INTERVIEW: Mitrović - "To get back on the winning track"

Crvena zvezda mts captain Luka Mitrović stated in the interview for ABA League website that his team is fully ready for Game 2 of the semifinal series against Budućnost VOLI.

Read the full interview with Luka Mitrović:

Crvena zvezda mts are traveling to Podgorica with 1-0 lead in the semifinal series, so your team will have a chance to qualify for the finals already on Tuesday evening. What are you expectations in front of Game 2?

"We have fulfilled our first goal, we won Game 1 which was extremely important at the start of the Playoffs. Since then, we have played two games in the Euroleague, while Budućnost VOLI had more than 7 days to prepare for the upcoming match. Therefore they will be ready and highly motivated to bring the series back to Belgrade. But, our goal is quite clear, we want to play a good game, to clinch another win and to make our schedule a bit easier."

This will be your 4th game in the previous 10 days. How that tough schedule can affect the outcome of the upcoming game in Podgorica?

"We have a very unusual schedule, something that we haven't faced in the previous years. Unfortunately, that Euroleague week with two games in it has come right in the middle of the ABA League semi-finals. But, we have already been through similar situations in this season. We have been in this game rhythm since the beginning of the season, we are used to lack of trainings and we are used to have little time to prepare every game. I am quite sure that we will be ready for Game 2 and I believe that we will get back on the winning track after those two defeats in Euroleague.

Crvena zvezda mts defeated Budućnost VOLI in Podgorica by 77:54 in the 13th round of the 2016/17 ABA League regular season. Is that game an example of how you should play on Tuesday?

"The games in Podgorica have always been tough. Two years ago we finally won there after a long, long time. Perhaps, that win that we achieved in Podgorica in this season was a little pleasant surprise for us, especially because we also had an Euroleague game just couple of days before the match against Budućnost VOLI. They are a very good and experienced team... Maybe they do not have anymore that defensive potential that was one of their strongest weapons in the previous years, but now they are an extremely offensive orientated squad. If they manage to take the game into their rhythm with plenty of points, then they can make big problems to any team. Our goal is to get them into our rhythm, like we did the last time we played in Podgorica. Still, I am sure that now we will have much more difficult job, simply because they are playing a lot better than before. We do not expect an easy game, but we all hope for the positive outcome."

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Luka Mitrović - "Da se vratimo na pobednički kolosek"

Luka Mitrović, kapiten Crvene zvezde mts, izjavio je u intervjuu za sajt ABA lige da je njegov tim potpuno spreman za drugi meč polufinalne serije protiv Budućnosti VOLI.

Pročitajte ceo intevju sa Lukom Mitrovićem:

Crvena zvezda mts putuje u Podgoricu sa prednošću od 1-0 u seriji i ima šansu da se već u utorak plasira u finale ABA lige. Kakva su vaša očekivanja pred naredni meč?

"Ispunili smo prvi cilj, ostvarili smo pobedu u prvom meču što nam je bilo izuzetno važno za početak plej-ofa. Mi smo od tog prošlog susreta odigrali 2 evroligaška meča, dok su oni imali više od 7 dana da se spreme za narednu utakmicu i sigurno će je dočekati spremni i motivisani da vrate seriju u Beograd. Naš cilj je jasan, želimo da odigramo dobar meč, zabeležimo pobedu i sebi bar malo lakšamo raspored."

Ovo će biti praktično vaša četvrta utakmica u prethodnih desetak dana. Koliko taj težak raspored može da utiče na rezultat utakmice u Podgorici?

"Imamo jedan izuzetno neobičan raspored, nešto sa čime nismo imali prilike da se susrećemo prethodnih godina. Nažalost, ta nedelja sa dve evroligaške utakmice nam je zapala baš u ovom trenutku, ali već smo bili u sličnim situacijama u ovoj sezoni. U tom smo ritmu od početka, navikli smo i na manjak treninga i da se svaka utakmica sprema u ubrzanom ritmu. Evo sada imamo par dana da se spremimo za utakmicu. Siguran sam da ćemo u dobrom stanju da dočekamo naredni meč i verujem da ćemo da se vratimo na pobednički kolosek nakon dva poraza u Evroligi."

Crvena zvezda mts je ove sezone već pobedila Budućnost VOLI u Podgorici u ligaškom delu ABA lige. Da li je taj meč putokaz kako bi trebalo pristupiti narednom meču?

"Mečevi u Podgorici su uvek bili neizvesni. Ako se ne varam pretprošle sezone smo prvi put tamo slavili nakon dosta godina. Možda je ta pobeda u Podgorici koju smo ostvarili ove sezone bila prijatno iznenađenje za nas. Naročito što smo tada takođe imali tešku evroligašku utakmicu samo par dana ranije. Oni su ekipa koja je izuzetno iskusna, kvalitetna... Možda nemaju defanzivni potencijal koji su imali prethodnih nekoliko godina i koji im je bio dosta jako oružje, ali zato su sada izuzetno napadački orijentisana ekipa i ukoliko nametnu svoj ritam sa dosta poena i dosta poseda mogu svakome da naprave veliki problem. Naša filozofija i cilj je da utakmicu uvedemo u naš ritam, baš kao što smo to učinili i prošli put kada smo igrali u Podgorici. Ipak, siguran da nas sada čeka mnogo teži posao, pošto oni trenutno izgledaju mnogo bolje nego što su tada izgledali. Daleko od toga da očekujemo laganu utakmicu, ali se svi nadamo pozitivnom ishodu."