Milano – Maccabi Tel Aviv

International - Euroleague, Round 2

31/10/2023 - 20:30 CET

Milano experienced a shocking defeat at home against Pesaro in Serie A on Sunday. This was the second time in five rounds that they've suffered an unexpected loss, as Napoli also defeated them earlier this month. Things aren't going well for Milano in the EuroLeague either, where they have a 1-3 record. A potential loss to Maccabi Tel Aviv in this game would set off alarm bells. These are definitely not the results they were hoping for, especially after significant investments in the team over the summer. Nikola Mirotic was expected to guarantee a spot in the top 4, and Shavon Shields is 100% fit after a lot of injuries last season. Milano has shown its potential, particularly in the game against Olympiacos when they won by 65:53. They are capable of playing high-level defense, but for some reason, they haven't been consistent in doing so. Head coach Ettore Messina has taken some of the blame, stating that the performance from the Pesaro game will not be repeated. 

Maccabi Tel Aviv has been going through a tough situation for several weeks now. Due to the ongoing situation in Israel, they have relocated to Belgrade, where they will play their home games for the foreseeable future. All of this suggests that Maccabi will struggle to make the playoffs this season. Monaco crushed them in the previous round (107:79), which was not a significant surprise. Maccabi will face difficulties against opponents who are dominant in the paint and can match or outperform them on the boards. They have a high shooting potential, and much depends on the performance of John DiBartolomeo and Tamir Blatt. When they are shooting well, as seen against Partizan and Panathinaikos, Maccabi's chances significantly improve. Lorenzo Brown consistently performs at his best, and they have been without the injured Wade Baldwin, who is the team leader alongside Brown. His return is expected in the coming days and could possibly be part of the squad in Milano, although it's more likely he won't play. 

Milano must not under any circumstances allow themselves to be at 1-4 in the EuroLeague after this game. If that happens, coach Messina's job could be in jeopardy. Conceptually, Milano has several advantages over Maccabi, similar to what Monaco had in the previous round. Players like Mirotic, Melli, Voigtmann, Hines and Poythress can lock down the paint and prevent Maccabi's offensive rebounds, and most of them are capable of defending against backcourt players effectively in switch defense. This will be a physical battle, and such a contest is much more favorable for the hosts.