It has not been a fun season for Anadolu Efes in Euroleague Basketball but there has been one bright sport. A rejuvenated Shane Larkin has shown he’s back to being that guy
The odds are against them and the situation is grim. In a down season for Anadolu Efes, Shane Larkin has shown he’s still willing to fight to keep this team relevant in Euroleague Basketball.
A brilliant season in isolation
Shane Larkin being good at basketball isn’t exactly news. His three season stretch from 2019/20 through 2021/22 is probably the best of any player not to win the MVP trophy during that span. Larkin averaged 16.7 points per game, 2.8 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game. Alongside Vasilije Micic, he made every Anadolu Efes game appointment viewing in Euroleague Basketball.
This season Larkin is exceeding the averages from that legendary peak. He’s getting 17.6 point, 2.9 rebounds, and 5.3 assists yet he’s not a regular in the MVP discussion. Mike James, Chima Moneke, and Facundo Campazzo all are but not Larkin. It’s for a simple reason.
This is not the old Anadolu Efes
This season has been woeful in terms of results for Anadolu Efes. After staying in the playoff race almost to the end last year, they are hanging on by the slimmest of threads right now. This despite the expanded play-in format.
They sit 16th in the Euroleague Basketball standings with a 10-15 record, with only the hapless duo of Alba Berlin and LDLC Asvel beneath them. It’s hard to make a case for MVP when it’s not getting your team results.
It’s mostly down to simply dreadful road form, where Efes have gone 2-11 all season. That has resulted in them having the second most porous defence in the whole competition, giving up 85.1 points per game.
That simply hasn’t put Larkin in the position required to be a contender for the most coveted award in the competition. Right now, I’d bet he makes the All-Euroleague second team. Still there is promise.
BallinEurope is ramping up its YouTube game this season. Subscribe to our channel now for player exclusives, analysis videos, and much more.
The lost MVP
The decision by Euroleague Basketball not to give end of season awards for the 2019/20 season was probably justified. That doesn’t mean I have to like it. Larkin was the reason to watch basketball on this continent. This Efes team, they were just a thrill ride. Every week felt like an adventure with Shane Larkin…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at BallinEurope…
