Round 6 of the Top 16 could feature some heroic efforts with so many teams clawing for five remaining quarterfinals berths, so getting efficient scoring performances from star players may make all the difference.
Stats review: High-volume scoring efficiency
Stats
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High-Gravity Matchups
With only UNICS Kazan and Virtus Segafredo Bologna having locked up quarterfinals berths after Round 4, several teams had a chance to advance in Round 5. However, only AS Monaco punched its ticket to the next round with a narrow victory over a Nanterre 92 team that made a late rally. Dee Bost scored 22 points, Rob Gray 21 and Marcos Knight 19 as the club’s top options delivered in impressive fashion to carry them to a narrow 98-94 victory.
Gray was particularly efficient in Round 5 needing only 14 possessions to score his 21 points, which was an important factor in his team’s win considering how close this game wound up being late in the fourth quarter. This type of performance is nothing new for Gray, he has been one of the most efficient players in the Top 16, averaging 1.32 points per possession over 15 possessions per game helping propel Monaco to an early qualifying spot.
Round 6 Heroes
With one round left and five quarterfinals spots remaining unclaimed, the stakes could not be much higher. With so many teams having something to play for, the action on the court figures to be especially intense.
Teams that get a performance from one of their main scorers like the one Monaco got from Gray in Round 5 figure to be in prime position to advance. Hero ball is not really a thing in the EuroCup; no team in the Top 16 uses more than 6.7 isolation possessions per game, but that doesn’t mean Round 6 will be without heroes.
Of the 198 players to use a possession in the Top 16, only 12 have used over 16 possessions per game. The graphic above lists the four most efficient players in that group. While there are a lot of ways for a player to be a hero for their respective clubs, these players have delivered consistently while carrying heavy offensive burdens.
Some teams play a more balanced style than others, but for most, individual usage often varies significantly from game to game. However, the players above figure to play especially prominent roles in their teams’ ability to score key Round 6 victories.
Jaka Blazic has led the Top 16 in scoring, proving extremely opportunistic when he slides off the ball or can get in transition for Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana. Isaia Cordinier has made jump shots off the dribble at an excellent rate for Nanterre, Isaiah Whitehead has been prolific from all three levels and Jordan Crawford has been a force in the pick-and-roll, but the how is not as important as the when at this point. Whether it is the group above or a less-productive player, the drama of Round 6 should produce its share of heroes ahead of the EuroCup playoffs.