Euroleague Playoff analysis: Olympiacos vs. Siena
Two of the Euroleague’s strongest teams over the past decade will lock horns for a single Final Four spot when Greek powerhouse Olympiacos goes against perennial Italian League champion Montepaschi Siena in their best-of-five Quarterfinal Playoffs series. The Reds from Piraeus are looking to reach the Final Four for the third season in a row, while Montepaschi aims for its fourth appearance since 2003. Despite their rich traditions, these teams have only played twice before, with Siena winning both games in the 2007-08 Euroleague Regular Season. These teams survived the Top 16 despite losing key players to injuries: the Reds were without former All-Euroleague big man Ioannis Bourousis for two games, while Montepaschi missed All-Euroleague point guard Bo McCalebb for all six. McCalebb nearly led Partizan past Olympiacos in the semifinals of last season’s Final Four before losing in overtime. Both players are expected to suit up in the Playoffs. The series features a clash of styles as Olympiacos ranked third in the Euroleague in scoring (79.1 ppg.), while Montepaschi allowed the second fewest points in the competition (67.8 ppg.). The two teams have several former Final Four participants – including the head coaches – and multiple past Euroleague champs on the roster, so expect to see both ready for the level of intensity that the Quarterfinal Playoffs brings with it. Read more here.