Shane Larkin has so much experience in different scenes, from international, EuroLeague, and the NBA.
The ex-NBA player recalled his experiences during the playoffs in the NBA and the EuroLeague, which he found among the most interesting in his career.
NBA Playoffs
Larkin valued the NBA as the toughest competition he had ever had compared to European competition, since it still has the most skilled players in the world.
“The NBA playoffs is the toughest thing that there’s going to be. Let’s call it what it is. Like, at the end of the day, the best basketball players in the world are in the NBA. 82 games, it’s tough to show up every day and play defense like it’s a last possession,” said Larkin via HoopsHype exclusive interview.
Aside from the players’ competition, the former Boston Celtics point guard said it also differentiates the discipline raised due to longer games with 82, unlike the EuroLeague, with just 38 games in the regular season.
“You gotta win four games to move on to the next round. And when it really comes down to that, I think the competitive raises, the discipline raises, and the attention to detail raises. Over an 82-game stretch, you’re gonna have those days where you show up…,” he said.
EuroLeague Postseason
While the NBA is still on top in terms of its skills, the EuroLeague gets more intense in the playoffs due to its physicality and system, which teams intend to use to create various plays to outplay opponents.
“So I’m not gonna discredit the EuroLeague and the EuroLeague playoffs and the EuroLeague Final Fours. Those are extremely difficult as well. And probably a bit more physical because you get away with a lot more stuff in Europe because of the spacing is not there, can’t see all the stuff that’s going on… But NBA playoffs are still like the NBA playoffs,” Larkin added.
Larkin has averaged 19.6 points in the 2019-2020 EuroLeague playoffs with Anadolu Efes, while 3.7 points, 1.8 assists, and one board in his 11 games with the Boston Celtics in the postseason.
