The Fenerbahce playmaker continues cementing his legacy with another fine playoff performance at age 35.
Veteran Calathes rose to the occasion again in Game 3
Article
4 Mins read
When the playoffs arrive, teams need their leaders. And Nick Calathes has been steady at the wheel for Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul, which after his strong performance against AS Monaco on Wednesday night is now just one win away from a ticket to the 2024 Final Four in Berlin.
Calathes rose to the occasion with 13 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals for a performance index rating of 18 in an 89-78 Game 3 victory. Through the first three games of the series, he has averaged 12.3 points on outstanding shooting, 4.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists for a PIR of 15.7, which are all similar to or better than his regular season averages: 6.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 4.9 assists for a PIR of 10.0.
Even though all three games have come under the bright lights of the playoffs against a championship contender while dealing with intense defensive responsibilities, Calathes has stood out.
“Calathes is doing a very good job, putting all his power to limit Mike [James] as much as we can,” Fenerbahce head coach – and a man who knows a thing or two about playoff pressure – Sarunas Jasikevicius said after Game 3. “The responsibilities put on point guards are very difficult. The highest standards are for the point guards because they're the ones who run the team and this is the most difficult position in basketball.”
At age 35, Calathes is no spring chicken. But his experience is serving him well, while his longevity is allowing Calathes to further cement his legacy as one of the best playmakers in competition history. Already the EuroLeague all-time leader in assists (2,068) and steals (443), on Wednesday he leapfrogged two former MVPs – Vassilis Spanoulis and Nikola Mirotic – to climb into sixth place in the all-time PIR count with 4,199.
He is also within striking distance of the all-time lead in the EuroLeague Playoffs in both assists and steals. Calathes enters Game 4 in third place with 184 playoff assists. Kostas Sloukas of Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens is second with 186, though he plays on Thursday against Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv. The leader, with 189, is Spanoulis.
When it comes to steals, Calathes trails the all-time playoff leader, his former teammate Dimitris Diamantidis with 45, by just 3. He is also among the playoff leaders in points (368, tied for 7th), two-pointers made (105, tied for 5th) and defensive rebounds (106, tied for 5th).
While the legacy numbers emphasize how great Calathes has been since he first provided a spark for Panathinaikos as a 20-year-old, his high level of play and consistency against Monaco are the reasons Fenerbahce fans are looking up prices for flights to Berlin later this month.
Fenerbahce has been able to outperform Monaco so far in the series even though center Johnathan Motley has yet to dress for a game due to injury. While Georgios Papagiannis has seen an uptick in minutes to compensate, Fenerbahce has also played stretches with smaller lineups seen infrequently in the regular season.
Calathes’s play has been pivotal in making such lineups work. He is one of two Fenerbahce players (the other is Nigel Hayes-Davis) with a PIR of at least 10 in all three playoff games. And all eyes will be on the veteran playmaker as Fenerbahce looks to finish off the series at home in Game 4 on Friday.