Regular Season
Round 23 of 34
Group Regular Season
w
w
w
w
w
l
w
l
l
w
Reds' Michalis Lountzis filled the shoes of Sloukas
Article
3 mins read
It’s fair to say that Michalis Lountzis has not exactly been a fundamental part of Olympiacos Piraeus’s title challenge so far this season…until, that is, a monster performance from the 24 year-old guard in Friday night’s 76-70 victory over Anadolu Efes Istanbul.
Heading into the game at the Peace and Friendshjp Stadium, Lountzis was averaging 1.1 points, 0.9 rebounds and 0.6 assists per game, with 6:23 playing time and a PIR of 1.8. His season high was 4 points, achieved against Virtus Segafredo Bologna in Round 12, and five of his 10 appearances resulted in 0 points scored.
That was in large part because Lountzis was not really needed, acting as the fifth guard in Olympiacos’s rotation behind Thomas Walkup, Isaiah Canaan, Kostas Sloukas and Giannoulis Larentzkis. But injury to Sloukas meant that Lountzis was given an enhanced role for the visit of Efes, and he stepped up magnificently.
He smashed his previous career high of 5 points by netting 13 with great efficiency, making 2 of 3 two-point attempts and all 3 of his triples. Three of those baskets came in a key phase midway through the second quarter, allowing Olympiacos to take control of the game that would never really be lost despite a spirited Efes attempt to comeback in the final quarter.
Lountzis wasn’t only notable for his offense – he also did a great job on the defensive end by grabbing 7 rebounds and 2 steals, carrying out the far-from-straightforward task of guarding Shane Larkin and Vasilije Micic with non-stop energy and commitment, consequently limiting Efes’s danger men to 10 points apiece.
Lountzis’s teammates certainly appreciated his efforts, with top scorer Sasha Vezenkov using his post-game TV interview to laud just one man: "I will not talk about myself or the game," Vezenkov said. "I will talk about Mike Lountzis, what he did today and what he’s doing lately to step into the shoes of, for me, the best pure point guard in Europe right now.
“To go and play the minutes of Kostas Sloukas is really tough, but he’s always ready and I think this is the most important thing for the victory. When your 12th player, let’s say, is ready to play the game, I think that’s the most important thing.”
And with Lountzis playing like this, Sloukas can recover from injury safe in the knowledge that his understudy is making all the right moves.
Game Videos
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/7Fr-KD77XUc/sddefault.jpg]()
Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Championship Game Post-Game Press Conference
- 03:50
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2023/05/21/l2YqJbml237ZyXQkd9iAIFljuDZN4LL3-1684697245425.jpg]()
Olympiacos Piraeus - Real Madrid | Championship Game | Highlights
- 00:11
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/fd1d7e4d-e411-40a0-9154-ab8c5876716a.jpg]()
7DAYS Magic Moment: Sloukas's look-away dish!
- 00:09
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/c604725d-3e31-46b4-8202-c0fa03975f0d.jpg?crop=3000%3A1688%3Anowe%3A0%3A95]()
7DAYS Magic Moment: Vezenkov blocks Williams-Goss!
- 00:18
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/b3b4e38d-4b74-426b-8884-393c7067854c.jpg]()
7DAYS Magic Moment: Bolomboy avoids Tavares!
- 00:20
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/082b32ac-722c-4e3f-8239-afc5b3e380c8.jpg]()
7DAYS Magic Moment: Olympiacos fastbreak!
