Emphatic Reds one step from Final Four
Olympiakos produced a stunning performance to thrash visiting Anadolu Efes 71-53 on Friday and clinch its second win in as many games in the best-of-five quarterfinal series of the Euroleague.
The European champion is now within one win from advancing to the Final Four in London.
After a rather slow start, that saw the Turkish team lead 16-9, Olympiakos regrouped and started pulling away from its visitor, leading 35-26 at half-time.
In the second half the poor choice of zone defense cost the Turks dearly as Olympiakos had Vassilis Spanoulis and Pero Antic on fire.
The Greeks looked like winners from the third period, turning the slender lead of 39-34 into a 15-point advantage (49-34) and never looked back, taking their distance even to 21 points (62-41) in the last quarter.
Efes could only just notch up 53 points on the night, succumbing to an imposing Olympiakos that got 15 points from Spanoulis, 12 from Kyle Hines and 11 from Antic.
The series now moves to Istanbul on Wednesday for Game 3 and, if needed, Game 4 next Friday.
