Efes - Fenerbahce
Turkie - TBSL, Playoffs, Semifinals, Game 3
How Efes plays effectively in their arena: since mid-April, as the host, the famous Euroleague team has scored at least 96 points in every game.
The victory in the previous match of the big Turkish derby in the semi-final series of the Turkish BSL, away against Fenerbahce 92:90 (the triumph was secured by a three-pointer by famous forward Will Clyburn in the last second) - gave Efes a lot of confidence before their third semifinals match, in which they will be the home team. Interestingly, at the end of the Regular season, in the match played on May 16, Efes beat the same opponent 96:91.
It is obvious that in the matches that Efes, the team of the famous coach Ergin Ataman, plays at home, more points are scored than when this is not the case. Especially in duels against teams of similar or similar quality, i.e. when it comes to clubs from the narrowest circle of the best in Europe. And Fenerbahce is definitely one of them.
Fenerbahce, on the other hand, has shown in the previous two semi-final matches that they are ready to play attacking basketball. The triumph even 108:66 in the first match of the semi-finals, in front of their fans, is proof of that. But, Efes seems much more confident in the attack in their "Sinan Erdem Dome", they will count on the great support of 15,000 fans.
What is clear is that Efes is playing better and better since they finished their season in the Euroleague in mid-April. Since then, they mostly count on all healthy key players, and in the last 11 matches, they won nine times. Now, first of all, a better game is expected from the main playmaker Vasilija Micic – the Serbian guard scored only two points with an assist and a rebound in the previous game (mentioned victory 92:90) in almost 18 minutes on the court. He is apparently still recovering from a not too serious knee injury. Even with his reduced role, on the most difficult away court in Turkey, Efes managed to score 92 points - which is the best testimony to the attacking potential of the team.
Fenerbahce, on the other hand, is by no means an outsider in the next game. Previously, in the quarter-finals, the excellent Tofas team was convincingly defeated in two matches - in one, the team from Istanbul scored 98 points, and in the other, 93 points. In the 108:66 triumph over Efes at the start of the semi-final series (match played on June 3), as many as seven Fenerbahce players scored double-digit points! And the main playmaker, the famous Greek athlete and defender Calathes, had a great all-round role with nine points, six rebounds and five assists. This is a team that will know how to share minutes and physically match the opponent until the end.
With a game that will potentially be uncertain until the last minutes, it is easy to expect a large number of points from both teams. The most trophy-winning clubs of the BSL (Efes has 15, Fenerbahce 10 championship titles) invest a lot in success in the domestic competition. And not only that - it is extremely important for them to show that they are a more talented, attacking and powerful team than the other. The result is the spectacular two matches we have already seen from them in the semi-finals - and it will surely continue like that.