Željko Obradović: I have insisted on the extra pass, but today we didn’t do that enough

Željko Obradović, head coach of Partizan Mozzart Bet, analyzed the defeat against Baskonia in the first EuroLeague game: “Generally, I think it was a good game, with quality for an EuroLeague opener. In the second half, our problem was that when we had the chance to be more aggressive on defense, we allowed easy points at the end of the shot clock. This happened multiple times, along with fast breaks we couldn’t finish. These were the main issues that tipped the game in Baskonia’s favor.”

When asked about Tyrique Jones’ dip in performance: “Jones played well, he spent little time on the bench, so that wasn’t the major issue. The real problem was a lack of defensive focus. When you have no or few fouls, you can’t allow easy baskets or play with low hands.”

Obradović also emphasized the need to improve team play: “From day one, I have insisted on the extra pass, but today we didn’t do that enough, despite having a decent number of assists (20). However, I believe we have the quality to do even better.”