Imagine a Crvena Zvezda fan who was away on a business trip and missed his team’s first four EuroLeague games.
He made it back in time for Round 5 and watched the game against ASVEL in Lyon. Those 40 minutes were enough to bring him up to speed.
In the first 20 minutes, Zvezda showed him how not to play. In the next 20, they showed him how it should be done.
And in the end, Chris Jones hit a buzzer-beater to secure a third consecutive EuroLeague victory: ASVEL 82, Crvena Zvezda 84.
A First Half on Autopilot
The energy in the first half resembled a casual practice session.
Chima Moneke knocked down consecutive threes at one end, then allowed easy drives at the other.
Transition defense was extremely poor.
Ten turnovers.
Watching a game like that, it’s hard to find any pattern. A six-point lead means nothing. Neither does a nine-point deficit.
Weiler-Babb Sets the Tone, Zvezda Refuse to Fold
The second half was a different story.
Zvezda conceded 46 points in the first half and 36 in the second.
But it wasn’t just about the numbers. It was also about the kind of baskets they allowed after halftime.
A Patty Mills three with barely a millisecond to get his shot off. A tough fadeaway by Gač, with Jordan Nwora right in his face – and a foul to go with it. A fortunate Besson three despite an excellent switch and Dejan Davidovac’s hand in his face. Tremont Waters knocking down shots from difficult positions.
Nick Weiler-Babb, who has struggled to find his offensive rhythm since the start of the season, may have played the decisive role in the fourth quarter.
He made two defensive mistakes late in the third – losing Mills on a backdoor cut and failing to box out Yves Pons, who grabbed an offensive rebound. But in the fourth quarter, he put the clamps on ASVEL’s hottest player, Tremont Waters.
Zvezda committed just two turnovers after halftime and got back on defense much more quickly.
More importantly, they showed a mentality that seemed likely to take this team a little longer to develop.
They refused to fold after missed layups and free throws – 13-of-19 from the line, with three misses midway through the fourth quarter – or even when it seemed the momentum had shifted to ASVEL for good. At 77-72 with 4:08 remaining, for example.
Chris Jones, Cool as They Come
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When you show that kind of resilience, perhaps you earn a little luck at the end, too.
Waters missed from a relatively good position, Semi Ojeleye grabbed the rebound with authority and handed the ball to Jones.
Jones has made plenty of important shots against Zvezda in the past. Now he has made his first big one for them.
His pulse might not even have gone above 60.
He strolled across half court as though he had just stepped out for warmups, got to exactly the spot he wanted and buried the shot over David Lighty.
Jones finished with eight points and nine assists, once again showing that he offers the complete package as a guard.
Different Players, Different Contributions
Jared Butler went 0-of-6 from the field. David Krämer was taken out of his rhythm by early fouls. Carter probably should have been taken out a little earlier in the fourth quarter.
And yet, Zvezda once again showed that something they have been saying since the start of the season is more than just a cliché: one of this team’s strengths is that you never quite know where the danger will come from on any given night.
Semi Ojeleye has been the constant, probably Navarro’s most reliable player at the moment. He does everything.
Moneke went from moments of brilliance to missed layups and even a missed dunk, but his overall impact was positive. Davidovac once again played his supporting role with the intelligence and efficiency that marked the best years of his career, while Zvezda were plus-eight with Ognjen Dobrić on the floor – the best mark on the team.
Jordan Nwora scored several important baskets in the second half, finishing with 17 points, but his defensive effort continues to stand out for a different reason.
Twice, he aggressively secured rebounds in situations where opponents might previously have knocked the ball out of his hands. He also made a sensible decision to pressure Gač in the fourth quarter, eventually committing a minor foul.
Not a single defensive lapse that would have left Zvezda fans with their heads in their hands.
Baldwin Steps Up, Đurišić Gets His Chance
With no traditional center available, a performance like Patrick Baldwin’s was exactly what Zvezda needed.
He looked considerably calmer, made several excellent reads out of the short roll, finished twice in the paint with a lovely touch and hit an important three in response to Mills early in the fourth quarter.
He didn’t look lost defensively, either, although defensive rebounding is not – and probably never will be – one of his strengths.
On his EuroLeague debut, Nikola Đurišić picked up four fouls, but he also earned a passing grade thanks to his defensive effort and commitment.
He will need more reps and confidence to offer more, but Zvezda have another player they can turn to.
Paris Up Next
Paris visit Belgrade Arena on Friday.
The fans have probably already penciled in another win, but the players cannot afford to repeat their first-half approach from Lyon.
The red-and-whites have a fine opportunity to make it four consecutive EuroLeague victories.
