20.2.2020 – This is the day when the “Mediolanum Forum” in Milan experienced for the last time contemptuous whistles from thousands of fans and even calls for resignation towards the coach, Ettore Messina. The game ended in 69:78 for Moscow Khimki, closing a streak of 3 losses and a total of 6 of the Italians’ last 7. After that game, Milan still managed to lose twice and fall to 12th place, until the Corona caused the European factory to stop, and perhaps saved the decorated coach’s job.
A year less two days ahead, and Milan from the same Messina will go up to the same hall, only this time the Italians are in a completely different situation. They come to the game against Maccabi Tel Aviv when they are in 3rd place in the Euroleague, with a positive balance of 8:15 (65.2% success) and with 6 victories from the last 7 games. The unfortunate Pesaro.
So what has changed this year anyway? And what made Milan transform from a team that at the beginning of each season develops expectations and usually disappoints, to a strong team that can make the Final Four? The answers are in front of you.
Run & Maor-Gan
If last season we got used to seeing from Milan mainly a run and a mess, which manifested itself in a lot of hard shots and in 5th place from the end in the percentage of true shooting (a formula that allows you to calculate how effective your shooting ability) in the Euroleague, then this season their running game is more calculated. , You can count on the Panthers and Delines to take her. And what about the percentage of true shooting in the current season so far? 5 in the factory, but this time from the right side of the table.
We will return to percentages outside the arc. Milan are scoring 42.5% this season (second in the factory after Zalgiris), with the most prominent being the Panthers’ Kevin Panther and Malcolm Delaney, and Luigi Datuma and Zack in the hands of the forwards (3rd and 4th place in the Euroleague 3 percent). Together with Sergio Rodriguez and Michael Roll the veterans and Shabon Shields Messina has a tremendous attacking team (81.8 points per game, 3 in the factory) but more importantly, responsible and organized.
Shopping in the front line
One of the points that caused the fall of Milan last year is the failed acquisition. And to know what to put your finger on, you can turn to one of the interviews of Messina In it he admitted that the addition of Luis Scola (39 years old at the time!) Was considered, in retrospect, a failure. “He came to us after a mighty Mondobasket, and we thought he was the missing piece in the puzzle, but when looking at an entire season he did not match the intensity of the Euroleague,” said Messina.
The Argentine veteran looked quite heavy on defense and was not effective enough for a top five player on a team aiming high. Together with Arturas Godaitis, who also left the Italians, they put together a front line that did not pose a real threat to its rivals.
And when you look at what came to the color of the Milanese last summer, you can understand the difference. Kyle Haynes joined forces with Messina from the days at CSKA, and Zack Lydie joined after an excellent season at Zalgiris. The Americans and were less efficient with 3.1 points less than Haynes and Lydie in the efficiency index.
In the end, these are all just temporary impressions. To continue to be a contender for the Final Four, Milan will need its stars at the peak ahead of the final straight of the regular season and the road continues today in the game against the bunch of Yannis Sapropoulos. We have already seen quite a few teams frightened by the very fact of reaching the top of the Euroleague table. Messina’s players will have to prove they are worth a playoff, and perhaps perhaps, a First Final Four after 29 years.
