Euroleague FINAL FOUR 2012 - Istanbul

[Red 7]

Who voted for PAO ?
I think it's very difficult to win the trophy this year. We barely make it to F4. (of course we had the strongest opponent in play off games)

And statistical, a 7/8 record is unachievable in my opinion. It would be crazy if that happen.

For me this year's trophy would be if Obradovic and Giannakopouloi bro, would stay in the team next year. I can't see Pana with out Zeliko. It won't be the same team never, and Itoudis as a head coach in PAOK, wasn't that good. (Good to be aware of that in case they promote him as a head coach in Pana.) Of course Itoudis after so many years spending next to Obradovic, as an assistant coach, probably he will have improve his coaching level/skills.

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1) Something else we should say for Istanbul's final four, is that Olympiacos won his Euroleague trophy with Dusan Ivkovic and now the same person coaching the team.
2) CSKA as many times they have participate to F4 along with PANA, they never won the trophy.

You had the strongest opponent in play off games? I think that Siena looked like the better side this EL season (and I'm not saying that because I'm an Olympiakos fan). Itoudis has a chance to prove himself if/when Obradovic leaves. By guess is that we'll see him at Madrid next season...

[Red 7]

I'll be rooting for Panathinaikos. They have two living European basketball legends - Saras and Diamantidis. They're two of the most experienced and smartest players in Europe.

Other than that, you still have Batiste, who's still dominating in the post. Then you have Calathes, a good PG, along with Logan. Sato, Kaimakoglu and Perperoglu are all great shooters. You guys are a well-rounded team, offensively and defensively. Plus you've got a load of fans cheering for you. You've got nothing to worry about.

With a name like macleopard13 I'm surprised you're not rooting for Olympiacos!!!

[Red 7]

Ι am worried only for Kirilenko Kristic & Kryapa, but mainly for Kirilenko. We can handle the others.

Man... you just described half the team...

[ozziem]

Im in here after a long break.. Unfourtunately, our silly Turkish teams are dominated. (also we have silly organizations like Turkish airlaines..., if they can support one Turkish team, we may have be champion but they prefer being sponsor of euroleague and they giver money to euroleage..)
I congrulate Greek teams, especially Olympiakos. We can watch 4 big teams in Istanbul, I think this will be the best f4 in last years.
I vote for CSKA, If they care , they will be champion. Kirilenko + Siskauskas is too strong for Pao and Barcelona. Sorry Olympiakos has no chance. They will be dominated. Cska must play with full concantration while playing Pao. Pao will play with full concantration in important matches. In normal condition CSKA will win, but From beginning of 1 st period, CSKA must take control and they have power for this. If the score will be close, and Pao thinks that tthey can beat Cska, Pao will win. CSKA can't win less than 5 points difference. This is imposibble against Greek team. I bet NBA teams can't beat Pao less than 5 points. If One team an beat Pao less than 5 points difference in İMPORTANT MATCH(F4), be Sure this team is really strong team. Beating Pao more than 5 points doesn't show that winner team is really strong, This is my though ofcourse , hard to explain. So CSKA Will beat +8 points againts Pao.
Barcelona andf Olympiakos match doesn't need to talk, Barca will dominate but Olymiakos is the highest performance team of euroleage this season, they spent less money , but they are in f4. (Look at silly Efes, they always spend money but no result )

CSKA beat PAO
Barca beat Olympiakos

CSKA beat Barca
Pao beat Olympiakos

and This will be the senario.

IF Pao didn't take cup last season, Pao would be champion with these squads in this season. In this situation , although hard to beat CSKA, they would beat.

[Shawshank]

barcelona gonna beat olimpiakos.But in the second semifinal i feel this gonna be something,cska is playing beautifull all year long and panathinaikos playing in final fours like champions always ! For me cska-Panathinaikos is the final,who gonna win this one this gonna become euroleague champs ;] I would be worry if were cska everyone sees them as favourites,but when you facing one game with experienced and championship calibre team as panathinaikos be carefull...My heart gonna be qit5h moscow team,but my brain says its gonna be tough

[Kwijibo]

I can't see Friday's match cuz i have party in University . Hope that we will win even if i don't watch them

[pohani komarac]

I can't see Friday's match cuz i have party in University . Hope that we will win even if i don't watch them

without you barca has no chance

from what i saw few days ago i'm not sure barca is favorite agaist oly. real bigs were killing barca inside until laso decided to put ball into begic hands. if barca low post defense will be like one against real grandpa papadopulos will have party

[Mindozas]

Will root for Greens, but my bet would be CSKA to win it all

1. CSKA
2. Barca
3. PAO
4. Oly

[Kwijibo]

without you barca has no chance

from what i saw few days ago i'm not sure barca is favorite agaist oly. real bigs were killing barca inside until laso decided to put ball into begic hands. if barca low post defense will be like one against real grandpa papadopulos will have party

