"The Score Isn't Realistic!" Vlade Đurović Blames Butler and Miljenović for Zvezda's Loss to Partizan

"Partizan's victory was completely deserved. The scoreline doesn't reflect the game; Partizan should have won by a larger margin. I've already congratulated you three Partizan fans, and I congratulate the Partizan supporters as well. I honestly didn't expect this, though I had hoped, even saying it was 50-50. Now, Zvezda has compromised its chances, to say the least; there's even concern about finishing tenth. Zvezda still has two games they need to win, but the question is whether that will be enough. They might even need to beat Real, but how? Why should Carter have started? But that wasn't the decider. Zvezda managed to draw by halftime. The second half was decisive, where Partizan was superior. They didn't just have Carlik and Brown; everyone fulfilled their roles. Partizan missed many easy shots, but Zvezda couldn't find their rhythm. Four players couldn't even score a point. Miljenović's missed layup on the second attempt was crucial; it was a two or three-point game then, and everything went downhill from there. We're waiting for Butler to score something; he's 1/5 today, maybe one out of six. All credit to Partizan. I can't hide my disappointment; Zvezda had a chance to finish high but squandered everything in the last month." - Vlade Đurović

"When you can't find your best lineup, you try, you wander. This time, it's not simple; when the cards aren't falling your way, they just aren't. Dobrić had better minutes, but achieved nothing. Against Barcelona, he might have. Zvezda played poorly; Partizan played smart defensively. I was surprised that Partizan, with two experienced playmakers – one who is great overall, and the other, Calathes, who is smart – found themselves in situations where they were losing balls, turning them over. From a calm finish, they got to a 10-point lead. I thought there was no chance for Zvezda, but there still was, because Partizan started making mistakes. As a Zvezda fan, I have to say, it would have been undeserved. They deserved to win. I think there were 2-3,000 Partizan fans, and they outshouted Zvezda's supporters. They leave satisfied, while Zvezda's fans are sad. If they cry about it, nothing will be achieved. Zvezda can now win two games and potentially finish ninth or tenth."