- 02:03
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2023/05/20/pUN5Y9LOEMdLt1vkDJFQyyrJwTAnBJBK-1684606392688.jpg]()
Tarik Black, Olympiacos: 'We’re a very cohesive group'
- 04:03
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2023/05/20/s9mvx8AE5laKJTnjQxJCJOP1iBbbpJ8Y-1684570856647.jpg]()
Sasha Vezenkov: ‘This award gives me motivation to continue improve myself’
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/dD5mYF0XRy8/sddefault.jpg]()
Championship Game Press Conference
- 03:39
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2023/05/19/FUJ5GrhPExb3810Ie8rq7ixuDzOj7Mvf-1684520370284.jpg]()
Olympiacos Piraeus - AS Monaco | Semifinals | Highlights
- 01:26
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2023/05/19/6msN8rDocnXWEpk95d61Wmt7YCrRarTy-1684518010193.jpg]()
Post-game interview: Moustapha Fall, Olympiacos Piraeus
- 01:01
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2023/05/19/FlyVwim5cPZRlKVmMs2FQhscso5IIkYh-1684517572056.jpg]()
Post-game interview: Georgios Bartzokas, Olympiacos Piraeus
- 02:24
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2023/05/19/WOzjtuzspndzUR0YbiLY24BicGfcB4WQ-1684517548290.jpg]()
Post-game interview: Thomas Walkup, Olympiacos Piraeus
- 01:14
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2023/05/19/8oJO9LD38Q6FIPtKQpkAXDHo4IBAhIWd-1684517368625.jpg]()
Post-game interview: Sasha Vezenkov, Olympiacos Piraeus
- 00:58
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2023/05/19/llJFDltoJ7VxOIRc7eVXMQLxZUmB2kzm-1684516778565.jpg]()
Post-game interview: Kostas Papanikolaou, Olympiacos Piraeus
- 00:12
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/e9e9a9f4-184d-436d-ae4a-58b49ae9cd23.jpg]()
7DAYS Magic Moment: Fall's dunk and 1!
- 00:11
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/fb2cae57-a88b-41e1-bb04-b8d3c020346c.jpg]()
7DAYS Magic Moment: Fall fights for a dunk!
- 00:11
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/d9d22cbf-2f90-4beb-86ad-bf0bf4042da7.jpg]()
7DAYS Magic Moment: Walkup sets up Vezenkov dunk!
- 02:53
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2023/05/18/bn0N1d7Re3A1CoCVjOOAc8wfC9cIWJNB-1684419266270.jpg]()
Olympiacos vs. Monaco: Tradition takes on ambition
- 02:18
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/f06a2321-a98a-4ed5-848e-2b36a1375be0.jpg?crop=2400%3A1350%3Anowe%3A0%3A646]()
Isaiah Canaan, Olympiacos: 'Misses is for a lady'
- 00:55
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/7062cc2a-24bd-4264-8a7a-ee94ab2ed3f3.jpg?crop=3295%3A1854%3Anowe%3A111%3A199]()
Sasha Vezenkov, 2022-23 MVP: 'We came here for a battle'
- 02:05
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/2502a21a-a921-4aab-baa0-c1637b208ef6.jpg]()
Team Arrivals: Olympiacos Piraeus
- 01:11
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/dedde569-4569-42ef-b7e1-589a92c02c78.jpg?crop=2400%3A1350%3Anowe%3A201%3A268]()
Moustapha Fall: ‘It’s always better to have experience’
- 02:35
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/59cf2235-ca0b-4311-841d-bd26e2543af1.jpg?crop=2592%3A1458%3Anowe%3A0%3A208]()
Alec Peters: 'EuroLeague gets your heart beating'
- 01:18
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2023/05/14/lfWMnqqBNxp7XDQTbttJaWjflZCpypj6-1684098506236.jpg]()
2022-23 All-EuroLeague First Team: Sasha Vezenkov, Olympiacos Piraeus
- 04:23
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2023/05/12/b2UbpxysZ6ILMe4mElF63AnjtDtxCXAT-1683891242339.jpg]()
First-time feelings: Tarik Black, Olympiacos
- 02:25
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2023/05/12/3Dr3suxtk0wOSYcXfundkEw6Zct3ntWz-1683887667259.jpg]()
Top 5 Plays: Olympiacos Piraeus
- 03:34
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2023/05/09/siqOBjVoqeyWTjtWAK8TEhqHJO1grWpV-1683667405079.jpg]()
Olympiacos Piraeus - Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul | Playoffs Game 5 | Highlights
- 00:42
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2023/05/09/D0KL3SBxliYw2FKc9nVGVMzybIHHoNaa-1683665447829.jpg]()
7DAYS Magic Moment of the Night: Kostas Sloukas scoops and scores!
- 00:10
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/4ad5fd13-85cc-418b-8750-698111a99f06.jpg?crop=2225%3A1252%3Anowe%3A255%3A118]()
7DAYS Magic Moments: Kostas Sloukas with his 1,500th assist!
- 00:12
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/435fafef-43a5-4b81-89e4-a52a3bd30b75.jpg]()
7DAYS Magic Moments: Kostas Sloukas scoops and scores!
