Earlier this week, we had a look into the several matchups which could prove to be crucial in the EuroLeague semifinal games. The latest will focus on is the battle between Brandon Davies and Walter Tavares.
FC Barcelona big Brandon Davies has been an additional weapon to the Catalans’ offense having a positive impact in the post. Davies is not much of a rebounder (3.6), but his versatility and his ability to defend smaller players helps Barcelona being more active.
Davies puts up 9.7 points per, and he’s a constant scoring threat in the paint for an already unrealistically talented team. He’s shooting 53 percent from the field, and he’s a great pick and roll or pick and pop option for the Catalans’ guard.
His best performance during the regular season came against AS Monaco where he scored 27 points along with 10 rebounds and four assists. FC Barcelona will need Davies at his best to put pressure on Real Madrid’s dominant paint presence, especially against Walter Tavares.
Tavares has already been voted as part of the All-EuroLeague First Team for the second season in the row. He established himself as the most defensively sound big of the competition, while he added to his offensive repertoire year after year.
In his five seasons with Real Madrid, Tavares ranks second in two-point shooting rate, at 69.4%, among all EuroLeague players, and third in shots made inside the arc, with 545, per EuroLeague.net.
He is also the top shot blocker and one of the best rebounders ever appeared in the league. Over the last five years, Tavares is the EuroLeague’s runaway leader in total rebounds (1,104) and blocked shots (280).
He was voted as the Best Defender for two seasons. This year Tavares hopes to help the Los Blancos repeat their 2018 achievement in Belgrade. Real will need his presence to limit Davies’ scoring ability in the semifinal Thursday night.
Both, Tavares and Davies, will enter Thursday night with hope of adding to their success with their current clubs.
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