With its intriguing matchups and entertaining stars, Monaco vs. Maccabi playoff series is sure to offer a lot to EuroLeague fans.
The EuroLeague top 8 race culminated in an epic showdown, finally delivering the first playoff matchup. After Maccabi Tel Aviv's thrilling overtime win against Real Madrid, they were matched up against AS Monaco.
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Anadolu Efes IstanbulHere are four reasons why this matchup is one of the most exciting in the playoffs, according to BasketNews.
The best backcourt, huh?
Sergio Scariolo recognized Maccabi's backcourt of Lorenzo Brown and Wade Baldwin as the best in the competition.
And it's hard to argue with the numbers - Baldwin and Brown have led their team to the fifth seed, with almost two-thirds of Maccabi's total points coming from their scoring and points scored after their assists.
However, Monaco's big three of Mike James, Elie Okobo, and Jordan Loyd won't back down from a challenge.
Their backcourt ranks in the top 3 of the same category, and they will undoubtedly be motivated to prove themselves.
There won't be any other playoff matchup that can boast of having three players from the top 5 best scorers in the league.
If Brown remains 100% ready for the series, this clash promises to be one of the most entertaining backcourt battles in recent memory.
A Highlight Reel Waiting to Happen
This series features two of the most athletic EuroLeague centers, Josh Nebo and Donta Hall.
If you enjoy high-flying, rim-rattling dunks, you won't want to miss this matchup. These guys can dunk the ball on a Space Jam level.
Since both players share similar qualities, they will likely face off against each other often.
Expect a series full of jaw-dropping highlights.
Toughest home courts
Home-court advantage can be a game-changer, and both Maccabi and Monaco are among the best teams on their home courts.
Maccabi boasts the best home win record in the EuroLeague, winning 15 out of 17 games in front of an electric Minora Mivtachim crowd.
Monaco's compact arena makes it challenging for visiting teams, as they won 13 out of 17 games at home, with only Maccabi (15-2) and Olympiacos (14-3) boasting a better record.
As Monaco holds the home-court advantage in this series, they have a slight edge over their opponents.
Perfect matchup?
We have two teams that are similar in their offensive-oriented, backcourt-driven playstyle.
Besides an epic clash of backcourts, both have forwards who could become X-factors, such as Bonzie Colson and Alpha Diallo. Both have athletic alley-oop threats in Nebo and Hall.
In addition, both teams have former players, Oded Kattash and Sasa Obradovic, guiding them from the sidelines, who rely on their players' talent on the court without imposing strict systems.
Per BBallytics, Monaco had the 6th best offensive rating this year, while Maccabi ranks 9th. On the defensive end, Maccabi has a slight advantage (7th vs. 8th best defensive rating).
Both squads are dominating the EuroLeague in terms of offensive rebounds, with Maccabi snagging an average of 10.3 and Monaco securing 10.2 offensive boards per game.
Additionally, both teams are among the top four in the league for isolation plays made, with Monaco coming in at the number one spot and Maccabi closely behind in fourth place.
Furthermore, both teams make their mark in transition plays per game, with Maccabi ranking third and Monaco landing in fifth place on the league's leaderboard.
The two regular season games were extremely close, with both teams winning behind incredible fourth-quarter runs at home. Maccabi won the last 10-minute stretch 26-11 (78-70), while Monaco blasted the away team with a run of 28-8 (86-67).
This series promises to be a perfect matchup between two evenly-matched teams with exciting players and a lot on the line.
