POSTED BY: Eurobasket News
Nikola Milutinov
Serbian Center Nikola Milutinov (213-C-1994, agency: Octagon Europe) put on an extraordinary performance in the last round for top-ranked CSKA, receiving a Hoops Agents Player of the Week award for round 8 (Second Stage).
The 28-year old player had a double-double of 19 points and 13 rebounds, while his team edged out Zenit (#3, 21-9) 72-69. It allowed CSKA to consolidate first place in the VTB United League group A. CSKA has a very good season and are considered to have a run for the championship title. They improved their record to 28-2. Milutinov has many years of experience at CSKA, through which he has constantly improved. Nikola Milutinov has solid league stats. He is in league’s top in points (8th best: 16.1ppg) and averages impressive 70.1% FGP.
The second best player in last round’s games was young American Markell Johnson (188-PG-1998) of Astana. Johnson had a very good evening with 29 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists. Bad luck as Astana lost that game 73-92 to the higher-ranked Samara (#2, 13-17). Astana managed to keep the same 5th spot in group B. 23 lost games are too many comparing to just five victories Astana managed to get this Second Stage. Johnson is a newcomer at Astana, but is already one of team’s top players.
Third on the list of top players last round was American James Thompson IV (208-C/F-1995) of Enisey (#4). Thompson IV scored 20 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Despite Thompson IV’s great performance Enisey lost 78-79 to #1 ranked Parma-Pari. But his team cannot count on just a single player as he also needs help of the other teammates especially in such crucial game. The chances of Enisey ranking at the top of group B, however are very questionable as they have already lost 18 games, recording just twelve victories. With bigger assistance of his teammates, Thompson IV could help Enisey to bring them higher in the standings. Thompson IV has a great season in VTB United League. After 29 games, he made it on the list of the league’s leaders in rebounds with 7.2rpg (3rd best).
Other top performing players last week:
4. Louis Labeyrie (208-PF-1992) of UNICS – 19 points and 6 rebounds
5. Uladzislau Blizniuk (181-PG-1999) of BC Minsk – 21 points, 4 rebounds and 10 assists
6. Rade Zagorac (204-F-1995) of Avtodor – 19 points and 4 rebounds
7. Zach Smith (203-F-1996) of BC Minsk – 8 points and 10 rebounds
8. James Ennis (201-F/G-1990) of Samara – 19 points and 4 rebounds
9. Marcos Knight (191-G-1989) of Samara – 20 points, 4 rebounds and 6 assists
10. Isaiah Reese (196-F/G-1996) of Parma-Pari – 12 points, 11 rebounds and 4 assists
The Player of the week is selected based on efficiency calculation, but also including game result, importance of the game, if played recorded double-double/triple-double, etc.
The efficiency formula is a combination of various formulas used by different basketball organizations/leagues. We got involved many basketball scouts and journalists to assure it’s accuracy.
The formula: 1.5*PTS + 3* (REB+AST+ST+BL-TO) – 2*BSAG – 4*PF + 3*PFRV + 4* (2FGPM+3FGPM) + 1.5*FTM – 3* (2FGPA-2FGPM) – 3* (3FGPA-3FGPM) – (FTA-FTM)
Tags : NIKOLA MILUTINOV, PBC CSKA MOSCOW, VTB UNITED LEAGUE BASKETBALL
