We reached the “joke” level. It was just a question of time though.
In the first quarter we were ahead with 20:9. Both teams were just standing on the court doing nothing, don’t ask me how we still scored. We were beyond the lame duck label. When half the team is under the backboard as some kind of dysfunctional traffic jam, pushing and pulling the ball around to press it into the ring, and it still rebounds after the 6th time, then that team should quit basketball and find another hobby. Olimpija seemed to be apathetic, giving absolutely no shit at all.
The most memorable moment of the second quarter was a timeout by Olimpija after about 4 minutes. The head coach threw a storm of curses on the players, not minding for a moment that he was live on air. Perhaps that was what Slovenes needed, because slowly, with clenched teeth they started to reduce the difference. 24:22, then 26:25, meanwhile I had a new mantra for myself: Veličković, off to pension with you, for fuck’s sake!
Veličković was beyond critics. It’s awful what this guy has been doing as basketball. One of the weakest links of the team. It’s obvious he has lost all interest, doesn’t even try to keep up some sort of illusion.
At the half-time Marinković had a buzzer-beater from at least the half-line. That made the half-time result 45:35.
Had circumstances been different, I’d have jumped out of my skin and danced around the house seeing such a cannon shot. Now it just made me raise my eyebrows, not more, not less. Wow, look at the kid.
Yeah, it’s already gone.
The third quarter was a torture for Average Fan. It just can’t thrill me to see the team falling short of expectations to say the least. We fucked up everything. Less than two minutes were left from the quarter when Olimpija took the lead. (56:57) Honestly? I wasn’t surprised at all. We were shit, we played soullessly and apathetically, while Slovenes resurrected and had a marvellous performance for the rest of the quarter. They kept the lead. (58:61)
We took it back for a short while in the fourth quarter (65:63), but we couldn't keep it. (65:66) It was a ping-pong game, in one moment the home team leading, in the other the guests, always with just 1 point. In the last 1-2 minutes both teams scored only from free throws and it was obvious that the winners will be the those with stronger nerves.
I guess it won’t make any spoiler for you if I tell you it wasn’t Partizan.
52 seconds were left. Olimpija led to 75:76. Williams-Goss scored. 77:76, the Slovenian coach asks for timeout. We return to the court. 45 seconds are left. Clenched teeth. Referees whistle a foul on us. Free throw for Olimpija. They score from both. 77:78. 19 seconds are left. Timeout for us. We return again to the court. Novica Velučković throws in the very last moment - and screws it up. Air ball.
Olimpija win. (photo: twitter.com/Starsportphoto)
Did they deserve it? Absolutely.
What should we learn from this? If a team can lose from 20:9, there are very serious problems, not just with the coach, but with the players as well.
If this team can be team only in their name but not in reality, then what is their function? Depressant, a serious one.
Shall we go and fuck ourselves? Right now, please.
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