Ettore Messina: We face an extremely athletic team

In the third double round week of the season, the first "mixed", meaning with a home and a road game (Thursday 15t in Belgrade against Red Star), Olimpia is looking for the first home win of the season and in general to end the losing streak that haunts the team in the EuroLeague. Affected by the absences of two starters such as Kevin Pangos and Shavon Shields as well as by the one of Gigi Datome (and in general by 30 games missed by one of the top 10 players), Olimpia has been looking for new configurations. Right now, two EuroLeague rookie players such as Tim Luwawu-Cabarrot and Naz Mitrou-Long have a crucial role. Mitrou-Long is second among EuroLeague’s rookie guards for points per game, over 12, behind only Markus Howard of Baskonia. Paradoxically, the big players sector is overloaded with solutions, while the problems are concentrated among the perimeter players, where the only one who has always been available is Devon Hall. Maccabi, a historic opponent whose destinies have often crossed paths with those of Olimpia, is in the midst of the playoffs’ race, coming from a large home win over Valencia. Olimpia faced and beat Maccabi in Athens during the pre-season. It is a team built around two creative and high-scoring guards like Lorenzo Brown and Wade Baldwin, two veterans who have played in many different EuroLeague teams, even if Baldwin is supposed to be out because of a pulled hamstring.

REFEREES – Miguel Angel Perez (Spain), Fernando Rocha (Portugal), Josip Radojkovic (Croatia).

COACH ETTORE MESSINA – "We face an extremely athletic team, very strong at blocking shots, grabbing offensive rebounds and at fueling its offensive transition led by Lorenzo Brown. Matching their intensity, being disciplined at boxing out and to defend against their transitions will be essential to try to win this game."

MACCABI TEL AVIV – After 12 games, Maccabi boasts six wins and as many losses. So far, the team is 6-1 at home, where they have only lost to Barcelona, ​​but 0-5 on the road. Due to injury, Maccabi will miss forward-center Alex Poythress, who started in all of the first 11 games, and Wade Baldwin (15.0 points and 4.4 assists, 96.2 percent from the free-throw line). The only permanent starter so far has been the playmaker Lorenzo Brown (European champion with Spain), who is playing himself at very high levels, 17.8 points per game and 6.4 assists per game. At the point guard, veteran John Di Bartolomeo is shooting 50.0 percent from three. The rotation also includes Jaylen Adams (4.6 points per game). Austin Hollins (2.9 points per game) and Darrun Hilliard (5.7 points per game but 48.1 percent shooting from three) are the outside perimeter players whose role will be amplified by Baldwin’s absence. Colson, who is a physical player, can play both at the small forward and power forward position. He is averaging 8.8 points and 4.0 rebounds per game, and he is shooting 38.5 percent from three. Given Poythress’s absence, the key big man is Josh Nebo. Jaleel Martin (4.6 points and 3.0 rebounds per game), Israeli power forward Roman Sorkin (6. 7 points per game on 66.7% from two plus 3.5 rebounds) and Jake Cohen are also part of the rotation.

HISTORY VS. MACCABI – Olimpia have won two of its three European titles by beating Maccabi Tel-Aviv in the championship game. In Lausanne on April 2, 1987, the game finished 71-69 for Milan, and the coach was Dan Peterson. A year later, in Ghent, it finished 90-84 again for Olimpia in the Final Four’s championship game. The coach was Franco Casalini. Overall, the two teams have met 39 times and the record is favorable to Maccabi 20-19. In Milan it is 13-5 for Olimpia. In Tel Aviv 15-4 for Maccabi. On a neutral court it is 2-0 for Olimpia. In the EuroLeague era the all-time record is 13-9 for Maccabi, 8-3 for Olimpia in Milan. In the 2014 playoffs, Maccabi prevailed 3-1 in the series and eventually won the title in Milan. Two years ago, Olimpia broke a streak that started in 1987 by winning 86-85 in Tel Aviv after an overtime with Malcolm Delaney’s winning jumper. Last season, Olimpia won in Milan 83-72 with 16 points scored by Devon Hall and 14 by Dinos Mitoglou.

MACCABI CONNECTION – During the 2020/21 season in St. Petersburg, Kevin Pangos and Billy Baron played along Austin Hollins and Alex Poythress. Darrun Hilliard has played at Bayern Munich with Deshaun Thomas, at CSKA Moscow with Johannes Voigtmann and for one season with Kyle Hines. Finally, during the 2018/19 season in Vitoria, he had among his teammates Shavon Shields. Lorenzo Brown and Billy Baron have played together at Red Star Belgrade. Deshaun Thomas has spent the 2017/18 season with Maccabi.

GAME NOTES – Billy Baron is entering this game one point shy of 1.000 for his EuroLeague career. Brandon Davies is 23 points shy of 2.000 for his career. Kyle Hines has cleared the 4.000 index rating points for his career during the last game in Athens. He is the fourth all-time to reach that milestone. Nicolò Melli has started in all Olimpia’s 12 games. Naz Mitrou-Long has scored in double digit in six of his seven games appearances.