In a very tight and always balanced match, Shabazz Napier’s final baskets allow Milan to beat Partizan Belgrade and relaunch their play-in ambitions, bringing the Serbians and Valencia closer to tenth place in the standings. Messina enjoys four players in double figures and excellent percentages from the field (12/15 from 2 and 16/31 from 3)
SUBSCRIBE TO THE SKY SPORT WHASTAPP CHANNEL
Shields at the start, Hall in the third quarter, Mirotic in the last period e Napier at the end. With the talent of its best players Milan wins a very complicated match against Partizan Belgrade, balanced from the first to the last minute, getting closer to the Serbs in the standings and returning to aspire to a place in the play-in. Messina beats his lifelong friend and rival, Zeljko Obradovic, forgetting last week’s bad misstep on the parquet of Asvel Villeurbanne. He succeeds with an exceptional shooting team (80% in the area and 51.6% from the arc), which makes up for the too many turnovers (19) and the many rebounds conceded (10 in attack against 6 won).
Not seeing this content?
We’re sorry! To view this Instagram content, click on Manage cookies and Accept all
Manage cookies
The chronicle of the match
Bad start for Olimpia, who immediately loses four consecutive balls without even managing to shoot and collects a partial of 8-0. However, Messina’s suspension works and causes a half-time score of 12 to 2, stimulated by Napier’s recoveries and above all by 10 points (plus an assist) from Shields. The game becomes more balanced and exciting, with the first quarter ending 22-21. The second period also opens with a new one 8-0 break by the Serbs (22-29)immediately blocked by Olimpia with an excellent shot contribution by Voigtmann on both sides of the court and a positive percentage from the arc (8/14 and 57% from the field in the 20th minute). The lost balls though, even 12 in the first halfcontinue to be an Achilles heel of the evening and allow Partizan to remain in contact at halftime the score was 41-39. Upon returning to the field, the teams continue to respond blow for blow, without either of them managing to gain a head start. A technician in Kevin Punter and a positive moment from Napier and especially Hall seem to be able to give a shock to Olimpia (59-53)but Partizan reacts by increasing the volume of its three-pointers and finding a magic moment from the pair Andjusic-Caboclo: the two of them build the 64-67 al 30‘. The Brazilian center, combined with the creativity of the former Varese player Avramovic, continues to attack in the Milan area even in the last quarter. Milan struggles more to build clean shots, but finds comfort in talent of Nikola Mirotic, who carries the team on his shoulders with three difficult triples. The match continues on a delicate balance, apparently broken by the forced triple by Napier with a minute and a half to go. An illusion, because Partizan fights and hits at 83 with a basket plus a foul from the former LeDay. The former Miami point guard then takes advantage of his perfect moment to invent, on the 24-second siren, the splendid decisive basket 5 seconds from the end: ends 85-83, with LeDay not even reaching the rim with his desperate final attempt. The Forum rejoices in a success that gives meaning to these last days of the Euroleague, which will see Olimpia committed to climbing back towards tenth position. The away match against Baskonia next week will be worth a lot.
read also
The Euroleague ranking: Milan goes up
The match scoreboard
Olimpia Milan: Lo 3, McGruder, Melli 3, Napier 15, Ricci, Flaccadori n.e., Hall 18, Caruso n.e., Shields 19, Mirotic 19, Hines 2, Voigtmann 6
Partizan Belgrade: Smith no, LeDay 12, Avramovic 19, Koprivica no, Punter 9, Smailagic 5, Trifunovic, Andjusic 11, Dozier Jr 2, Ponitka 5, Kaminsky 7, Caboclo 13