- 00:19
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/0bcb7f74-0131-4b3b-b0dc-15fb0447dd02.jpg]()
7DAYS Magic Moments: Papanikolaou beats the buzzer!
- 00:08
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/76ef94fc-1281-4a7c-9110-bddd20576ba1.jpg]()
7DAYS Magic Moment: Moustapha Fall's nifty assist!
- 00:16
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2023/05/05/6cZCekqKofwuDI81ZGd6ofrVZprKrbIB-1683320467042.jpg]()
7DAYS Magic Moment of the Night: Papanikolaou’s transition slam!
- 03:37
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2023/05/05/iCkCbzzBkqwtgDl7YEsFl6zgJJA2jzcd-1683317858195.jpg]()
Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul - Olympiacos Piraeus | Playoffs Game 4 | Highlights
- 00:09
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/b79c97a6-12d5-40c6-ae25-e552bdced1b8.jpg?crop=2400%3A1350%3Anowe%3A331%3A177]()
7DAYS Magic Moments: Moustapha Fall with the rejection on Tonye Jekiri!
- 00:12
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/736467e0-002c-4b1a-8c27-01a0542b5f53.jpg?crop=1652%3A930%3Anowe%3A853%3A25]()
7DAYS Magic Moment: Kostas Papanikolaou’s transition slam!
- 00:37
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2023/05/03/90StV96gO22f7IAGTXwG8uR71u7AtRti-1683147380463.jpg]()
7DAYS Magic Moment of the NIght: Sloukas wins it!
- 03:36
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2023/05/03/JpRtQ5xKRPw7x6MlSGhibqd4K0cgqEwJ-1683146158168.jpg]()
Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul - Olympiacos Piraeus | Playoffs Game 3 | Highlights
- 00:55
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/dbe9b7fe-2b66-4d61-a2e4-a3ef6cb22c46.jpg?crop=2400%3A1350%3Anowe%3A313%3A65]()
7DAYS Magic Moment: Sloukas wins it!
- 00:13
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/21b11083-7be9-4df4-a6e9-73b2ac32e457.jpg?crop=2400%3A1350%3Anowe%3A209%3A267]()
7DAYS Magic Moment: Vezenkov from deep
- 03:32
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2023/04/28/uiJUE6acrF5FhpMUYTgIp5hJzanSeViq-1682716603106.jpg]()
Olympiacos Piraeus - Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul | Playoffs Game 2 | Highlights
- 00:21
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/cd24e02d-9576-4494-8b40-31756b78b9b8.jpg?crop=3000%3A1688%3Anowe%3A0%3A0]()
7DAYS Magic Moment: Vezenkov's last-second triple
- 00:15
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/ab6ece52-998a-4718-b304-7dd69c58fa0d.jpg?crop=2400%3A1350%3Anowe%3A410%3A170]()
7DAYS Magic Moment: Papanikolaou's full-court assist
- 03:34
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2023/04/26/n1nPBhBrg1T8HXO7hXN5oWL5z1LivjJ4-1682542698473.jpg]()
Olympiacos Piraeus - Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul | Playoffs Game 1 | Highlights
- 00:16
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/361ed72b-d0eb-4a42-8f17-61df87898471.jpg?crop=2400%3A1350%3Anowe%3A371%3A137]()
7DAYS Magic Moment: Canaan on fire
- 00:19
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/bb6b72a8-a06d-4761-8d59-fe5a9b0f18e1.jpg?crop=1487%3A837%3Anowe%3A915%3A338]()
7DAYS Magic Moment: Black's block
- 02:07
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/5f85e95a-dce1-42da-8ca4-9bdf4feac504.jpg?crop=2744%3A1543%3Anowe%3A0%3A153]()
Olympiacos vs. Fenerbahce preview: A 1-8 matchup involving two giants
- 03:22
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2023/04/20/bo9VbIjsJpXVIkEQi53aCetcMbkhtSpA-1681975767526.jpg]()
Sasha Vezenkov, Olympiacos: 'A lot of pieces come together'
- 03:37
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2023/04/14/nHge8wZghl5v6rySJFyewgvqS758HQyS-1681501255457.jpg]()
Anadolu Efes Istanbul - AS Monaco | Round 34 | Highlights
