The EuroLeague champion from 2015 Jonas Mačiulis was one of the spectators of the semi-finals games of the EuroLeague in the Štark Arena.
Mačiulis won his only EuroLeague trophy with Real Madrid in 2015 by winning the game against Olympiacos (78-59). And now in Belgrade, he was watching how Olympiacos missing it chance for the Finals and Real announcing the match against Anadolu Efes.
Lithuanian ex small/power forward was kind enough to talk about this Final Four during the half time of the second semi-final between Real Madrid in Barcelona.
“For me this is a new old experience where crowd can enter the Final Four and it is also very important for the event. In general, it is important for the players, for the whole atmosphere and I am glad we can all see packed arenas again”, said Mačiulis who was pleased to see crowded Arena after the last year’s F4, when it was played without the fans.
As all real basketball fans, Jonas enjoyed the first semi-final game that was intense till the very end when Vasilije Micić scored for three (77-74).
“That was an amazing game and Vasa Micić scored an amazing shot. But this is basketball, this is the beauty of basketball. Winner is decided in the last second by one shot. Micić took the last shot and nobody would blame him if he would miss. But when you shoot this shot when the game is tied it is less pressure and this is his home. I don’t know if this is his home town, but he played here a lot. He knows the court and this advantage gives you more possibilities to score this kind of shots”.
Almost whole Arena was in Red and Whites colors and was cheering for the Olympiacos and our storyteller is familiar with those fans and “unfriendly” atmosphere wile playing two seasons (2012-2014) for Panathinaikos.
“This atmosphere is nothing compering to what happened in Athens during the fifth game of the Playoffs. ‘Unfriendly’ crowd only by cheering against and shouting, booing and etc. is something we used to see, until the crowd goes too crazy and do something like in that Playoff series“.
While Mačiulis gave interview for TalkBasket.net it was only the half-time of the second semi-final game between Real Madrid and Barcelona.
“My heart is with Real Madrid, of course, but my Lithuanian guys are in Barca so tonight I have a double feelings”.
