BarcelonaNikola Mirotic played football from the age of 6 to the age of 13, but when his cousin started growing up he took him to a basketball training session and his talent began to focus in the right direction. Predrag Stojakovic, Vlade Divac and Dirk Nowitzki were some of the first benchmarks of the Montenegrin, who has become one of the best European players today. The third season as a coach has served to shoot the production of the pivot winger, who has an average of 17.9 points and 5.7 rebounds per game in the Euroleague.
Mirotic’s numbers started out brilliant, but his records became exceptional when the team needed him most. Injuries to Cory Higgins and Nick Calathes pushed the player to make a difference in a stretch of the season full of high-profile matches. Advanced statistics help to explain the extent of what you are achieving. His points production for every 100 possessions of the team has gone from 34.8 to 45.4. Figures that set him apart from the other stars of the competition. Barça’s great benchmark has also improved its production in rebounds (from 12.1 to 15.7) and in assists (from 2.8 to 4.5).
Hit percentages improved, both in free throws (89.1%) and in double (72%) and triple (53.3%) shots. Its effectiveness takes on another dimension when advanced statistics emphasize its effective percentage of field goals scored. This figure, known to specialists as eFG%, weighs the releases according to their value. Mirotic grew from 64.1% in the first eight days to 75.3% in the following.
The absence of Higgins and Calathes has caused Mirotic to have more ball in his hands, both in the tight finals and during very significant stretches of matches. “When you have such a big loss, the responsibility increases. I need to be an example for the rest “, says the player, who has gone from 23.2% of ball use (USG%) to 28.1%. Barça won all nine Euroleague matches between matches 9 and 17. Barça got rid of rivals such as CSKA Moscow, Real Madrid and Anadolu Efes, the current champions of the competition. . On the closing day of the first round, the Catalan team was able to recover a 20-point disadvantage against Unics Kazan, the biggest difference ever recovered in the last quarter. Then came the defeat against Bitci Baskonia. “I am just happy to be free. I am playing with a lot of confidence and that is the merit of the team, both the players and the coaching staff. I try to do things every day as well as I can, and sometimes I succeed, but the most important thing is to give a good image. I think I’m on the right track, “said the Catalan star.
“I didn’t have a good start to the season, but then I picked up the pace and I think I’m playing the basketball that is expected of me. I hit the ground running and I know my best basketball has not yet arrived. I have aspects to improve, both in attack and defense. The most important thing is to keep working, and that’s what I want to do “, argues the player.
Milan, a new challenge
Barça, which hosts the AX Armani Exchange in Milan this Tuesday (9pm, DAZN), is facing a stretch of the calendar marked by the incidence of coronavirus. After Sunday’s defeat against Baxi Manresa, Sarunas Jasikevicius will still not be able to have the full squad. “We have to be consistent, that’s the key. We’ve had good gusts, but also some disconnections. Our coach always reminds us that if we want to play for Barça we have to get used to playing every 48 hours “, says Mirotic.
Fans love him madly. “People are very involved, especially in important parties. For us, he is one more player “, he admits. His good performance, on the other hand, touches the edge in Madrid, where they have not yet suffered for the player to choose Barcelona. “Weeping will continue to cry, it’s that simple,” he sums up.
.
