VTB United League Russian Basketball Federation WINLINE Basket Cup Euroleague Basketball
20.04.2018
With his team down two superstars on Thursday, point guard Sergio Rodriguez took matters into his own hands to put CSKA Moscow within a victory of the Final Four and, in so doing, earn the MVP honor for Game 2 of the EuroLeague Playoffs…
Playoffs Game 2 MVP: Sergio Rodriguez!
With his team down two superstars on Thursday, point guard Sergio Rodriguez took matters into his own hands to put CSKA Moscow within a victory of the Final Four and, in so doing, earn the MVP honor for Game 2 of the EuroLeague Playoffs.

With a pair of career highs, 26 points and a performance index rating of 36, Rodriguez expertly steered CSKA to an 89-84 win over Khimki Moscow Region and a 2-0 series lead. He also added 10 assists for his second double-double of the season, plus 4 rebounds and 2 steals, while downing 4 of 4 two-point shots, 4 of 10 three-pointers and 6 of 6 free throws. His PIR was the best in a playoff game this decade and his point total was the highest for a winning player in a non-overtime playoff game since 2010. A former full-season MVP, Rodriguez has now won the MVP of the Round honor for the first time in his EuroLeague career.

The second-best index rating for Game 2 belonged to Brad Wanamaker of Fenerbahce Istanbul, who scored 19 points in leading his team to a 95-89 win over Baskonia Vitoria Gasteiz. Wanamaker added 4 assists, 3 steals, 3 rebounds and 8 fouls drawn for a PIR of 31. In his team’s loss to CSKA, Khimki forward Anthony Gill set one personal best with a PIR of 30 and matched another with 24 points. Gill hit 4 of 5 two-pointers, 3 of 4 threes and 7 of 8 free throws while pulling 5 rebounds in Game 2. Jamel McLean of Olympiacos Piraeus came next with a PIR of 26 in his team’s 79-68 win over Zalgiris Kaunas. McLean had 21 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, a steal and 6 fouls drawn. Rounding out the best performers in Game 2, with a PIR of 25, were CSKA forward Will Clyburn and Real Madrid center Felipe Reyes. Clyburn came off the bench to post 16 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks, a steal and 7 fouls drawn in the win over Khimki. Reyes needed only 17 minutes to collect 18 points, 3 assists, 2 rebounds and 6 fouls drawn as Madrid won 82-89 at Panathinaikos Athens to even their series.

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