"Arena" to Ignite! Lithuanians Analyze Crvena Zvezda Ahead of Žalgiris Clash: "They Can Reach the Final Four, But If They Lose Tonight – Hell Awaits!"
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Lithuanian basketball journalists Donatas Urbonas and Gytis Blaževičius are convinced that Crvena Zvezda has made significant strides in their roster. Blaževičius emphasizes that the red-and-whites finally have a team capable of directly reaching the EuroLeague's top six:
"Zvezda can make the Final Four!"
In the best-case scenario, Butler and Nwora become key offensive players, supported by Moneke and Ojeleye. They play with high energy due to deeper rotations and fewer minutes, making them a tough opponent. They have offensive leaders, and the ball moves well. I believe they can directly make the playoffs as the sixth seed, Blaževičius stated.
His colleague Urbonas went a step further, asserting that Ibon Navarro could bring the same coaching impact to Belgrade as Pedro Martinez did, potentially leading Zvezda to home-court advantage in the playoffs:
Who creates offense after Cody's departure?
Last season, at one point, they looked like a Final Four team. Now they've improved the squad; I like their offensive versatility. Perhaps coach Ibon Navarro will bring a new style. I can imagine them finishing in the top 4, securing home-court advantage, and reaching the Final Four. With players like Weiler-Babb, Jones, Butler, Nwora, Moneke, and Dobrić, the Final Four is an achievable dream, Urbonas highlighted.
After the praise, the Lithuanian analysts pointed to the biggest dilemma for the new Zvezda – the departure of the team's former general, Cody Miller-McIntyre, and the lack of a classic play-maker:
Worst-case scenario? The group of players might not gel! They lack a true team engine, someone like McIntyre who was a general on the court. None of the new players are exceptional point guards. Butler is a scorer, Jones as well, especially from three-point range. Weiler-Babb is a great defender, but defense is his primary task. Who will organize the game and create opportunities for others? If they don't find a solution, their offensive potential significantly drops. Then I see them in the middle of the table, near the play-in zone, warns Blaževičius.
Risk of early collapse: Arena pressure is unforgiving!
Urbonas warns that a potential failure against Žalgiris could trigger a cascade of problems, given that Zvezda has three consecutive home games to start the season, followed by an away game in Dubai:
I can imagine fans not liking Navarro's Spanish style of play. What if they lose to Žalgiris at the start? They have three home games initially. If they lose all three, and then in Dubai, that would be a four-game losing streak. Then a coaching change could happen, which has occurred at Zvezda before. Such a poor start could completely alter the season's trajectory and leave them out of the playoffs, Urbonas concluded.
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