Case for the Final Four: Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul

A mid-season coaching change changed the Turkish club's trajectory

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul's season can be split into two: Before Sarunas Jasikevicius arrived as head coach and after. The Canaries slumped to a 6-7 start to the season but switched into a different gear since Saras's arrival and are 9-4 under the Lithuanian tactician. As one of the hottest teams in the competition, Fenerbahce could carry its momentum into the playoffs and challenge for a Final Four spot.

'Saras' gives added value

Jasikevicius was the catalyst of a significant Fenerbahce reaction. He helped the team rise from a play-in hopeful to a serious Final Four contender. Jasikevicius is the only head coach who has been to each of the last three Final Fours, all of them with FC Barcelona. Additionally, he took Zalgiris Kaunas to the 2018 Final Four. That was Zalgiris's only Final Four appearance since it claimed its only continental crown in 1999.

Not only did Jasikevicius play the Final Four with three different teams as a player, but he led all of them to the title, lifting the trophy with Barca in 2003, Maccabi Tel Aviv in 2004 and 2005, and Panathinaikos Athens in 2009. If he wins the EuroLeague, he will join a list of just three people to lift the trophy both as a player and a coach, along with Armenak Alachachan, Lolo Sainz and Svetislav Pesic. 'Saras' knows what goes on in players' minds in these situations, the fears they have to overcome, and how to be successful in the playoffs and the Final Four. Those intangibles make Jasikevicius's advice and guidance quite valuable.

Versatility everywhere

Fenerbahce may have the most versatile roster in the competition, which translates into many advantages on offense and defense. Starting with its backcourt, Coach Jasikevicius can opt for a pass-first playmaker who is experienced and tough on defense in Nick Calathes. If the game demands more outside shooting, Tyler Dorsey, Marko Guduric and especially Scottie Wilbekin are there to help. If more defense and court sense are needed, Calathes can get help from Yam Madar. In other words, all possibilities can be covered.

Fenerbahce's frontcourt is no different. Nigel Hayes-Davis and DyShawn Pierre can switch positions at both forward spots. Pierre is a rock-solid defender and Hayes-Davis has an off-the-charts basketball IQ that allows him to find good opportunities to score. If size and intimidation are needed, Jasikevicius can rely on Johnathan Motley and Georgios Papagiannis to do so, even playing them at the same time. Other than Motley, all the bigs on the team are reliable three-point shooters: Papagiannis, Sertac Sanli, Nate Sestina and small forward Tarik Biberovic. If Fenerbahce stays away from injuries, it has everything it takes to punch its ticket to Berlin.

True home-court advantage

It is no surprise that Fenerbahce has been extremely reliable at home, winning 10 of its first 11 games and only losing in a double-round week against Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade. Over the years, Fenerbahce fans have learned how to support their team most effectively, pushing harder when it is struggling and if Fenerbahce is on a run, giving its opponent a harder time. Fans had a lot to do with Fenerbahce forcing overtime and handing Real Madrid its first loss of the season in Round 11. Since 2015, Fenerbahce has a 9-3 playoff record at home and has never lost twice at home in any series. It has never hosted a do-or-die Game 5 either. Whether Fenerbahce has the home-court advantage or not, it will be tough for any team to win at Ulker Sport and Event Hall and that, in a five-game series, is always a big plus.

What could go wrong

Injuries aside, Fenerbahce should be worried about being equally competitive on the road. Fenerbahce is 0-3 on the road in games decided by 3 points or less. In all three games - against Valencia Basket, Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade and Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz - Fenerbahce led at some point in the last 3 minutes and missed a shot to either win the game or send it to overtime. Taking care of these important details and finding better scoring options when the game is on the line should be a priority. Fenerbahce learned the hard way last season: Kostas Sloukas buried an incredible three-pointer in Game 3 of the playoffs that eventually sent Olympiacos Piraeus to the Final Four at Fenerbahce's expense.