[video=youtube;QNCJiVpb7zk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=QNCJiVpb7zk[/video] Batum, Viktor Khryapa and Omar Cook all feature. I say we should pick a team to follow. NOT Barcelona, because they're the Spanish Lakers (and may acquire one or both Gasols if the lockout drags on). Unicaja has Freeland and Nancy has Batum, but neither will get anywhere. Real Madrid would be good because of Rudy and Sergio, but they're a team in transition (and not the fastbreaking kind) and probably won't make it. The safest bet is probably CSKA Moscow. Besides the Khryapa connection, there's also this reason: [video=youtube;UUDNEgEbspQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUDNEgEbspQ&feature=player_embedded[/video]
I'm guessing Sofo's block won first place because it was left-handed. Maccabi had two plays in the final 3 (?) in a game they've lost. There's a team in Israel supposed to be 2nd-tier (won't play in the Euroleague or any of the international turnaments) that already signed both Travis Booker and JJ Hickson! There is a bright side for even a full-season lockout, especially if you live in Europe.
Or is it trevor booker? but it's a guy I saw put up like 15 for the Wizards. Yes, the Wizards but still.
Unicaja now 4-0. Freeland leads the ACB in their equivalent of "PER". Video here. (Notice that this is the Spanish domestic league. Unicaja is 0-1 in the Euroleague: they got crushed by Greek powerhouse Panathinaikos, and Freeland played poorly.)
Full highlights now visible on the Euroleague homepage. Not much from Freeland before the fourth. In general, he does seem to play better in the fourth quarter. He seems to be becoming more and more Aldridge-esque. Athletic, but a very good shooter. Not as dominant on the boards as you might hope but very fundamentally sound. His game has certainly progressed steadily, but he seems to have made a jump in quality similar to the one LaMarcus made last season. This pick could finally be paying off! (Too bad about Claver, who seems to be regressing.)
LINK [video=dailymotion;xlzb79]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xlzb79_best-moments-sluc-nancy-bizkaia-bilbao_sport[/video]
He's #1 in the "Top 7" for this week's Spanish League: [video]http://acbtv.acb.com/video/4239-lacb-20112012-liga_regular-5-top7_kia:_contundencia_y_genialidad_a_partes_igual es[/video] And here're the highlights for the whole game: [video]http://acbtv.acb.com/video/4231-lacb-20112012-liga_regular-5-44-un_gran_de_colo_rompe_la_imbatibilidad_de_unicaja[/video] Note Claver doing essentially nothing. He stands around outside with his hands up and occasionally pumps his fist as De Colo hits another contested shot. He's ready for Nate! Freeland is widening his lead at the top of the "Ranking" ranking.
Euroleague (which, remember, is like the Champions League, in that it's the best teams from a bunch of top European leagues - including Batum's Nancy, Freeland's Unicaja, Rudy's Real Madrid, Kirilenko's CSKA Moscow, the two powerhouse Greek teams, Maccabi (or whatever they're called now) Tel Aviv, et. al.) Top Ten for Week 2: [video=youtube;UmhOm38DwqY]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmhOm38DwqY[/video]
