For Evan Fournier, back-to-backs are more difficult in the national team

This is one of the particularities of indoor team sports such as handball, basketball and volleyball: in major competitions, nations play every day, or almost. During this Eurobasket, in the group stage, each team plays four matches in five days. A rhythm that the NBAers know well, and yet, Evan Fournier would like FIBA ​​to soften the situation, and avoid these two matches in two days.

” It’s EuroBasket and we have back-to-backs. They are very difficult. Back-to-back in the NBA and back-to-back in EuroBasket are two different things explained the captain of the France team. ” There are fewer games here, so it’s more intense. When you play at 8:30 p.m., you usually fall asleep around 3:00 a.m. It’s a real challenge. To be honest, it’s the same for everyone, but it would be great if FIBA ​​changed that to allow us to have more rest between games.”

“From the first minute to the last action, it really goes all out”

In addition to the lack of sleep and therefore rest between two meetings, there is also the intensity. In the NBA, back-to-back, you can relax, and the two opponents are not necessarily of the same level. In an international competition, in the group stage, each meeting has a stake.

” We have fewer matches here, but each match is more important.” continues Evan Fournier. ” From the first minute to the last action, it really goes all out. Physically, it’s a big challenge. We are going to play our second back-to-back. Which means four matches in five days, right? It’s hard “.

It’s all the more complicated since France is in the “group of death” where the surprises are linked. ” No one really dominates, and each game has its own story. That’s why I keep saying that the most important thing is to find a way to play better. Because, in the end, the competition begins in Berlin“.

With a game every two days…