Baskonia: the interior deficit goes beyond five

The departure of Alex Len left Kenneth Faried as the only pure center on the Baskonia roster, which seemed to signal a clear direction: to reinforce the paint with a larger and more imposing interior player. However, the initial matches of the season have complicated that initial assessment. In the game against Burgos, the Vitoria team allowed 23 offensive rebounds; against Olympiacos in the Euroleague, they attempted 44 three-pointers. Two statistics that, at first glance, appear disconnected but point to the same root: the problem exists in the paint, although not all the responsibility falls on the centers.

Galbiati's revelation: the guards are also to blame

Paolo Galbiati, coach of Baskonia, offered a revealing perspective after the match in Burgos. The overall balance of offensive rebounds was 23 to 3 in favor of the opponent, but what was truly significant was the breakdown provided by the Italian coach at the press conference. Of those 23 offensive rebounds conceded, approximately 15 were directly the responsibility of the Vitoria players' guards. This figure radically changes the interpretation of the problem.

When the interior players go out to provide defensive help, the guards and forwards must take on the responsibility of blocking their direct opponents and protecting the space left open in the paint. If that task is not executed with precision, the opponent gets second chances that, in theory, should be controlled. Adding a larger center would help improve the situation, but it would not automatically solve those defensive actions that depend more on collective concentration than on individual size.

Interestingly, Baskonia managed to react without needing to modify their interior structure. Galbiati highlighted the subsequent defensive improvement and Chris Duarte's ability to attack the paint and create advantages. Faried, for his part, brought energy in the crucial minutes. Part of the solution came from modifying behaviors rather than bringing in new names.

The 44 three-pointers against Olympiacos: a symptom of exterior dependence

The Euroleague debut against Olympiacos showed another side of the same problem. Baskonia attempted 44 three-pointers, exactly double that of their Greek rival. The comparison with the other teams that played that round is even more telling: the other thirteen teams averaged around 28 perimeter attempts. Paris, the next in the rankings of attempts, settled for 39.

The defensive contrast was notable. Olympiacos finished the game with a 66.7% shooting percentage from two-point range, while Baskonia barely reached 38.9% in that area. Furthermore, after hitting their first six three-pointers, the Vitoria team went through a critical stretch with only 3 successes in 22 attempts. It is not solely about shooting too much from the outside.

Without a consolidated interior reference, the perimeter ends up assuming an excessive burden in offensive creation. When the outside shooting disappears, Baskonia finds it much more challenging to generate a second offensive avenue. This situation was already foreshadowed before the European debut, when the analysis of the limitations of the interior game was evident.

The three-point dependence as a symptom

The high volume of three-pointers is not a coincidence, but a consequence of an offensive structure that, without established options in the paint, seeks to compensate for that lack through the perimeter. It is a symptom that reveals the absence of interior resources but also reflects how the team is forced to adapt their attack when the available centers do not provide sufficient guarantees to create advantages close to the basket.

The market as a partial solution

The departure of Len left Faried as the primary pure center, accompanied by alternatives like Sedekerskis and Kurucs, as well as smaller configurations. In a season that combines ACB and Euroleague, having another interior player would allow for a distribution of minutes, increase defensive size, and improve rim protection. Baskonia has already accelerated the search for a new interior player in the market, although one of the first options considered, Zacharie Perrin, presents significant challenges for his inclusion.

The need exists, and the club is aware of it. However, the first matches have highlighted two clearly differentiated needs. One is structural: Baskonia needs interior depth to compete in two simultaneous competitions. The other is collective: securing rebounds, containing penetrations, and finishing every defensive possession by recovering the ball.

If approximately two of every three offensive rebounds conceded in Burgos corresponded to actions that should have been controlled by the guards, a new center may improve the overall rebounding, but it cannot block for five players. There lies the real complexity of the problem.

Three numbers that will define the evolution of Baskonia

The double Euroleague round coming up will provide a quick response regarding the real magnitude of the problems. More than the final result, there will be three particularly interesting statistics to evaluate progress:

First, the offensive rebounds conceded. If that number improves significantly, it will indicate that defensive adjustments are working. Second, the opponent's shooting percentage from two-point range. An improvement here would suggest that paint protection is more effective. Third, the volume of three-pointers that Baskonia needs to construct their offense. If it decreases, it will mean that the team has found more offensive alternatives closer to the basket.

If these three metrics improve even before a new interior player arrives, the match against Burgos will have served to identify where part of the real problem lay. The market can provide height, rest for Faried, and a consolidated reference near the basket. In fact, the debate about what type of center truly fits into Paolo Galbiati's system already existed before the season started.

But the early data leaves a conclusion less straightforward than the apparent lack of a center: Baskonia has an interior problem that, too often, begins quite far from their interiors. The solution, therefore, does not solely involve reinforcing the paint but improving collective defensive coordination and finding a balance between perimeter dependence and the ability to generate advantages in areas close to the basket.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Baskonia: el déficit interior va más allá del cinco