Crvena Zvezda – Monaco
International - Euroleague, Round 3
Wednesday, 18/10/2023 - 20:00 CET
The Expert
Crvena Zvezda shut down in the fourth quarter against Zalgiris last week. Despite having a bad offensive day, they still controlled the game with good defense. However, this changed in the final moments when head coach Dusko Ivanovic decided to pair Milos Teodosic and Nemanja Nedovic. Zalgiris capitalized on this with constant pick-and-roll plays involving Edgaras Ulanovas, and Crvena Zvezda had no defensive answer to that. During the summer, the red and white team assembled the most expensive team in their history. Shabazz Napier, Rokas Giedraitis, Mike Tobey, Yago dos Santos and Adam Hanga are just some of the players expected to secure a spot within the top 8. Crvena Zvezda will be particularly powerful on their home court, playing in front of a large number of fans. Three-point shooting will be a significant weapon, as best demonstrated in the opening round against Asvel.
Monaco ticked all the boxes in the previous season. They won the French League for the first time and reached the EuroLeague Final Four where they were defeated by Olympiacos. Continuous progress has been evident in the last three seasons, and the goal was to take an extra step towards aiming for the title in the premier European competition. To achieve this, all key players from the previous season were retained, and Kemba Walker, a four-time NBA All-Star, was signed. However, they faced a huge shock in the first two rounds. Monaco lost to Valencia and Virtus, and it looked particularly bad in the last round when the team from Bologna humiliated them in Monte Carlo (59:83). The talent is there on paper, but Monaco is functioning terribly as a unit. They had a lot of offensive problems last season as well, but this is now a new level. It's true that Walker and Jordan Loyd haven't played a match yet. Loyd will be sidelined for another month, while Walker might get some minutes in Belgrade, but it remains to be seen if that will be the solution to their problems. Because if things don't change this week, head coach Sasa Obradovic could be on the verge of being fired.
Belgrade is definitely not an easy place to turn the course of the season. Monaco has played two very poor games, and fixing everything overnight will be tough. Despite having Mike James and Elie Okobo, offensive production seems nonexistent. Now they'll play road against a team that has Shabazz Napier, Milos Teodosic and Nemanja Nedovic in the backcourt. Crvena Zvezda has never had a greater offensive potential, and considering the current forms of both teams, the host has a massive chance to achieve another win in the EuroLeague. Monaco's advantage should be in the paint with Donatas Motiejunas and Donta Hall, but Luka Mitrovic and Joel Bolomboy can match up well enough to not be heavily felt on the scoreboard.
Pistol Pete
Crvena Zvezda is in a situation where they have to take advantage of the bad start of the season and the bad form of Monaco, one of the favorites in the Euroleague season, in their match in Belgrade on Wednesday.
The Serbian champions have shown in the Euroleague in the years behind us, that they are a dominant "home" team. In the first round of the Euroleague on October 4 in Belgrade, they completely routinely beat the French team Asvel 94:73. Then they were in the game for the triumph until the last minute, in a loss to Zalgiris in Lithuania 79-74 last week.
On the other hand, Monaco was completely disappointing in the defeat against the Italian vice-champion Virtus at home, as much as 83:59 last week. Before that, they also lost to Valencia away from home 70:65. The performance in the victory over Bourg in the domestic league last weekend 78:67 did not improve the impression much.
It is clear that personal relations in the Monaco team are not good, that the big star, guard Mike James, is not on good terms with coach Sasa Obradovic. Also, the debut of former NBA star Kemba Walker is still awaited, and the question is what kind of physical condition he's in, and to what extent he can now contribute to the team at this elite Euroleague level.
Crvena Zvezda is counting on all healthy players, the atmosphere in the team works well, and the form of famous guards Napier and Teodosic is particularly impressive. Veteran playmaker Teodosic seems to be playing better match after match. Also, center Mike Tobey was consciously partly rested in the previous days and matches, in order to be fresh for a tough program this week, with two matches in the Euroleague in three days.
The home team is under pressure of the expectation of victory, and clearly has a greater motive to win. Players like Hungarian guard-forward Hanga and Lithuanian forward Giedraitis provide the team with additional quality, versatility and security. They seem to have the quality to stop the excellent athletes in the Monaco team – Outtara, Okobo, Cornelie, Diallo...
Last season in Belgrade, Crvena Zvezda completely routinely beat this opponent 92:68. Thus, the streak of four defeats in duels with this opponent was ended. With the support of over 20,000 fanatical fans, it is clear that the hosts have a distinct advantage in the fight for victory.
A slightly shorter rotation of the famous Zvezda's coach Dusko Ivanovic is expected, and domestic players could play a potentially important role in the fight for victory: forward Davidovac, guard Nedovic and center Mitrovic. The impression is that the Serbian team has many different and varied weapons to punish opponent and that they are in an exceptional position to achieve a triumph against an excellent opponent, which is nevertheless out of form.