Petrusev’s Breakout Season: Shining Bright for Red Star
How Petrusev’s Adaptability and Efficiency Are Shaping Crvena Zvezda
In October 2024, Filip Petrusev rejoined Crvena Zvezda’s roster, stepping into a critical role amidst the team’s challenges. With starting Center Joel Bolomboy sidelined due to injury, Crvena Zvezda needed reinforcements in their frontcourt. Petrusev, previously with Olympiacos, had struggled for playing time following the return of the team’s main Centers, Moustapha Fall and Nikola Milutinov. However, Petrusev quickly adapted to Crvena Zvezda’s system, delivering consistent and impactful performances. His breakout season has positioned him as a cornerstone of the team, with impressive rankings across several key metrics in the Euroleague.
Is Filip Petrusev Among the Elite?
Petrusev’s performance since joining Crvena Zvezda has been nothing short of remarkable. His Usage Rate leads the league, underscoring his pivotal role on the team. He ranks second in Points per Possession, trailing only Sasha Vezenkov, one of Europe’s most talented scorers. Additionally, Petrusev’s True Shooting Percentage places him among the Top 8 Elite Power Forwards and Centers, solidifying his status as one of the Euroleague’s most efficient scorers.
Analyzing His Scoring Style
Petrusev’s scoring arsenal is built on Pick & Roll plays, Post Ups, and Putbacks. In Pick & Roll Roller scenarios, he performs near the league average, with 1.2 attempts per game yielding 1.2 points per possession.
His Post-Up game is particularly strong, as he both attempts and converts more possessions in this category than most of his Elite peers.
When it comes to Putbacks, Petrusev’s frequency surpasses the average among top-tier big men, though his efficiency remains at a league-average level. These facets of his game highlight his versatility and adaptability in the offensive end.
Power Forward or Center?
Since his return from the NBA, Petrusev has been asked to play at both frontcourt positions. At Olympiacos, he predominantly played as a Power Forward alongside Elite Centers like Fall, Milutinov, or Wright. However, at Crvena Zvezda, injuries required him to take on the responsibilities of a Center.
Statistically, Petrusev has excelled at the Center position, with a Usage Rate 17.3 percentage points higher and a shooting volume over twice as high as when playing as a Power Forward (+0.26 FGA/Min or +113%). His scoring efficiency also improves, averaging 0.13 more points per possession as a Center. However, his team’s performance paints a different picture. The team’s Net Rating is significantly higher (+13.2) with Petrusev at Power Forward compared to a slight negative (-0.8) when he plays as a Center. This disparity can be attributed to the strength of his Elite Center teammates, such as Milutinov, Fall and Bolomboy. Interestingly, when he is on the court as a Power Forward and matched up against an Elite Power Forward, the Net Rating jumps to +24.9 and when he plays the Center and faces another Elite Center, the Net Rating increases slightly to -0.5.
Scoring Analysis
A game-by-game analysis reveals Petrusev’s significant growth this season. At Olympiacos, he never surpassed 1 Point per Possession in a game, a mark he frequently exceeds at Crvena Zvezda. He stepped up his game and covered for Bolomboy’s absence, increasing his shooting volume and at the same time having tremendous nights in terms of scoring efficiency. Although his attempts dipped slightly upon Bolomboy’s return, they have stabilized in recent games.
Petrusev has also shown that he is not afraid of the moment as he scores more efficiently in the 4th quarter and in the few clutch situations with Crvena Zvezda he delivered an impressive 1.44 Points per Possession.
Chemistry with teammates
In terms of lineup combinations, Crvena Zvezda is performing the best when Petrusev is paired with most of his teammates and especially with Bigs. The team achieves its highest Net Ratings when he plays alongside Giedraitis (+21.9 Team Net Rating) or Bolomboy (+21.4), with other notable pairings including Davidovac (+19.5) or Daum (+15.7). Among guards, his pairing with Miller-McIntyre (+14.7) has been particularly fruitful, while combinations with Isaiah Canaan (+3.6) and Yago Dos Santos (+2.0) also yield positive results. Conversely, Petrusev’s on-court presence with Brown (-35.3), Teodosic (-29.0), and, to a lesser extent, Nedovic (-3.3) correlates with significantly lower team performance.
Filip Petrusev has emerged as a critical player for Crvena Zvezda in the Euroleague this season. His adaptability, scoring efficiency, and ability to elevate his game in crucial moments have solidified his role as a top-tier big man. While statistical analysis suggests he thrives individually at the Center position, team dynamics indicate his most significant impact comes as a Power Forward, where his versatility and synergy with teammates drive success. As the season progresses, Petrusev’s continued development could further enhance Crvena Zvezda’s chances in the Euroleague and solidify his standing among Europe’s basketball Elite.