Milano - Sassari
Italy - Serie A, Playoffs, Semifinal
The Basketball Expert
In the last 45 days, Milano have been playing as expected of them. Throughout the season, they were unlucky with injuries. Kevin Pangos and Shavon Shields were projected to be team leaders, but they missed more than four months of basketball. Ettore Messina waited a long time to sign replacements. When he finally did and brought in Shabazz Napier, it was too late for them to qualify for the Euroleague quarterfinals. With Napier on the roster, along with Shields and Pangos return, they won eight out of next nine Euroleague games during February and March and thus hinted at better days ahead. Considering they haven't won a single trophy in this campaign, winning the Serie A would be the only way to keep this season from being a complete failure. When they are as healthy as they are now, Milano have one of the most powerful rosters in all of Europe.
Just like last year, Sassari were underdogs on paper in the Serie A quarterfinals. Still, they eliminated the favored Venezia by 3-1. It's kind a tradition for this club to play their best basketball when the playoffs start. Sassari has always been recognized for its excellent offense, and in the domestic championship only Virtus were scoring more points than them on average. The defense is a completely different story, although it was also at an extremely high level against Venezia. Chris Dowe is in great form lately, while one of the best scorers, Eimantas Bendzius, couldn't hit anything in the quarterfinals. To have any chance against Milano, it will be necessary for Sassari to play beyond their realistic capabilities.
Looking at the quality of both teams, the difference is enormous. On paper, Milano has one of five most expensive rosters in Europe, while Sassari is not in the top 5 even in Italy. The only question here will be how much motivation Messina's team has. If what we saw against Pesaro is to be believed, they were motivated. Especially in games at home. If they repeat it this time, a win with a double-digit is to be expected. Milano's defense has long been number 1 in terms of defensive rating at the Euroleague level. They found a way to stop two best offenses in that competition (Partizan and Olympiacos) and they will definitely slow down Sassari’s offense.
Pistol Pete
The champion and the most trophy-winning club in Italy, Armani Milano, will look for a way to demonstrate their superiority as a clear favorite on their home field against Sassari, in the first match of the Lega Basket Serie A semi-finals.
These teams have already played five times in the last 12 years alone in a best-of-five playoff series. Even four times since 2014, they have played in the semi-finals. Last year Armani was superior and celebrated 3:0 in victories against Sassari. This season, the outsider from the island of Sardinia could at least achieve one triumph, but they hardly have any chance away to Milan.
Interestingly, Armani Milano have played in Lega Basket Serie A semi-finals 29 times – and only nine times have they failed to reach the final, since the play-offs were introduced. That speaks volumes about the superiority of the powerful Euroleague team.
Ettore Messina, coach of Armani Milano, nevertheless calls for maximum caution with an energetic approach from the start of the first semi-final match. He also pointed out the good form of Sassari in the last weeks and months, as well as the fact that the rival deserved confidence after the triumph over Venice in the previous round. He especially praised the quality of exceptional athletes, players in positions under the hoop of Sassari – Diop and Stephens. The impression is that Sassari is a well-integrated and diverse team, but that they don't have anywhere near the breadth of options in the rotation, nor the quality of individuals, as Armani Milano.
Messina said that his players must be patient, limit the number of turnovers and pay attention to the rival's transition after missed shots. It is clear, the favorites have seriously prepared this match, will rely on fierce defense and potentially lower the rival to a small number of points.
One gets the impression that the public in Italy underestimated the exceptional form of Armani Milano since the beginning of April. Since defeating mighty Barcelona 84-76 in a match played on April 7, the Milan side have been defeated just twice in ten games – both times in uncertain endings. In the first playoff round against Pesaro (3:1 favorite triumph in the series), in each of the matches Armani scored at least 83 points. They are expected to be just as effective against Sassari.
Also, in the last ten victories of Armani, as many as nine were by a double-digit difference, which was even more convincing when it comes to the games that Messina's team played as hosts. Such an outcome should be expected in this match as well, since all the key options are in rotation.
Interestingly, these teams played in the last league round before the playoffs – Armani Milano won at home against Sassari 79:67. In that game played on May 7, the favorite could afford to have a bad opening session (guests lead 18:9 after ten minutes of play) - and then routinely outclass the opponent.
In reality, Sassari in Milan does not have enough quality options to stop the key attacking option of the Armani team. Thus, former NBA star Shabazz Napier (14.8 points per game), dominant tall player Brandon Davies (13.5 points and 4.8 rebounds per game), exceptional shooters Baron and Shields, wings Melli and Thomas - represent options that guarantee an efficient duel and a very disciplined defense. With a lot of confidence, especially this spring ć and especially when Armani Milano plays as the host. For the beginning of the semi-final series, if the chance presents itself - Armani Milano will not give up until the end of the match and insist on an extremely convincing victory against Sassari.