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NEW ENTRY
Good Problems to Have
The first two turns went well for the team — but now, some tough lineup decisions have to be made.
Published: 11/10/2025 15:47
The 3rd round got off to a rather eventful start. As you might have noticed from the continuous updates, we had to stay alert until just before tip-off to evaluate every bit of injury news. Initially, we had prepared the lineup without Oturu, only to find out later that his injury wouldn’t actually keep him out. Then, at the last minute, came another report — this time about De Larrea picking up an injury in his team’s most recent game, which had taken place three days earlier!
The EuroLeague keeps growing every year — its popularity is soaring, and even the Fantasy version we play has become one of the most successful games of its kind. Yet, unfortunately, those who run the competition can’t seem to keep up with this growth. It’s simply unacceptable that, in this time, teams can list players as “injured” or “questionable,” and no one really knows whether that’s true or just tactical mind games. Just look at the NBA’s clear injury reporting rules — where every team is required to publish an updated injury list well before each game — and you’ll understand the difference.
And since we’ve started down this path, let’s also mention the issue of game scheduling. Honestly, is there any other competition where, on a day with five games, three of them are played at the exact same time and the other two are separated by just fifteen minutes?
Anyway, let’s move on, since no one seems genuinely interested in fixing these things, and focus on what we actually love — our Fantasy game. The first two turns of this third round went well for our team. On Tuesday, Oturu proved he was practically unstoppable inside, dominating Maccabi’s forwards and centers. If he had been fed the ball a bit more, his performance could have gone well beyond the 21 ranking points he recorded.
Yesterday, most of our players delivered. Osmani, who has now become almost irreplaceable in Efes’ front line, logged over 35 minutes, took 15 shots, scored 21 points, and finished with 18 ranking — a number that actually feels a little low for the performance he gave. Trent Forrest was Baskonia’s best player in their loss to Panathinaikos, but for reasons I can’t quite grasp, he spent long stretches watching Nowell practice his three-pointers (1/9). He still reached 16 ranking and continues to be one of the most reliable guards in his price range. Jackson, with 16 points in Madrid and a 15 ranking, proved that if you can handle his occasional negative nights, he’s an excellent budget option at 4 credits — guaranteed minutes and a defined role. Samodurov got some playing time, which is the most important part, and will contribute 1.65 points off the bench.
With all this in mind, we now have to decide on the final formation of our lineup for today. Oturu, after his 21 performance, naturally remains in the starting five, as does Forrest after his 16. Jackson will earn our praise but move to the bench, contributing a valuable 7.5 points from there.
There’s no doubt that Milutinov and Vezenkov will both return to the starters — especially with Olympiacos’ current injury situation, which will give them even greater responsibilities. And when I say “expected injuries,” I mean it — everyone knows that players returning from long-term absences often experience new physical setbacks (just look at Laprovittola or Nebo).
So, in our Fantasy team, Vezenkov will take back the captain’s armband from Oturu, as we expect a big performance from him. The critical decision now is who else gets promoted to the starting lineup and who stays on the bench — and it’s not an easy call, since we genuinely believe in all of them. For the reasons mentioned above, I’ll move Dorsey into the starters and keep Hall and Rathan-Mayes on the bench, hoping that this decision — tough as it is — will prove the right one.
For last-minute updates, as well as comments and thoughts, follow on X: @NewEntryIlias
The EuroLeague keeps growing every year — its popularity is soaring, and even the Fantasy version we play has become one of the most successful games of its kind. Yet, unfortunately, those who run the competition can’t seem to keep up with this growth. It’s simply unacceptable that, in this time, teams can list players as “injured” or “questionable,” and no one really knows whether that’s true or just tactical mind games. Just look at the NBA’s clear injury reporting rules — where every team is required to publish an updated injury list well before each game — and you’ll understand the difference.
And since we’ve started down this path, let’s also mention the issue of game scheduling. Honestly, is there any other competition where, on a day with five games, three of them are played at the exact same time and the other two are separated by just fifteen minutes?
Anyway, let’s move on, since no one seems genuinely interested in fixing these things, and focus on what we actually love — our Fantasy game. The first two turns of this third round went well for our team. On Tuesday, Oturu proved he was practically unstoppable inside, dominating Maccabi’s forwards and centers. If he had been fed the ball a bit more, his performance could have gone well beyond the 21 ranking points he recorded.
Yesterday, most of our players delivered. Osmani, who has now become almost irreplaceable in Efes’ front line, logged over 35 minutes, took 15 shots, scored 21 points, and finished with 18 ranking — a number that actually feels a little low for the performance he gave. Trent Forrest was Baskonia’s best player in their loss to Panathinaikos, but for reasons I can’t quite grasp, he spent long stretches watching Nowell practice his three-pointers (1/9). He still reached 16 ranking and continues to be one of the most reliable guards in his price range. Jackson, with 16 points in Madrid and a 15 ranking, proved that if you can handle his occasional negative nights, he’s an excellent budget option at 4 credits — guaranteed minutes and a defined role. Samodurov got some playing time, which is the most important part, and will contribute 1.65 points off the bench.
With all this in mind, we now have to decide on the final formation of our lineup for today. Oturu, after his 21 performance, naturally remains in the starting five, as does Forrest after his 16. Jackson will earn our praise but move to the bench, contributing a valuable 7.5 points from there.
There’s no doubt that Milutinov and Vezenkov will both return to the starters — especially with Olympiacos’ current injury situation, which will give them even greater responsibilities. And when I say “expected injuries,” I mean it — everyone knows that players returning from long-term absences often experience new physical setbacks (just look at Laprovittola or Nebo).
So, in our Fantasy team, Vezenkov will take back the captain’s armband from Oturu, as we expect a big performance from him. The critical decision now is who else gets promoted to the starting lineup and who stays on the bench — and it’s not an easy call, since we genuinely believe in all of them. For the reasons mentioned above, I’ll move Dorsey into the starters and keep Hall and Rathan-Mayes on the bench, hoping that this decision — tough as it is — will prove the right one.
For last-minute updates, as well as comments and thoughts, follow on X: @NewEntryIlias
Roster
