MADRID, Jan. 13 (SportsFinding) –
The Real Madrid basketball coach, Pablo Laso, assured that his situation in the Euroleague gives them “confidence to face a very demanding week” with a double European day and closing in the Endesa League against Kirolbet Baskonia, and that he will start with the visit this Tuesday at CSKA where he hopes to “break” his bad personal statistics.
“I have not won on the CSKA field yet, but we have made good games there, with some ball to win, but I would like to break that streak as soon as possible,” Laso said Monday in statements collected by the club's website.
The Vitorian asked “to be prepared for a complicated game” and for “a very demanding week.” “We play with two great teams like CSKA and Khimki in the Euroleague and then with Baskonia in the WiZink Center in Endesa League, but the qualifying situation gives us confidence to face it well,” he said.
“If we count from Zalgiris it will be five games in ten days and also all demanding. We now link three out with the Students and the two in Moscow and finish with Baskonia, I think it is important to put that situation in the real context of the team” , added the coach, who confirmed the return of Llull and Deck, and the casualties of Randolph and Rudy Fernández. “Sergio is fine and is here to play for the work he is doing,” he admitted.
Laso does not look for excuses because they knew “the calendar since the season begins”, although he would rather “have more time to prepare” this duel against the current champion. “The team is working very well mentally every situation to adapt to different matches and tomorrow's Tuesday will be,” he said.
The CSKA did not hide that it may have less potential than in the past, but that it is demonstrating “a very large competitiveness”. “If you lose Higgins, De Colo and Sergio Rodríguez you lose a lot of talent and Clyburn's injury has hurt them, but they keep Itoudis's hallmarks,” he said.
“Defensively they are very aggressive, they have very athletic people in almost all positions and the arrival of Mike James has given them a very unbalanced player. Their field is complicated and their percentage of victories there is very high,” said the Madrid coach, who He stressed the importance of the rebound “because they are possessions for the team.” “But it has to be a team effort, to defend at a high level and have the ability to rebound. The CSKA is an example, with versatile and mobile pivots,” he said.
Finally, the former player reiterated that he is satisfied with his work. “The team is well and competes well, and that is what we always ask for. We try to be competitive every day and that the whole group has a leading role. The work of the whole team is what makes you competitive. We are calm and I hope to continue improving as a team knowing that we still have half a season left, “he said.