The last Clásico
“The reference points are the very high point scoring, which will probably drop as the teams know each other better, and the importance of rebounding. Then there’s always something new or surprising. We need to stay on high alert throughout the game.”
Importance of the clash
“Mainly for the standings. Catching a direct rival and doing it with a 2-0 record would be great. But we know it’s going to be very tough, we’ll need to be solid, focused and tough. It’s an important game, like all games against teams with similar records.”
Physical condition
“Pretty good. At this stage there are always minor issues, but how we managed the early months has helped us avoid serious problems and fatigue. We’ll decide the roster later.”
A special game
“You can feel all that comes with it. s around it. There’s always that rivalry that adds color, but I prefer to focus on the fact that it’s a game against a very good, experienced team.”
European basketball and whether this could be the last EuroLeague Clásico
“I haven’t thought about it. I understand there’s room to join forces rather than create conflict. I’ve been here many years and I enjoy this EuroLeague, but I also had three fantastic years in the NBA, where I appreciated their approach. Anything that adds rather than subtracts is good for European basketball.”
On Brizuela and Vesely
“We have to take them into account. They’re great, decisive players. Our identity must remain unchanged, but our game plan definitely considers them.”
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