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<TD =negro align=middle>Playoffs analyst, Fred House: CSKA vs. Efes Pilsen
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House against CSKA</TD></TR></T></TABLE></TD></TR></T></TABLE>If you want to double your fun while watching basketball, keep your eyes on Fred House of Lietuvos Rytas whenever he takes the floor. House was all energy this season in helping lead L. Rytas to a stellar first appearance in the Euroleague, one that included a seven-game win streak in a group that later produced four quarterfinalists. That L. Rytas wasn't one of them, but that wasn't for lack of effort by House. He was the team's second leading scorer and one of the top stealers in the league all season. House also went head-to-head with both CSKA and Efes Pilsen along the way, making him more than expert enough to analyze the upcoming playoff series between those two teams. "CSKA likes to run, and Efes can too, so the key then is rebounding and taking care of the ball," House told Euroleague.net. "CSKA won't lose the ball much. They'll keep the rotation fresh and keep running. Efes has to keep up."
First, about the great rookie season for Lietuvos Rytas, how did you feel overall about what you guys showed this season?
I feel good, because it was the team's first time in the Euroleague, and what we did was a big accomplishment. We made a big shocking run with our seven-game winning streak in the regular season. We had a few little failures other than that, games we should have won, but we just didn't make the shots. You could make up a bunch of reasons, but in the end, it was our fault we didn't play strong enough to make the top eight teams. Despite some letdowns, I'm happy with the success we had and where we got. That will be good for all the players next year whether they play here or find opportunities elsewhere. I'm happy with what we did, but I'm not happy about having to watch now."
About the playoff series between CSKA and Efes Pilsen, the team you just saw in the Top 16 was CSKA. What do they bring to the table in a three-game series do you think?
"We just played against CSKA, and that team is very, very good. They have a rotation of players on the outside, with Vanterpool. Langdon, Holden and Papaloukas, that makes things very tough on other teams. That is a great rotation and those guys are the key for that team. All four can play, and can fill in at three positions, and they get the big guys the ball. On defense, they force the other team's guards to penetrate and bring the big guys behind to block shots. That creates a lot of turnovers. They have a good coach and they play well together. They don't have stars on the team, but the big thing is they know their roles. Trajan takes and makes his open threes. David helps the rebounders and makes his open shots. Holden penetrates and gets the other guys involved. They're really done a good job even though they are missing David Andersen."
Efes you played in the regular season, both teams winning on the road. What does that say about their team?
"That team right there is a team that doesn't quit. They are going to play until the last second. The first time we played them, I guess they were shocked. We jumped ahead with a big run and they couldn't catch up. When they came to our place, we were up again, but this time they saw an opportunity and took care of it. This team has a lot of go-to guys, even more when the point guard, Popovic, is there. Granger is a shooter and penetrator. Domercant has a good shot and is aggressive on defense. And their big men do a lot of good things inside. They have some let-ups, but this is a team that plays strong and serious."
Do you think there's a key to the series?
"I think the Efes four-man, Prkacin, and their other big men are going to have to do a good job inside. CSKA has four guys who go to the rim. Efes only has two, Granger and Domercant. The Efes guards have to their job helping on the boards, too. If do they do that, they'll find a lot of shots that the CSKA rebounders tip back. CSKA likes to run, and Efes can too, so the key then is rebounding and taking care of the ball. CSKA won't lose the ball much. They'll keep the rotation fresh and keep running. Efes has to keep up."
Which team do you like in this series?
