AS Monaco's second win this week reinforced the fact that when this team shares the ball, it's really dangerous.
All hands were on deck – and passing – for Monaco's second win in a row
Članak
3 Min čitanja
Monaco came into the season as one of the favorite to challenge for another Final Four run after its first one last spring, but promptly lost its opening two games, including an unexpected 24-point home defeat to unheralded Virtus Segafredo Bologna in Round 2.
The fans in the principality got to see on Friday how much their team learned in a week as Monaco aced the double round with a handy 86-75 victory against visiting ALBA Berlin to even its record at 2-2.
It's not every day that a team piles up 86 points with just one double-digit scorer, and therein lies the second plus for Monaco fans and their team. No heroics were required because everyone up and down the roster contributed to the victory.
The ever-dependable Mike James was that sole double-digit scorer, with 17 points. Interestingly, Monaco joined FC Barcelona on the same night as the first two teams this season whose entire lineup scored. It was the second such accomplishment for Monaco in its three EuroLeague seasons, and the first time was last year, in the only game in five that it has won against Barcelona.
In the end, though, Jame's team-leading 7 assists were more indicative of everything that went right for Monaco. All 12 of Monaco's players found their way into the scoring column because nine of them also shared 24 assists.
That abundance came two days and one plane ride after Monaco's first victory came on the road at Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade. In that 76-82 decision, head coach Sasa Obradovic's men dished 23 assists.
Contrast that to the two losses that preceded this week, in which Monaco's combined total of assists was 22. The Roca team literally doubled its generosity from the first two unsuccessful games of the season and turned its fortunes around in the process
This time, James was followed by Alpha Diallo with 4 assists, Kemba Walker and Elie Okobo with 3 each, and John Brown and Jaron Blossomgame with 2 each. Petr Cornelie, Donatas Motiejunas and Matthew Strazel all chipped in 1.
The upshot of all the passing was good shots. The Roca Team's 62.5% shooting on two-pointers (25 for 40) and 47.4% on threes (9 for 19) were both its highes accuracy rates of the season so far.