With 12 wins in 25 games, the Monegasques remain in the Top 8 of the competition and, even if all the teams have not played the same number of matches, they still have every chance of staying there.
For that, the +Roca Team+ will have to repeat the superb collective performance achieved against Olympiakos.
And this, from Friday (7:00 p.m.) against the Spaniards of Baskonia Vitoria, who, for their part, still have a tiny chance of qualifying.
Led by a great Mike James (25 points, including 15 three-pointers) and authors of a very high intensity defensive game, Sasa Obradovic's men showed that they feared no one in the competition.
With 8 wins in their last 11 matches, they are only beaten by the great Barça.
However, if Olympiakos is already qualified for the playoffs, it is not for nothing.
Collective and powerful, especially in the racket with French pivot Moustapha Fall (8 points in the first quarter and 18 in the end), coach Georgios Bartzokas' team raced in the lead for ten minutes (19- 22), despite two nice, award-winning baskets from Mike James.
Under the impetus of the latter (11 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists at the break), but above all of Paris Lee, author, in the 2nd quarter, of 8 points and 3 assists, including a superb one, for the dunk from Donta Hall (34-24, 13th), the Monegasques suffocated their opponents until half-time.
When Fall wasn't on the floor, the Greeks never dominated the air.
As on the defensive level, the James-Diallo-Lee-Bacon quartet was monstrous, Monaco offered a very high level quarter-time, with a +20 over the period (29-9) and a three-point festival ( 8/10).
The return of the Fall control tower, and its 2.18 meters, barely slowed down the inexorable against a Monegasque collective where everyone, such as Will Thomas (3 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist at the break), was precious (48-31).
Despite a great ability to react in the 3rd quarter, Olympiakos never managed to pick up.
Monaco, in Europe, even won this period (23-20) and suppressed its opponent in the last (21-21).
© 2022 AFP