Narrow defeat to Monaco
Olympiacos fell just short in Monaco, losing 81–80 to the home team and dropping its record to 20–11.
The 'red & whites' showed two very different faces in the game, since in the first half they were far from their usual level, but in the second they managed to bring the game under control. However, a late basket by Strazel sealed the defeat.
For Olympiacos, the most valuable player was Nikola Milutinov, who finished with 13 points and 10 rebounds.
Giorgos Bartzokas started the game with Ntilikina, Dorsey, Papanikolaou, Peters, and Milutinov. The beginning was rough for Olympiacos in the Principality, as the hosts, led by Mike James, quickly took an 11–2 lead. Tyler Dorsey struggled with his shooting and, after receiving a technical foul, was replaced by Evan Fournier, who hit the team’s first 3-pointer to cut the deficit to 13–7.
Olympiacos did not respond well to Monaco’s physical style, and despite Milutinov’s 6 points, Manuchar Markoishvili’s team closed the first quarter ahead by 8 (22–14) after a basket by Strazel.
The second quarter began even worse for Olympiacos. Monaco opened with a 7–0 run to go up by 15, but Olympiacos reacted mainly with Cory Joseph, who scored 4 straight points to make the score 29–18. About 7' before halftime, Tyler Dorsey made his first field goal of the night, cutting the lead to 32–22.
As the quarter progressed, Milutinov won most of his battles inside, helping Olympiacos reduce the gap to single digits by halftime (43–37). The Serbian center was the team’s standout in the first half with 8 points and 4 rebounds.
At the start of the second half, Olympiacos finally showed its true colors. Bartzokas’ players tightened up defensively and executed with purpose on offense, with Alec Peters repeatedly posting up Mike James. Tyler Dorsey hit two threes, and Olympiacos not only erased the deficit but took the lead after a triple from Kostas Papanikolaou that made the score 45–47.
Olympiacos had its best stretch in the third quarter, but a few poor decisions prevented the team from building a larger lead. Monaco stayed resilient and tied the game at 62–62 shortly before the end of the period.
In the final ten minutes, Olympiacos again struggled offensively. Monaco defended aggressively, right at the limit of fouling, and Bartzokas’ players found it difficult to execute. With 2:10'' left on the clock, Tyler Dorsey hit his 5th 3-pointer of the game, giving Olympiacos a 76–75 lead, but the hosts remained composed and finished their plays effectively.
A free throw by Alec Peters put Olympiacos ahead with 28'' remaining, but Matt Strazel converted a difficult layup to give Monaco the 81–80 victory.
The quarters: 22–14, 43–37, 62–63, 81–80.
