Davis Bertans is an eight-year NBA veteran. He played for five different teams and had the most success with two Texas franchises, the San Antonio Spurs and the Dallas Mavericks. He made it to the Western Conference Finals with both teams. In a recent interview, the Latvian professional player compared the NBA Playoffs and EuroBasket, making a bold statement about which one is harder to win.
NBA Veteran Has a Bold Take On NBA Playoffs and EuroBasket
Right now, teams are preparing for EuroBasket. Bertans plays for Latvia, and in an interview about preparing for the tournament, he said:
“I feel like it’s even more competitive in EuroBasket. In the playoffs, in the NBA, as many times as I’ve been, the preparation is a little bit longer. That just tends to change how you approach the game, how you approach the playoffs. But I feel like when it comes to the national teams, you prepare more to guard the team instead of just one player.”
Bertans has played a total of 45 playoff games. He has been to the postseason with three different teams: the Spurs, the Mavs, and the Washington Wizards. While some would say he is talking nonsense, there is an element in EuroBasket and similar international competitions that makes it harder.
Right now, EuroBasket is one of the most competitive tournaments in terms of talent. Out of the 10 best-rated countries by FIBA, six will compete in EuroBasket. Unlike the Olympics and the World Cup, when there are nations from Africa, South America, and others, EuroBasket has some of the best teams in the world. If we take a look at the 15 best countries, nine are from Europe.
Does Bertans Have a Point?
There is one way to look at what Bertans is saying about the playoffs and EuroBasket. For starters, to win an NBA title, teams have to beat four opponents, but they have more time to prepare for each game. In EuroBasket, to win a title, teams have to beat three teams in elimination rounds (quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals). The difference is that elimination rounds last for a week at most, sometimes even less than that.
Just for comparison, Bertans was part of the 2016-17 San Antonio Spurs that made the Western Conference Finals. They were swept by the Golden State Warriors. But they began the playoffs on April 16th and played until May 23rd. That is more than a month of basketball, playing against three teams.
The FIBA EuroBasket lasts between two to three weeks. For example, this year, the competition is scheduled from August 27th to September 14th. That is a total of 19 days. It means that teams have to prepare quickly and adjust to different opponents within days.
National Pride Raises the Stakes
One difference that Bertans didn’t mention, but we have to take a look at, is that international players play differently. They represent their country, not just a franchise. For years, we’ve had players like Luis Scola dominate international play, yet be role players in the NBA.
In the NBA, stars fight for a championship ring and franchise legacy. Yet, in tournaments like EuroBasket, every possession is tied to national pride. Smaller nations consider success at tournaments like EuroBasket a historic achievement.
On the flip side, we have to admit that the NBA playoffs demand more endurance. Teams have to survive four best-of-seven series, facing elite opponents across nearly two months of travel, preparation, and physical battles.
© Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
The post NBA Veteran Has a Bold Take On NBA Playoffs and EuroBasket appeared first on Last Word On Basketball.