Olympiacos – Partizan Analysis: Teamwork and Offensive Pluralism Lead to Another Comfortable Win

Playing the best basketball in the regular season and rightfully sitting atop the standings, Olympiacos has secured its home-court advantage for the playoffs. The game against Partizan at SEF was another challenging test for Georgios Bartzokas’ team, which they passed with characteristic ease. The final score of 82-70 against the Serbian side may not fully reflect the ‘decisive’ victory of the Piraeus team, who quickly took control of the game with double-digit leads. To achieve victory over Partizan, Olympiacos didn’t need Vesely or Fournier to carry the load nor any individual standout player. Instead, the team played their coach’s favorite style—movement without the ball, automation, and assists… even with the shot. A total of 25 final assists were recorded, showing how the players worked together and unlocked Partizan’s defense in various ways. Sasa Vesely had one of his quietest nights since returning to Olympiacos, scoring 17 points without needing to make a difference individually. The player who stole the spotlight and spread smiles was Nikola Milutinov, seemingly finding himself again. The Serbian center was named MVP of the match, excelling under the baskets with 10 points, 9 rebounds, 1 assist, and 3 steals. Vesely and Milutinov were the only double-digit scorers for Olympiacos, showcasing the offensive pluralism of the Piraeus team. Shaabani Lé struggled in his Olympiacos debut, failing to make an impact in the 9 minutes he played. The American guard couldn’t adjust to the red-and-white world, taking no shots in the offense. He entered the game contrary to his role, focusing on distributing the ball rather than taking initiatives. Recording just 2 rebounds and 2 assists, Lé is expected to reveal his true potential in upcoming games as he adapts to the well-oiled machine crafted by Georgios Bartzokas.