"I think that CSKA will beat Efes because the Efes bench is not as deep as it needs to be. CSKA has all those guys playing three positions, and I can't see the Efes guys being that versatile. I'll go with CSKA because of the bench and the way they rotate - on offense, defense and substitutions. If you notice, you'll see Vanterpool up and down the floor a few times, then he's out and Langdon is doing the same, then he's out and Holden is in. They are never tired, and now I know why." </TD></TR>
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<TD =negro align=middle>Playoffs analyst, Fred House: CSKA vs. Efes Pilsen
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House against CSKA</TD></TR></T></TABLE></TD></TR></T></TABLE>If you want to double your fun while watching basketball, keep your eyes on Fred House of Lietuvos Rytas whenever he takes the floor. House was all energy this season in helping lead L. Rytas to a stellar first appearance in the Euroleague, one that included a seven-game win streak in a group that later produced four quarterfinalists. That L. Rytas wasn't one of them, but that wasn't for lack of effort by House. He was the team's second leading scorer and one of the top stealers in the league all season. House also went head-to-head with both CSKA and Efes Pilsen along the way, making him more than expert enough to analyze the upcoming playoff series between those two teams. "CSKA likes to run, and Efes can too, so the key then is rebounding and taking care of the ball," House told Euroleague.net. "CSKA won't lose the ball much. They'll keep the rotation fresh and keep running. Efes has to keep up."
First, about the great rookie season for Lietuvos Rytas, how did you feel overall about what you guys showed this season?
I feel good, because it was the team's first time in the Euroleague, and what we did was a big accomplishment. We made a big shocking run with our seven-game winning streak in the regular season. We had a few little failures other than that, games we should have won, but we just didn't make the shots. You could make up a bunch of reasons, but in the end, it was our fault we didn't play strong enough to make the top eight teams. Despite some letdowns, I'm happy with the success we had and where we got. That will be good for all the players next year whether they play here or find opportunities elsewhere. I'm happy with what we did, but I'm not happy about having to watch now."
About the playoff series between CSKA and Efes Pilsen, the team you just saw in the Top 16 was CSKA. What do they bring to the table in a three-game series do you think?
"We just played against CSKA, and that team is very, very good. They have a rotation of players on the outside, with Vanterpool. Langdon, Holden and Papaloukas, that makes things very tough on other teams. That is a great rotation and those guys are the key for that team. All four can play, and can fill in at three positions, and they get the big guys the ball. On defense, they force the other team's guards to penetrate and bring the big guys behind to block shots. That creates a lot of turnovers. They have a good coach and they play well together. They don't have stars on the team, but the big thing is they know their roles. Trajan takes and makes his open threes. David helps the rebounders and makes his open shots. Holden penetrates and gets the other guys involved. They're really done a good job even though they are missing David Andersen."
Efes you played in the regular season, both teams winning on the road. What does that say about their team?
"That team right there is a team that doesn't quit. They are going to play until the last second. The first time we played them, I guess they were shocked. We jumped ahead with a big run and they couldn't catch up. When they came to our place, we were up again, but this time they saw an opportunity and took care of it. This team has a lot of go-to guys, even more when the point guard, Popovic, is there. Granger is a shooter and penetrator. Domercant has a good shot and is aggressive on defense. And their big men do a lot of good things inside. They have some let-ups, but this is a team that plays strong and serious."
Do you think there's a key to the series?
"I think the Efes four-man, Prkacin, and their other big men are going to have to do a good job inside. CSKA has four guys who go to the rim. Efes only has two, Granger and Domercant. The Efes guards have to their job helping on the boards, too. If do they do that, they'll find a lot of shots that the CSKA rebounders tip back. CSKA likes to run, and Efes can too, so the key then is rebounding and taking care of the ball. CSKA won't lose the ball much. They'll keep the rotation fresh and keep running. Efes has to keep up."
Which team do you like in this series?
"I think that CSKA will beat Efes because the Efes bench is not as deep as it needs to be. CSKA has all those guys playing three positions, and I can't see the Efes guys being that versatile. I'll go with CSKA because of the bench and the way they rotate - on offense, defense and substitutions. If you notice, you'll see Vanterpool up and down the floor a few times, then he's out and Langdon is doing the same, then he's out and Holden is in. They are never tired, and now I know why." </TD></TR>
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