Valencia led Olympiacos by 28. They lost in overtime, and their coach mentioned fear

By the Data Desk · Published 14 OCT 06:20

Valencia Basket were 62-34 up on Olympiacos with eight and a half minutes left in the third quarter, and still lost 102-97 in overtime. Afterwards their coach Xavi Albert said something coaches rarely admit: "Ha habido un momento que no sé si ha sido miedo" (there was a moment when I don't know if it was fear).

• From 62-34, Olympiacos outscored Valencia 68-35; the 28-point comeback ties the EuroLeague record set by Prokom against Montepaschi Siena in 2012/13 (Eurohoops).
• Olympiacos finished without their head coach: Georgios Bartzokas was ejected with two technical fouls early in the fourth quarter, with Valencia still well ahead (Sportal.gr, NewsIT).
• It was Valencia's first EuroLeague defeat of the season; both teams are now 4-1.

For 22 minutes it was Valencia's best night of the season. They won the first quarter 31-17 and the second 28-17, and Armoni Brooks' three made it 62-34 at the Roig Arena (EuroLeague box score). Then the game turned: Olympiacos won the third quarter 25-12 and the fourth 31-19, and Valencia scored seven points in overtime to Olympiacos' twelve.

The strange part is who was missing. Bartzokas was sent off for two technical fouls while protesting a call, Greek outlets Sportal.gr and NewsIT reported during the game, and the official play-by-play shows the last bench technical with 7:59 left in the fourth quarter. Olympiacos only took their first lead with 2:32 left in regulation, when Nikola Milutinov made it 83-84, and Valencia needed a TJ Shorts dunk to force overtime at 90-90 (Plaza Deportiva). Jean Montero finished with 26 points and Evan Fournier with 23; Nikola Mirotić led Valencia with 19.

Albert did not hide. "No podemos pensar en proteger un marcador porque lo hemos generado" (we cannot think about protecting a lead, because we built it ourselves), he told EFE, and "El Olympiacos dio un gran paso adelante físico, jugaron de otra manera y nos sacaron del ritmo" (Olympiacos took a big physical step forward, played differently and took us out of our rhythm). His team had won its first four games playing fast; on Tuesday, once the pace that built the lead was gone, there was no plan B.

What happens next: Valencia host Maccabi Tel Aviv on Thursday 15 October at 20:30 Spanish time, and Olympiacos go to Barcelona on Friday 16 October. A double round week gives Valencia two days to decide whether this was one bad night or a habit.