The Wisemen Know, Volume 4

Posted by Simas on February 8, 2012 in Euroleague | 1 comment

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After a season of guessing winners and losers and making fun of the unpredictable Lithuanian teams, a slightly different line-up of Wisemen will attempt to blow your mind away with their expertise and witty comments about Euroleague. Our panel consists of nine well-known and much-respected hoops personalities. Last year’s winner, basketball scout Alejandro Gonzalez, will attempt to defend his crown, but will face a couple of new challengers in his way this year in the shape of Tomas Van Den Spiegel, who is most known for being the most handsome seven footer ever as well as winning a couple of Euroleague titles, and two representatives from Turkey’s NTV Spor channel – the lovely TV reporter Sine Buyuka, who is the only lady amongst the Wisemen, and Ismail Senol, the play-by-play announcer for Euroleague games. The rest of the Wisemen are from the old crew – Slovenian coach Luka Bassin and three of the best European hoops writers Christophe Ney, Jacas, John Hobbs, Nick Gibson and Os Davis.

All of the Wisemen will answer three questions, making a pick in the EuroStep’s Game of the Week, then choosing between two players in individual duel for a higher ranking and finishing with what will be a pretty random question every week.

To make it even more interesting, there’s a catch involved. The experts have total freedom of expression, except for one quite significant limitation – the thoughts have to fit in a tweet-sized answer, which is only 140 characters!

Game of the Week: Bilbao or Real? 5-5

Alejandro Gonzalez: Can’t see Bilbao beating Real Madrid twice in a row, especially when Madrid plays for revenge and to close the deal to the next round.

Christophe Ney: Lets take Bilbao. They have my underdog feelings.

Ismail Senol: During the week, Bilbao shot 4/21 from three point territory. At the weekend, they went 9/18. Gameday is Wednesday, so Real Madrid will win.

Jacas: Real. Hoping for a reaction after losing the 2nd game in this three game midseason series.

John Hobbs:  Have a feeling that Bilbao will sneak this. They will be hungry and focused to stay alive and will cause Madrid all sorts of problems.

Luka Bassin: I have to go with Real… just have to go! It will be sweet revenge for ACB loss last weekend. Hala Madrid!

Nick Gibson: It’s cliché time: backs against the wall, must-win, all that other garbage. I think Bilbao handles it here like they did against Mirza & Co.

Os Davis: Incredibly, Bilbao is 2-1 vs. Real this season. Can they beat Los Blancos twice in four days? Sure; Madrid’s cooling off. Bilbao by three.

Sine Buyuka: Again? This is resembling last year’s El Clasico marathon. Hmm, if we go one by one, I believe it’s Madrid’s turn.

Tomas Van Den Spiegel:  Romanov? Giannakopoulos? Minucci? Who cares if you have Gorka Arrinda. Bilbao and Gorka’s hair all the way to Istanbul!

Duel of the Week: Who will finish more ranking – Sonny Weems or Chuck Eidson? 7-3

Alejandro Gonzalez: Would find many reasons to go with Eidson in a ranking value fight, but Barça role sharing is a concern. Lets say Weems this time.

Christophe Ney: Will be in Kaunas for the game, Weems will try everything but the Barcelona defense is too good. Still better RKG for him.

Ismail Senol: Sonny Weems hit the Euroleague TOP 16 rookie wall. (What up NBA?) Chuck will steal, rebound, block and draw some fouls. Eidson.

Jacas: Weems has seen reduced minutes under Trifunovic, so I’m going with Eidson.

John Hobbs: Zalgiris have nothing to be ashamed of after last week. So I think they will play with nothing to lose this week. I think Weems will lead

Luka Bassin: Weems. I think he is bigger factor for Zalgiris than Eidson for Barca. It’s good to be perimeter player in Zalgiris and big guy in Barcelona

Nick Gibson: It seems as if Weems has run out of luck on the ‘Here I come in a straight line; try and stop me’ front. Still, they lean on him. Sonny FTW.

Os Davis: Yeah, right, like BiE’s gonna go against the top vote-getter for the LKL all-star game on *this* site … it’s Weems.

Sine Buyuka: He never plays for the stats, but Eidson it is. Always. Picking Weems over Eidson is a crime, even if his rkg is higher in the end.

Tomas Van Den Spiegel:  Weems needs to up his top 16 game urgently or he’ll get traded for Ty Lawson. That should be enough pressure.

Which team has underperformed the most?

Alejandro Gonzalez: Back in summer many of us wondered if Milano stellar signing would be able to built a good, solid team. We have a clear, awful answer now.

Christophe Ney: Turkish teams in general are a bit disapointing.

Ismail Senol:  I can’t thank you enough Scariolo. Without you, I had to give a Turkish team name and you know, it won’t be so good for me. Milano.

Jacas: Efes is doing mighty fine considering The Machine is on the team. Milano doin alright despite poor assistant coaches. So, Fenerbahce.

John Hobbs: Maccabi Electra. They have a squad that knows eachother and has a mix of great experience and a bit of youth. Yet, I’ve not been impressed.v

Luka Bassin: EA7…Fenerbahce…EA7…Fenerbahce…I’m kind of not surprised about Milano, while Fenerbahce is big disappointment…so Fenerbahce.

Nick Gibson: Milano. #ShortestWisemenTweetEver

Os Davis:  Not even close: Maccabi Tel Aviv. Supposed to be a F4 contender and killing in the ABA … what is happening with these guys in EL?

Sine Buyuka: I thought Efes would be playing better bball by now. And EA Milano is a no-brainer there.

Tomas Van Den Spiegel: One point win  for Maccabi over Efes. B/c Maccabi has a coach to do way better & Efes doesn’t. Their underdog bball is something for Prokom or Nancy.