ISTANBUL — It’s a city so massive that it spans two continents, and even the taxi drivers have to stop and ask for directions. The five daily calls to prayer give Istanbul a conservative soundtrack, while folks who flock to Istiklal Street by the thousands soak up a nightlife that dares even the most adventurous party-goers to keep up. Venders hawk you through the halls of the Grand Bazaar, clamoring for your business in whichever language you’re willing to bargain; still,
ISTANBUL —When the NBA locked out its stars last offseason, Andrei Kirilenko rode into Russia on his wild horse to exorcise the memories of CSKA Moscow’s atrocious 2010-11 Euroleague season, in which they failed to make it to the Top 16 after a record eight straight Final Four appearances. Kirilenko’s debut was something straight out of 2005: 17 points, 15 rebounds, five assists and four blocks in a 74-87 road win against Sonny Weems’ overmatched Zalgiris squad. His casual dominance landed him the
BARCELONA — After nine weeks and 108 games, the final session of the Euroleague’s regular season tipped off with four Top 16 slots still empty, and eight teams vying to fill them. Fenerbahce Ulker bested Cantu 83-76 and Bilbao took care of Caja Laboral 77-72, leaving the Basque powers out in the cold after seven straight trips to the quarterfinals. In Group B, Zalgiris tucked Ty Lawson and their organizational turmoil under the rug long enough to end Zagreb’s season with an 87-76 victory, while
With the NBA preseason making its debut, the Euroleague regular season enters its final week before teams advance to the “round of 16,” the next stage of the Euroleague competition. This year’s regular season has been one of the most exciting since the league took on its current format in 2001-2002, due to the influx of talent during the NBA lockout. With each team only having one game remaining in the regular season, now is a good time to take a