Monaco - Maccabi Tel Aviv
International - Euroleague, Playoffs, Quarterfinal
The Basketball Expert
Monaco managed to break back in Tel Aviv last week. In game number three, they defeated Maccabi thanks to an impressive first half played by Mike James. Two days later they didn't show nearly as much passion, but they did what they wanted. Everything will be decided on Wednesday night in their hall. When this team was assembled last summer, Monaco didn’t hide their ambitions. Anything less than a spot at the Euroleague Final Four will be a failure. For many on this roster, game number five will be the most important of their careers. In order to achieve win, two things that decided the previous clashes will be crucial once again. Monaco has 10.6 turnovers on average (fewest in the entire competition). If they manage to be at that level, they have a great chance. On the other hand, Monaco are terrible three-point shooting team (30.9% average) and that was the main reason for the loss in game number one. Under no circumstances they can’t allow themselves another such performance.
The last time Maccabi were in the Euroleague Final Four was nine years ago when they won this competition. Head coach was David Blatt. He returned to the club as a consultant and last summer he was the person who put together this team. Signing players like Lorenzo Brown and Wade Baldwin were a jackpot. Two of them led Maccabi to this great result and to win in Monaco, it is necessary for both of them to be at their best. In this series, Baldwin had more room to play. Monaco's focus in defense is on Brown, where they often change four or five different guards. Because of the way the defense works, corners are often open and those are the shots that players like Bonzie Colson, Darrun Hilliard and Jarell Martin will have to hit.
As much as tactical things are important, so is experience. Especially in a game of this type. Monaco has been here before. Last year, they played five games against Olympiacos in the Euroleague quarterfinals. And that experience helped them come back here after 0-1. Maccabi are still learning. Throughout the season, home court in Tel Aviv was a huge advantage for them. They were only 5-12 away from home in the regular season. The impression is that they have already missed their chance. Maccabi needed two wins in front of their fans and they failed. Monaco are in charge now and it will really be a surprise if Sasa Obradovic's team does not win this clash.
Pistol Pete
Monaco deserved this chance, to decide which team goes to the final four of the Euroleague in one match in front of their fans, which would be the absolute greatest success of the club from the principality on the Cote d'Azur.
On the other side, in the decisive fifth match of the Euroleague quarter-final series, there will be the Israeli giant Maccabi, the six-time champion of the continent - and the team that is looking for the first place in the final four since their championship year of 2014.
Maccabi sent a clear message to the opponent with a convincing victory at home 104:69 in the fourth match of the quarterfinals. In that duel, the team from Tel Aviv had an advantage in rebounds as much as 46:35 and dominated the physical aspect of the game, which is crucial for Monaco in the fight for victory.
Now it is absolutely expected, that Monaco will play much more aggressively and with more energy in front of their fans. It was like that throughout the season, including during this playoff series. This is also a clear request of coach Sasa Obradovic, a recipe for victory in key matches of all the teams he led during his career.
The impression is that for such key matches, Monaco has more width when it comes to the top guard options. Jordan Loyd, Mike James and Elie Okobo are capable of top performances in both ends of the game, and they have enough experience to take charge when this quarterfinals matchup is decided. In Monaco, they have been aware for days that this is the biggest game in the club's history so far, and that is how they approach the preparation of the match.
So far, Maccabi has counted on excellent releases from the main guards. Wade Baldwin can play both as a playmaker and as a shooting guard, and during this series he recorded as many as 18 points per match. He is closely followed by Lorenzo Brown with 16.2 points and 4.8 assists on average in these four games against Monaco. However, it is difficult to expect that both of them can repeat such good games on such a difficult visit.
Oded Kattash, the coach of Maccabi, pointed out that his team will try to impose a tempo that suits them. Tel Aviv squad just wants to push the ball better, like they play at home. Monaco has shown many times during the season that, on their own ground, they still know how to stop even the best opponents, almost without exception.
The match will almost certainly bring a big and an uncertain fight in the end, and in such a scenario the home team has the advantage. First of all, counting on a wider range of options for realization - all starters have that quality to take responsibility and solve attacks themselves in ,,one on one“ situations.
In almost all statistical categories this season, the teams are equal, and Monaco has the advantage in steals per game (7.2) and fewer turnovers than the opponent (10.6). When it comes to the matches in Monte Carlo against Maccabi, the host currently has a 2:1 advantage, and in their previous match here, it was 86:74 for Monaco. Any variant of a faster transitional game, even in the short stages of the match, suits the host, because they are more athletically dominant team.