The working day Thursday was diabolical in the Euroleague, with defeats of the first three in the table (Baskonia in Berlin, Barça against Virtus and Monaco at the Partizán stadium), so Madrid can be first for his basket average overall (+81) if he defeats Lorenzo Brown’s Maccabi and Armani Milan triumphs on the Olympiacos court (+145 have those from Piraeus, the only average better than that of the whites). If both Real and the Greek team won, it would be a five-way tie at the head in the most exciting and unpredictable regular phase ever. Cabals to be entertained, although still without too much significance.
The most important thing here is the classic pulse of this Three Kings day with the Maccabi and the presence of Lorenzo Brown, who, at 32 years old, has gone from being unknown to the general public to leaving his mark on national basketball after his express nationalization and his exquisite Eurobasket, in which he was chosen in the ideal quintet and led Spain to the title. “An angel fallen from heaven”, they said in the Selection. An angel for whom there was some interest from Baskonia and Valencia before the summer, but who ended up in Israel, at Maccabi, with a two-year contract, although with the option of leaving for the ACB next summer. There is nothing tangible at this time about a possible landing of Lawrence of Albacete, as Usman Garuba baptized him with gold around his neck, in the country that gave him his passport. But today he will be at the WiZink Center, where he celebrated the fourth continental conquest of Spain in September, with the yellow work overalls. He comes to guide his people and beat Madrid.
That celestial spirit it has also been so for the National Team this season for Maccabi, which they lead in their challenge to get back into the playoff and return to a Final Four nine years later (since 2014, when he won the title against Real). Lorenzo is the fourth highest scorer in the Euroleague (18.1), the second assistant (6.6) and the fifth in PIR (19). And in the survey that we have just learned with the general managers, he appears voted in two categories, in the best passer (second after Calathes, from Fenerbaçe) and in the leader (second again after Micic and equal with Mike James, from AS Monaco, and Sloukas, from Olympiacos).
“Lorenzo Brown is a super player, a great player,” says Chus Mateo, who explains it: “He is showing what he is capable of at a very high level and making Maccabi play very, very well. Distribute a lot of assists, score and keep the rhythm of the game”. The Rockford point guard, 1.96, will be one of the great threats of a block that is “very physical and athletic”, according to the merengue coach, a rival that has won in four of the last five days, including the last one against the champion, Efes, 80-72 after a great Lorenzo-Micic duel with 23 goals and 7 passes from the Spanish.
The Maccabi, which could get Wade Baldwin back, is “the second team in the Euroleague that scores the most points after a loss and it will have to be taken into account”, warns Mateo. “Adams, Hilliard, Hollins, Colson are added to Lorenzo… with a great one-on-one and they play blocking and continuation very well. They fight to enter the top four and you must have a hundred eyes because they also cheat you in defense”.
Madrid arrives demanded after losing in Vitoria and against Barça and there is uncertainty about the situation of several players. come back hangaYes, that his coach can place in three positions, including the base, a position still with the roles to be defined. Rudy, for his part, is still out and Henzonja (personal matters) and Deck (muscular discomfort) could also miss the duel. One of the good ones, the most repeated in the history of the European Cup, with today’s 68 times (42-25 is the balance).