Olympiacos vs Monaco

In their quarterfinal series, Olympiacos defeated Real Madrid 3-1. Olympiacos defeated Movistar Arena 86-84 on the road in game four.

In an intense back-and-forth game 5 decider at Salle Gaston Medecin on Tuesday night, Monaco defeated Barcelona 85-84 to guarantee their place in the Final Four.

Monaco defeated Olympiacos in their most recent meeting. A score of 80-77 was achieved. Both teams have five victories in their last ten head-to-head record.

Olympiacos has been nearly flawless in the EuroLeague over the past seven months, clinching the top spot in the regular season and dispatching Real Madrid in a four-game quarterfinal series. Those games against Real Madrid highlighted the team’s full potential. The significant investments in Evan Fournier and Sasha Vezenkov have paid off, and they now aim to secure the EuroLeague title for Olympiacos, a feat not achieved since 2013. Only captain Kostas Papanikolaou and coach Georgios Bartzokas remain from that championship roster.

Olympiacos has excelled offensively throughout the season, and their playoff performance showcased a newfound defensive tenacity. Point guards Nigel Williams-Goss and Thomas Walkup provide relentless on-ball defense while maintaining composure in running the offense with minimal turnovers. Nikola Milutinov and Moustapha Fall anchor the paint, while Alec Peters can shift the game’s momentum with timely shots off the bench. However, the team’s success hinges on Fournier and Vezenkov delivering at their best.

Monaco, on the other hand, has endured a rocky season. The surprising decision to part ways with coach Sasa Obradovic early on raised eyebrows, but Vassilis Spanoulis steadied the ship. Their quarterfinal series against Barcelona was a rollercoaster, with Monaco nearly squandering an early lead before narrowly advancing thanks to a missed shot by Barcelona’s Kevin Punter in Game 5. Spanoulis and his team dodged a bullet.

Monaco’s strategy is straightforward, centered around Mike James, with Elie Okobo stepping up as a playmaker when James rests. The addition of Daniel Theis has been a game-changer, providing a reliable presence at center and leadership bolstered by his championship experience with Germany. For Monaco to pull off an upset against Olympiacos, James and Okobo must exploit one-on-one matchups, while shooters like Alpha Diallo, Matthew Strazel, and Jordan Loyd need to capitalize on open looks from beyond the arc.