I disagree. Tomic with krstic could be the best 1x1 center in lowpost. Papadopoulos is jsut a poor,old and slow version of them. Much easier to stop them. I am scared about other players like spaniulis (huertas and navarro defense is a shit) and the athleticism of hynes vs lorbek

[GS1905]

Foreign friends,does any one coming to Istanbul from this forum? After semifinals in 12 may there is derby in Turkey.Fenerbahce vs Galatasaray. I'm telling guys be carefull,bcs winner will be champion in Turkey,ı'm sure will be big events.Fighting,destroying etc etc.It will be thousands police everywhere in Istanbul.Bcs of last year match-fixed,big chaos in Turkey.People hate from eachother bcs of football...For final 4 best of luck for Pana

[klakis]

Then it is a good thing that olympiakos and pao fans will be there as well!!!
what a great opportunity to exchange our sports cultures!!!!
Idiots exists everywhere my friend!!!!
The F4 stadium is near the football stadium or in any place where the ''events'' you are discibing will be taking place???

[dengin]

fenerbahçe vs galatasaray football match will be played in saturday night at 18.00 cet.it won't be the same time with any f4 games.probably %90 of us won't care about semi finals.after the match we'll realize there is a f4 final at home.note for fans who'll come to istanbul:these week if you're in taksim region you shouldn't wear or chant about fenerbahce and if you're in kadıköy region don't the same about galatasaray.

[CG]

The logic thing is cska vs barca at the final

The best thing though for euroleague and turkish fans will be PAO vs OLY
All time match to rememberbest derby of europe in the highest final.

[Tallyhawk]

The logic thing is cska vs barca at the final

The best thing though for euroleague and turkish fans will be PAO vs OLY
All time match to rememberbest derby of europe in the highest final.

Well that's surely a good way to watch a basketball and a rugby final
It would really be a big game but if you look at it at a european scale I think that through the years rivalries like Pao vs CSKA and Pao vs Barca are also great classic derbies with extra history and motivation.
For me it would be better to win Cska and Barca to get the 7th and leave Oly for the domestic...fun!

[Billy Bounce]

2 days to go

Game 1: CSKA - Pao

CSKA is a heavy favorite & will bear the burden of a pressure here . If they lose, IMO they failed this season despite all other silverware they'll get in VTB, PBL, whatever.

Keys for the win to Pao: decent mid range & threes percents ( 40%+) cause it's that what separate their wins & loses this season. That's especially true minding CSKA will fill the paint with KKK: Krstic, Khraypa, Kirilenko.

Looking at CSKA's opponent's wins/losses kinda verify what is written above , plus when CSKA is unable to disrupt opponents team-play ( 17+ assists ) and doesn't force enough TOs (<11 ) to get easy transition points - they lose. Happened twice this season

Additional factor: if Obradovic will succeed somehow to piss off Teodosic ( Calathes?) , he would do a half of the work, because without Teo CSKA offense sucks balls & their defense isn't something to write home about.

Pace: fast pace (73+) is favorable for CSKA, slow rhythm ( <70) is better for Pao.


Game 2: Barca - Oly

Similarly to Game1 , Barca is a favorite, Oly strengths that they are much younger & have nothing to lose.

Keys for Oly to win ( yea, I cheer for underdogs ) : basically the same as for Pao: decent percents for mid range shots & threes , course Barca defense isn't joke & they will make sure Oly don't get open looks close to the basket.

Additional factor: to get Barca main offensive engine (Huertas) into a foul trouble, without him Barca offense drops from Offensive rating of 115.75 to 90.33 ( biggest impact, next only to Pekovic )

Pace: fast pace (76+, yea) is better for Oly ( lots of fast-breaks will give them both easy points & tire down aging Barca ), slow (71<) suits Barca .

[SimonT]

Does anybody know how many fans of each participating team will be there?

[GS1905]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZ5YM...feature=relmfu guys here is advertisement for Final Four Istanbul.Made by Turkish Airlines

[Tap]

3500 pao,3000 cska,2500 Olympiacos,1000 Barca

[madmax]

CSKA seem to have PAO's number the last few times these two teams played, so I expect another comfortable win for russians - their overall athleticism and quick hands will rush PAO offense and there will be plenty of rejected shots and steals for them to feast on.
As for Barca, they don't impress me this season, but reaching the final should still be a bare minimum goal for them, especially going up against young inexperienced OLY squad. I'll be rooting for greek team though, so best of luck to them.

[KWSN-Men]

3500 pao,3000 cska,2500 Olympiacos,1000 Barca

Over 4500 PAO fans was the last estimate on neutral sites.

3500 is yours.

PS: CKSA has never had 3000 fans on a F4.