Crvena Zvezda defeats Olympiacos despite missing key players

In the 30th round of the EuroLeague, Olympiacos was defeated by Crvena Zvezda with a score of 81:73 at the “Peace and Friendship” arena.

Keenan Evans, Moses Wright, Thomas Walkup, Nigel Williams-Goss, and Tyler Dorsey did not play for the Greek team. On the other side, Filip Petrusev was unavailable as a loaned player from Olympiacos, while Joel Bolomboy, Mike Daum, and Luka Mitrovic were sidelined due to injuries.

Crvena Zvezda opened the game brilliantly, with Dejan Davidovac playing as the center. The Serbian international shined early, scoring five quick points to give the visitors a 9:2 lead. Olympiacos head coach Georgios Bartzokas called a timeout, but it had little effect, as Codi Miller-McIntyre responded with eight consecutive points, extending the advantage to a commanding 17:2.

It was clear that Crvena Zvezda aimed to push the tempo to the maximum, leading to a stretch with numerous missed shots on both sides. Olympiacos struggled in the opening ten minutes, committing three offensive fouls and turning the ball over six times. As a result, Crvena Zvezda held a 20:8 lead at the end of the first quarter, which Evan Fournier capped off with a layup.

Riding the wave of confidence gained in the opening period, Crvena Zvezda continued to play at a high level in the second quarter. After a 7:0 run by Olympiacos, sparked by Sasha Vezenkov, the impressive Rokas Giedraitis kept up his three-point barrage. With his fifth triple, the visitors extended their lead to 41-27, marking their largest advantage at plus 17.

Crvena Zvezda’s strategy to push the tempo was evident, and in this high-paced game, Codi Miller-McIntyre thrived. However, the fast rhythm also led to an unusually high number of missed layups on both sides, with Vezenkov struggling for Olympiacos and John Brown for Crvena Zvezda. In the final moments of the second quarter, Crvena Zvezda’s bench received a technical foul for protesting, leaving the scoreboard at 43:27 in favor of the Belgrade team heading into the third quarter.

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Kostas Papanikolaou opened the second half with back-to-back three-pointers for Olympiacos in just a few seconds. The same player then added free throws to complete an 8-0 run, cutting the deficit to single digits at 43:35. Nikola Kalinic played a crucial role in the following minutes—not only by ending Olympiacos’ run but also by making a spectacular block on Evan Fournier’s layup attempt in the next defensive possession. The in-form Rokas Giedraitis extended Crvena Zvezda’s lead back to 12 points (47:35).

Sasha Vezenkov then fully came to life, scoring the next eight points for Olympiacos. Even Giedraitis’ sixth three-pointer wasn’t enough to stop the home team’s surge, as Vezenkov, with help from Shaquielle McKissic, brought Olympiacos within two possessions (55:51). A crucial three-pointer from Isaiah Canaan helped Crvena Zvezda withstand the pressure, but Olympiacos’ comeback seemed inevitable. Riding the momentum of Moustapha Fall, the hosts cut the deficit to 58:55 heading into the decisive fourth quarter.

Crvena Zvezda’s backcourt, consisting of Nemanja Nedovic, Yago dos Santos, and Isaiah Canaan, created a 11:4 run, hitting three three-pointers, and extended their lead to ten points, prompting a timeout from coach Bartzokas (69:59). Canaan, visibly motivated against his former team, hit another three-pointer, extending the run to 14:4 and pushing the advantage to 13 points. Up until that point, Crvena Zvezda had been playing at an extremely fast pace, but with five minutes left, they smartly slowed down the tempo, using small fouls to disrupt the opponent and manage the game before reaching the bonus.

Codi Miller-McIntyre completed a double-double in these moments, with 15 points and 10 rebounds, while John Brown hit a shot to extend the lead to 15 points (74:59). After a mini 4-0 run by the hosts, coach Sfairopoulos called a timeout with three minutes left. Shaquielle McKissic extended the run to 6:0 after a turnover by the visitors, but Dejan Davidovac added free throws to push the lead to 11 points. This effectively sealed the victory for the Belgrade team, leading to a big celebration for Crvena Zvezda.

The top performers for the winning team were Rokas Giedraitis (20 points), Codi Miller-McIntyre (15 points, 11 rebounds), Dejan Davidovac (13 points), and Isaiah Canaan (12 points). For the losing side, Sasha Vezenkov led the way with 19 points.

Next week, the EuroLeague features a double-round schedule, with Crvena Zvezda set to face Virtus and Real Madrid, while the red-and-whites from Piraeus will take on Asvel and Monaco in France.