By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Milan had created a reputation of not being able to close big games the right way.
That was not the case against Monaco, with Milan getting the 86-80 win and improving to a 15-12 record, just one step behind the guests who have one more win (16-11).
Nikola Mirotic, with 22 points, and Shavon Shields with 19 were the leaders of the Italian team as Zach LeDay added 10 points and two very crucial free throws.
Elie Okobo, with 16 points, and Mike James, with 15, tried their best, but Monaco made a total of eight out of 27 threes and paid it.
Monaco’s Vassilis Spanoulis wasn’t happy with his team’s attitude.
“We want talent, I love talent. That’s a luxury for me. But to win is to put the talent in the team, everybody has to be involved. A big problem is our defense, I don’t like this kind of basketball,” he commented in the press conference.
Milan closing the game the right way
Despite a 10-2 start in the game by Monaco, Milan trailed by one point at the end of the first period (19-18) and got the 49-42 halftime lead.
The Italians kept it (68-61) at the end of the third, but in the end, the game turned into a dogfight.
Entering the last three minutes, the score was tied at 74 thanks to a three by Elie Okobo, only for Mirotic to answer back the same way, giving Milan the 77-74 advantage.
Okobo trimmed the lead to one point (77-76), and Alpha Diallo got the steal and scored, giving the lead back to Monaco for the first time since the first half (78-77).
Mirotiv got the goal-foul to put Milan up by two again (80-78) in the 12th lead change of the game.
Entering the last minute, Okobo tied the score again at 80, and Shields got the fifth foul of Daniel Theis with 32 seconds left.
The Italians got the lead back (82-80), Okobo turned the ball over, and Monaco had to foul Zack LeDay to stop the clock with 19 seconds left.
LeDay made both his free throws (84-80), Mike James missed a three, and the game was over with Mirotic making two more free throws (86-80).