By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
AS Monaco coach Vassilis Spanoulis was disappointed over the defensive performance of his players in the larger part of the game against Bayern Munich, a 95 – 94 loss for the Monegasque side.
“With the way we play in the first games, we are a team that can go to the Final Four. With the way we played in the last two games, we don’t deserve to go to the playoffs,” said Spanoulis in the post-game presser. “It’s not a pick-up game.”
“We can’t give up baskets like we’re in the kindergarten,” Spanoulis later added. “In the first three quarters, it was like kindergarten. I don’t understand why. I know I have to see the video again.”
Bayern dominated the game in the beginning to go ahead even 46 – 23 halfway through the second quarter. Monaco closed halftime down 53 – 40 and was trailing 78 – 68 after 30 minutes.
Monaco erased that deficit and went up 89 – 90 in crunch time but Bayern had the final say thanks to a winning triple by Shabazz Napier. Mike James had previously put Monaco up 94 – 92 with a mid-range jumper. The reigning EuroLeague MVP also took the shot to win the game but misfired under the tough defense by Nick Weiler-Babb.
The final result marked the second straight loss for Monaco after also suffering an 84 – 98 defeat at home to Barcelona.
“Last two games we didn’t start with the correct mindset or correct approach,” Spanoulis mentioned. “When I came to this team I said that we have to play better defense. We received 98 from Barca and 95 from Bayern. Players don’t understand what I need, what I want, and what it takes to win. It’s my responsibility to fix it.”
“We came back, we showed an amazing, great character and I’m very proud of my players for the way we came back, with winning plays and hustle plays,” Spanoulis added. “But when you play like this in the first half, you’ll always be behind. In the last possession, anything can happen.”