Scariolo: 'We are maintaining an excellent balance in the League and EuroLeague, and that should give us confidence'

Scariolo addressed the media on the eve of the EuroLeague game against Virtus Bologna, which will take place at the Movistar Arena (8:45 pm CEST, #Vamos): 'The game after the international window is somewhat atypical for all teams. We are no exception to this almost-rule. Players, especially those who have had many minutes and long trips, arrive tired and with some aches that always occur. Fortunately, nothing serious, but we need to see if we can complete their recovery. This is a game against an opponent that already defeated us in the first leg, obviously at a completely different moment. In fact, watching that game is very encouraging because you can see how much the team has evolved in terms of quality on both ends of the court since then.'

'We want to maintain this evolution against a very athletic, extremely physical opponent with a strong ability to attack the paint. They have great capacity and quality in game creation and ball handling. We need to be able to distinguish when we want to be aggressive and when we need to protect our paint. We must prevent drives, cuts, fast breaks, and offensive rebounds from leading to shots close to the basket. That’s the general idea, piecing everything together and assessing the condition of the players before deciding how to approach the game tomorrow.'

Confidence in being among the top four
'It’s very important. We have players coming from different experiences, some from here and others from elsewhere. Everyone recognizes that it’s not just a testament to the quality of the work done but also the ability to compete against top-level teams in the best EuroLeague ever. This is an objective assessment, not only due to the level of the opponents but also because of the wear and tear that comes with the intensity of the competition. There are two more teams, four more rounds, more double rounds, etc. At the same time, we are also managing the League very well. You can do well in one area and pay for it in the other. However, we are maintaining an excellent balance in both competitions. That should give us confidence to stay on the right path.'

Game plan
'We design the game plan based on the condition of the players. We have a very marked, well-defined identity, obviously adapting to the opponent at hand. But our team structure is very clear when everyone is in condition. One day, someone doesn’t have a passport; another day, someone is dealing with an issue or needs rest... These circumstances have recently occurred less frequently. The final plan is made once we have feedback on the players' condition. Obviously, it’s not ideal. Aside from the minutes and the travel, the players’ sleep data is very poor. We need to see how we can ensure performance without risking injury. It’s much more dangerous and serious to risk entering a danger zone for an injury to a player of this importance than to take a bit more risk and reduce their minutes.'

Calendar changes due to the conflict
'First of all, we celebrate the return of our Juniors, who have had moments of concern for themselves and their families, despite being very well cared for. Thinking about having foresight for unforeseen events seems like a contradiction in itself. What margin do you have in such a tight calendar? That was the original mistake. You can’t predict wars. There are much more serious and painful problems linked to wars than a basketball competition.'

'Within our microcosm of competition, with so little margin to reschedule games, that’s the mistake. An expansion of the participating teams must necessarily go hand in hand with a reduction in games. Everyone has agreed on this. Probably, from what I know and hear, that’s the direction being taken. But we are in the worst part of the season. With all this accumulation, and the added problem of these postponements, neutral venues, and these clearly unfair situations. Playing behind closed doors, open doors...'

Concern about some players' conditions
'Especially those who have had long trips and played many minutes. Against Virtus, it’s about understanding who we need to be very aggressive against and which players we need to prevent from getting close to our paint. It’s about finding that balance and being smart about it. That’s the key to the game, at least defensively.'

Disclaimer: Translation generated by artificial intelligence. It may contain inaccuracies.