Zalgiris will face Olympiacos in Piraeus as part of Round 10 of the EuroLeague. In that regard, the Lithuanian team’s head coach, Tomas Masiulis, commented on his next opponent.
In his opening statement, Tomas Masiulis said:
“We’re facing a strong opponent with deep traditions. For years they have been playing in the Final Four, so it won’t be easy in front of their home crowd, but it will be a good test for us. The most important thing will be to stop their ball movement and respond to their physicality. Olympiacos stands out with its physical strength.”
Coach Masiulis also commented on former Zalgiris player Keenan Evans, who returned to the court after a 533-day absence due to injury:
“If he’s healthy and ready, he can change the entire face of the team. They needed another ball-handler. We know from his time at Zalgiris how much and how well he can play, and he will be a very important player.”
Evans is not the only one returning to EuroLeague action after an injury. Zalgiris guard Dovydas Giedraitis is also making his comeback:
“First of all, he earned his place last season with his defense. At the start of the season, we considered him one of our best defenders. We can make even greater use of his defense and his ball-handling. He is a player who can guard the opponent’s best scorers.”
Additionally, Masiulis confirmed that Nigel Williams-Goss will not play in this double round, and he also commented on the one-day rest advantage their opponent, the Dubai team, will have in Round 11:
“I think it’s quite a big advantage. They have two home games, while the other team travels and has one day less for recovery. As I said, we can’t change anything, so we’re trying to be as prepared as possible.”
On a question is the trip to Dubai special in any way, Masiulis responded:
“Not yet. I know that it’s extremely difficult for the players. Still, all teams travel in a similar way, and we must adapt.”
Both Zalgiris losses in the EuroLeague this season came against very physical teams (Crvena Zvezda and Milano). Now, the reigning Lithuanian champion will face another similar opponent.
“We’re trying to explain to the players that if the opponent is pressuring you physically, you can’t take a step back — you need to step forward. We need to respond in the same way. If you run straight, no one will let you receive the ball. You need to do something beforehand. The better the player, the more steps he needs to take in the opposite direction to receive the ball where he wants to play. These are basic things, but we’re trying to explain to the players that nothing will come easy.”
Zalgiris currently has a 7-2 record in the EuroLeague and shares first place in the standings with Crvena Zvezda and Hapoel.
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