Κemzura: «We need to be consistent»

Olympiacos will be playing tomorrow at the SEF (7/11, 20.00 CET) against Anadolu Efes aiming to return to winning.

"Efes is one of the best teams in the Euroleague", Kestutis Kemzura commented. "They have talent. We should be containing their guards, Larkin, Micic and Simon. These players facilitate the rest. They also score. We should contain their game as much as possible. Of course they are going to be scoring. As I said before, they are talented. However, we have to make it more difficult for them. We need to be compact in the offense. We need to score consistently, not like in previous games when we have had some dead spaces".

Asked whether the latest signings of the 'reds', Rochestie and Reed have adjusted to the team to a level of his satisfaction, he replied: "They are improving; the more they practice the more they get acclimated to the team. They are doing well. They are still not where we want them to be. It takes time and it's only normal. It's hard to get them where you want right away. However, I believe they are going to be ready to help the team more than they did in their first game".

On whether he thinks that his players' ego was hurt from the heavy home loss to Maccabi Tel Aviv, he stressed: "I believe so. There's no other way. There's no other way for us than to play at 100% and even more at every game. Especially now, following such a failure in front of our fans. We can talk as much as we want, however, the best we can do is 'talk' on the floor. We don't need to talk. We need to do on the floor".

Asked about sending Ethan Happ to the Italian Cremona on loan, he commented: "Happ is a unique young player. Unfortunately, it has been hard with what's have been going on to find minutes. Especially due to the tough period we are going through, it was really hard for him. He has been really working hard. So we decided that this would be the best course of action for both sides. We will be monitoring him closely. Since we don't have the Greek League participate, it was hard for him to find minutes. Practicing alone is not enough. He needs to be playing. So, this was a good solution".  

Finally, about the injured players: "Papanikolaou is getting better day by day. He's not going to be ready for tomorrow's game. We cannot and we don't want to push him. Koniaris has practiced and if something doesn't go wrong at the last minute, he's going to be part of the rotation".

«My game is going to be taking off soon»

Willie Reed said about the upcoming game: "We need to protect our basket and be compact with our defense. If we play together in defense, protect the rim and minimize their extra possessions, then I think we have very good chances at winning the game".

Asked about his level of readiness, he answered: "Through the more minutes I'll be getting, you will start seeing my game. I just came here, down the middle of the week. I have been working on my own and with the team and I'm sure that you will see my game taking off soon".

When asked to "reveal" the best advice he got from a team mate or from the veterans Spanoulis and Printezis, he said: "The best advice I got is to be patient. Euroleague's game is obviously a little different, it's the first time I've been playing for the Euroleague, there's less 'space' to work than you have in the NBA, but I'll adjust. The presence of Spanoulis and Printezis definitely makes my job easier. So, I'll be trying to stay focused in defense. If I do that, then everything else is going to come my way».

Finally, on whether he thinks that the hurt 'ego' of his and his team mates will be giving them an extra boost in the game against Efes, he made clear that … "I don't think that the loss to Maccabi made us think any different from how we had been thinking. We come to practices focused, we are becoming better every day, we listen to the coach's instructions and we try to get better at all levels. We have been working hard each day and that was 'translated' on the floor at the game against Maccabi. However, they way we have been working, I think you will be able to see that in tomorrow's game".