Vanja Marinković Bad shuts

Partizan Captain Vanja Marinković Faces Shooting Slump

Partizan captain Vanja Marinković is widely regarded as one of the best shooters in the EuroLeague. It wasn’t unusual to see opposing fans clutch their heads in disbelief whenever the Serbian international released one of his trademark three-pointers. However, in recent games, that sight has become increasingly rare.

An abysmal 1-for-5 from beyond the arc in yesterday’s loss to Dubai was just the continuation of a shooting slump that began during the recent matchup against Paris, where he posted the exact same numbers.

Marinković also shot 1-for-5 in last week’s game against Hapoel in Sofia, and only one attempt less in the unlucky loss to Barcelona the previous Friday, when Will Clyburn sealed the win for the Catalans in the final second.

What do the games against Paris, Hapoel, Barcelona, and Dubai have in common?
In all four, Marinković made just one three-pointer, a worrying pattern that has coincided with several of Partizan’s defeats and signaled a clear shooting crisis.

Simply put — when Vanja shoots poorly, Partizan usually loses. Even a decent 3-for-6 performance against Real Madrid wasn’t enough to secure a win.

Last night’s low shooting percentage in the loss to Dubai also dragged down Marinković’s otherwise solid AdmiralBet ABA League stats, as the former Valencia and Baskonia guard recorded his lowest three-point percentage of the season.

He’ll have a chance to bounce back this Friday when Partizan visits Olympiacos in Piraeus, followed by a double round week against Monaco and ASVEL, where he’ll be looking to rediscover his shooting rhythm and lead his team to victory.