Armani Milano - Virtus Bologna

Italy - Serie A, Playoffs, Final

The duel between the biggest Italian clubs, Armani Milano and Virtus Bologna, in the final series for the Lega Basket Serie A title, is expected to bring the game to the high level of the Euroleague playoffs. Armani Milano is the favorite to defend the throne for a reason.
The Milano team has been in top form since mid-April. This team, that lost its chances for the upper part of the Euroleague table early on, then focused on the final stages of the Italian championship. A new national title would certainly make the season successful, especially considering the quality of the opponents in the final.
Armani, due to injuries to numerous important players during the season, struggled for a long time when it came to the game in attack. Now these problems are absolutely a thing of the past. Since the start of the playoffs on May 13, the team has won six out of seven matches. In each of those seven, Milano players scored at least 80 points, and even four times at least 93 points. It is easy to say now that the team of the legendary Italian coach Ettore Messina has found the long-sought rhythm and precision in attack.
On the other hand, Virtus achieved the maximum 6-0 score in playoff games. The Bologna team also played very efficiently in the previous period, with three games with at least 100 points since mid-May. Bologna's team's attack has not failed in any playoff match since the start of the playoffs.
Since 89-81 loss to Basket Napoli at home on April 8, Virtus has gone 11-1. In the previous matches, however, they had problems in defense, and in the last ten matches in all competitions, they conceded at least 80 points seven times.
Armani is definitely the best opponent against whom Virtus has played since the beginning of April and the end of the Euroleague Regular season.
These teams last played in Bologna on April 13 and Virtus won 89:84. Before that, on March 19, Virtus won in Milan 74:69 – in a match that cannot be taken as a significant indicator for the forecast, as both teams were greatly weakened. Now they are counting on recovered players and improvement in form.
The Milano team won in Bologna even 96:74 in the match played on January 2. The faster, transitional rhythm of the match will potentially suit the host, who have quality and a large number of options in the squad, to impose a rhythm, especially on their own court.
In the previous 93:61 victory over Sassari in Sardinia, in the last semifinal match on June 1, the best Armani players showed how good they are. Former NBA star, guard Napier is playing better and better, against Sassari he had five rebounds and five assists in addition to 21 points. The excellent shooter Shields scored 18 points, and the experienced Italian forward Melli had nine important rebounds in addition to 13 points. Milano players shared responsibility and minutes - the impression is that they have more quality options for implementation in the final series than Virtus.
For Virtus, the excellent Italian guard Hackett, who plays at the highest level in the playoffs, will play a very important role. Also, big stars Belinelli and Teodosic will have to take responsibility and play with a more important role than in previous matches. Armani has the players to stop them, especially in Milano in their own arena, but both teams are expected to have potentially long streaks of great shooting throughout the game.
Armani is the favorite to win, but an efficient match is even more certain, in the atmosphere of a basketball spectacle. The home team is chasing the 30th and Virtus the 17th championship title - and the Italian basketball public is waiting for this final with special attention, more than in previous years.