Facundo Campazzo has chained the big firsts this season during this new adventure started in the NBA, near Denver, at the dawn of his thirties. After a grueling 2020-2021 fiscal year, the Argentinian leader had to switch to “playoffs” mode, a new universe whose subtleties he discovered through a first series won against Portland.
“The first round already finished, my feeling, when it comes to comparisons with others, is already that I was used to best of three or five games in Argentina and in Europe”, did he declare. “And when you find yourself starting already with seven games, you feel like it’s a long time and it forces you to always give your best. It doesn’t give you a chance to relax for a minute. There is only one day off between matches and two when traveling. It’s like there’s no time to think about anything other than the show. Your head is brainstorming 24/7, and I feel like it’s always like that ”.
More scouting, less freedom in the game
Beyond the sequence of matches, Facundo Campazzo also noted the work of his staff who provided him with a more detailed report on the opposing team and the players he was going to have to face. A “scouting report” apparently much more extensive than those he had received during the regular season.
“Everything is much more tactical. They gave us a book with a large number of pages which explains the tendencies of each player, the actions he takes, a deep analysis of the opponent “, he added. “A player is studied during the season, but everything is more detailed during the playoffs. They analyze which way he likes to go, how he likes to express himself in attack. In defense, you also have to know in which area he is the most powerful. You have to study this and when you go to see the video the assistant will ask you questions to find out if you have worked on the material given to you. And then you have to put it all into the field. It’s something new for me ”.
This thoroughness is also transcribed in the game systems, which must not be derogated from under penalty of being called to order. A way of proceeding which also limits the taking of initiative, the freedom and the spirit of creativity of certain players like “Facu”.
“There are also rules and strategic plans to follow in Argentina and Spain, but there is also an element of instinct”, he noted. “Here, everything is more to the letter. There are certain freedoms in the game here, you can take a risk. If you get off the plan a bit and it goes well, they won’t tell you anything. But if it doesn’t… well, they let you know. They always advise to follow everything to the letter. Because everything is well studied. Now I have the Phoenix document in hand and I have to study Chris Paul. They give you all the tactical tools and then you have to put your intensity and energy into it. With these elements, when we do it well together, it allows us to achieve a series like the one we won with Portland ”.
From one series to another, the stakes also change rapidly. Winners in six innings against the Blazers, the Nuggets were returned to their studies by the Suns after the first two games of the conference semi-final, according to the expression which makes particularly sense in this context.
| Facundo Campazzo | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Tirs | 3pts | LF | Off | Def | Until | Pd | Fte | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2020-21 | THE | 65 | 22 | 38.1 | 35.2 | 87.9 | 0.3 | 1.7 | 2.1 | 3.6 | 2.0 | 1.2 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 6.1 |
| Total | 65 | 22 | 38.1 | 35.2 | 87.9 | 0.3 | 1.7 | 2.1 | 3.6 | 2.0 | 1.2 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 6.1 | |
