now and pushes the lead to 13 thank to a three by Andrei Kirilenko.  Alexey Shved shows why I think he’ll be a good NBA player by posterizing an unfortunate Olympiacos defender and then draining an off balance 3 off in the corner coming off a screen.

– Free throws are the only thing keeping the Reds in the game at the moment.  It’s 30-16 CSKA after one.

– The game is quickly getting out of reach for Olympiacos thanks to CSKA’s suffocating defense and flawless offensive execution.  Olympiacos have opened up a 20 point lead.

– CSKA is an incredible 10-10 from the beyond the arc midway through the second quarter.  Jamont Gordon promptly breaks the streak with a miss.

– With a 28 point lead going into halftime, CSKA has all but locked their place in the top 8.  Andrey Vorontsevich leads CSKA with 13.

– Off topic, but my favorite football club Manchester City has opened up a 1-0 (3-1 aggregate) lead on FC Porto just 19 seconds (!) into the game thanks to a Kun Agüero goal.

– CSKA maintains a 30 point stronghold on the game going into the fourth quarter.  Everyone’s joining in on the action with Anton Ponkrashov and Darjus Lavrinovic now inflicting further damage on the Reds.

– Final score: CSKA 96-Olympiacos 64. Olympiacos will be in a hurry to get out of here as soon as possible…maybe have a drink or ten to forget this drubbing ever happened.  Vorontsevich had 15 to lead CSKA.

– Henry Domercant does one thing well and that’s score.  He’s the go to guy that Kazan relies on at the end of games and he’s delivered almost every time this season.  He can shoot, muscle his way to the rim, and operate in the post – one of the most potent offensive players in this year’s Euroleague.

– What a play by Roko Ukic to force overtime with a floater eerily similar to Luke Ridnour’s last night to save Fenerbahce’s Euroleague season.  For the time being, that is.

– A spirited comeback by Fenerbahçe and strong play in overtime ensure that their season continues.  Kazan really dropped the ball on that one…no pun intended.

– Doron Perkins was a heck of a pickup for Cantu.  He was the biggest reason why Maccabi’s defense was so potent last year.

– Mirsad Turkçan trending worldwide on Twitter…really?

– Huge shots by Dainius Salenga and DeJuan Collins to bring Zalgiris within striking distance.

– Keith Langford may very well have put a stamp on Zalgiris’ Euroleague campaign.  That’ll do it for the Sonny Weems era of Zalgiris.

– Cantu is eliminated from the competition with a Gianluca Basile missed buzzer beater against his former team.  Maccabi and Barcelona advance to the top 8.

– In other action, Milan scored an impressive upset over reigning champs Panathinaikos on the strength of 13 points from young Nicolo Melli

– Real scored an important victory over Malaga to stay in the race for the top 8.  Nikola Mirotic had 18 and 10 to lead Los Galacticos