Perhaps It's Time for Him to Play More

You followed the live coverage of the Crvena zvezda Meridianbet vs. Paris match on Sportal.

After a string of painful defeats at the Arena, Zvezda once again played a must-win game. This time, the red-and-whites emerged victorious, and once again, much like in previous encounters, captain Ognjen Dobrić was the hero.

It has become quite evident that Zvezda triumphs when Ognjen Dobrić receives extended playing time and when the club's homegrown talent delivers a strong performance. This was certainly the case against Paris.

Often underestimated by fans, and at times even by coaches like Saša Obradović and Ioannis Sfairopoulos in his previous tenure, Dobrić's name isn't typically mentioned among the key assets of the Belgrade giants. However, Ognjen once again proved that this oversight is unwarranted, and that his experience and years at this club truly count for something.

At a time when Jared Butler is in a serious slump, failing to deliver his usual performance for three consecutive games, when Tyson Carter is visibly still not match-fit, and when Nikola Kalinić, as has been the case for much of the second half of the season, isn't at his best – Ognjen Dobrić needs to play more.

Someone who understands the club, who knows what pressure feels like, and who still possesses serious quality, Dobrić is a player who has plenty to offer the red-and-whites in crucial matches. Just as he demonstrated against Paris.

Indeed, his three three-pointers at the end of the first quarter ignited Zvezda and the fans, following a few shaky minutes where the French team had clawed their way back into the game.

The Serbian international continued in the same rhythm, effectively shutting down Nadir Hifi, and even sinking two more three-pointers later on – one after two of his offensive rebounds, which ultimately extinguished all of Paris's hopes. In the end, the fan favorite from Mali Kalemegdan scored 19 points in just under 20 minutes on the court.

This was enough to earn him a standing ovation from the entire Arena – the fans recognized the contribution of their captain, a player who must feature more prominently as the season draws to a close, especially given the lack of significant contributions from other players in the same position.

It's time for Ognjen Dobrić to start getting more minutes.

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