Scariolo: "The victories show we're on the right track"
"We have to be well prepared and I hope we can win in Valencia," Tavares told Realmadrid TV.
Sergio Scariolo and Tavares were interviewed by Realmadrid TV on the eve of their EuroLeague Round 10 matchup with Valencia Basket at the Roig Arena (Tuesday, 8:30 pm CET). The Real Madrid coach explained: "Yes, of course there are an accumulation of games and a lot of travel. It's a very demanding double-header. Playing in Valencia is one of the toughest EuroLeague trips right now."
"They've been one of the best teams in Europe at the start of this new season and this year they have even greater depth, talent, quality and experience. They're a well organised team who play at a very high pace. We can think about what's coming next later on."
Three wins on the road
"That has its merit, but we focus on the fact that it's only three games. Of course, that reflects well on what we're doing, it show we're on the right track, and we have things we can still improve on, which may take a little while. It also gives the players added confidence and shows us how compatible the players are, the different fives we can put out, our rotations, and varying approaches depending on the opposition. It's all about having a sketch, which of course must be flexible, but which is becoming more clearly defined."
Tavares: "Proud of how we're managing our away games"
"We'd struggled with lots of games on the road, so now we're starting to play better, stick together, and manage our away games better, and we should be proud of that. We've won three in a row away now, and I hope we win the game in Valencia."
Key areas
"We have to keep up our good work: being a solid unit, being able to dig in when it gets tough, as we know it will against a great team like Valencia. We have to do our very best to win the game."
Valencia Basket
"They're a team that has invested in every respect, from their arena to their squad. They're one of the teams to beat this year. We have to be well prepared and play very well if we want to win it, and we hope we can do just that."
His contribution
"I'll always be there for the team whenever I can, even if I'm not at 100%. The most important thing is to be there and to contribute. In the Barcelona game, I didn't know if I'd play from the start or not, but I knew I'd be able to get a few minutes in to help Usman and Alex whenever they needed it. I'll always try and be available for every game."