The 2023 EuroLeague playoffs tip off on Tuesday with Game 1 between Monaco and Maccabi Tel-Aviv and Hedgeout.net previews a series that has no grand favorite.
Regular season
Monaco finished the regular season fourth in the standings with a 21-13 record, whereas Maccabi was the fifth seed at 20-14. The Monegasques won five straight games between Round 26 and Round 30, which solidified their spot in the playoffs. Yet, they lost three of their last four and missed the chance of earning any of the three top spots on the table.
On the contrary, the Israelis were unstoppable in the final part of the regular season and won seven of their last eight, clinching their spot in the postseason and climbing to fifth.
This season, Maccabi defeated Monaco 78-70 in Tel-Aviv back in Round 3, before Monaco exacted revenge, 86-67, at Salle Gaston Medecin in Round 26.
Home court crucial for both teams
Both Monaco and Maccabi relied on their home courts to book their ticket to the EuroLeague playoffs. Monaco went 13-4 at Salle Gaston Medecin, good enough for the joint second-best mark in the EuroLeague, but Maccabi Tel-Aviv led the way this year with a 15-2 record at Menora Mivtachim Arena.
On the contrary, they both were inconsistent away from home, with the Monegasques winning just eight of their 17 road games and the Israelis having one of the worst road records in the competition (5-12).
Hence, home-court advantage will be crucial in this series and a Game 5 is very likely to take place if both clubs protect their home. In four games since Monaco first played in the EuroLeague last season, the record is 2-2, with both teams winning at home.
Superstar duos will set the tone
This playoff series will feature the battle of two superstar duos. Mike James and Elie Okobo of Monaco vs Lorenzo Brown and Wade Baldwin of Maccabi.
James and Okobo have been the cornerstones of Monaco’s successful campaign. The American scoring guard averaged 16.3 points, 4.6 assists and 3.6 rebounds for a PIR of 16.8, while the French guard added 12.8 points and 3.6 assists for a PIR of 12.6.
On the contrary, Brown, the 2022 EuroBasket champion with Spain, had averages of 16.5 points, 5.7 assists and a PIR of 16.7. Baldwin, meanwhile, who signed a two-year contract extension with Maccabi on Sunday, averaged 16.7 points, five assists and 3.6 boards for a PIR of 16.4.
Key stats
High-scoring games are the most likely scenario, as both teams had great numbers offensively with 83.6 (Maccabi) and 83.3 (Monaco) points per game, respectively.
The Israelis averaged 16.4 points, 6.7 steals and 3.2 blocks for a PIR of 91.3, on 34.6% from beyond the arc. On the contrary, the Monegasques averaged 15.5 assists, 7.3 steals and 2.1 blocks for a PIR of 92.4, on 31.7% from three.
What’s next?
As we have already said, this is a series where all bets are off and exciting games are expected. Given how powerful both teams are at home, a Game 5 is a very likely scenario, so Monaco has a slight advantage entering the series.
“We have the home-court advantage, but their advantage at home is huge, we know that. Our fans are going to have a big role to play, we know it will be madness in Tel Aviv,” Monaco head coach Sasa Obradovic said pregame.
350 Maccabi fans will make the trip to Monaco for Games 1 and 2, while the Israelis have already announced a sold-out for Game 3.
Games 1 and 2 will be played at Salle Gaston Medecin on April 25 and 27, respectively, before the series moves to Tel-Aviv for Games 3 (May 2) and 4 (May 4, if needed).
The winner of the Monaco vs Maccabi Tel-Aviv series will go on to play the winner of the Olympiacos vs Fenerbahce series for a spot in the EuroLeague Championship Game.
