Olympiacos will take on Monaco without Martin, but with more guards on the court / News - Basketnews.com

Credit: Olympiacos BC Credit Olympiacos BC

As Olympiacos Piraeus prepare for Game 3 against AS Monaco with the series tied at 1-1 and the Reds having several issues to resolve, one thing is certain - Hassan Martin isn't going to make it.

Olympiacos Piraeus / Schedule

Olympiakos Piraeus Monaco Basket71-54 Olympiakos Piraeus Monaco Basket72-96 Monaco Basket Olympiakos PiraeusWed19:00 Monaco Basket Olympiakos PiraeusFri19:00 Olympiakos Piraeus Monaco BasketMon21:00

After missing the first two outings as well, the American big man is expected to be the only absence for coach Giorgos Bartzokas.

The 26-year-old center is still suffering from a hematoma on the outside surface of his right thigh and hasn't been able to practice with the rest of his teammates for almost two weeks now. However, Martin has traveled together with the team to Nice, France, where Olympiacos will be staying in view of the back-to-back games in neighboring Monte Carlo.

Prior to the team's departure to France, Bartzokas only briefly mentioned Martin ("he'll join us, but he hasn't practiced yet") and presented a new perspective on how to deal with Monaco's tough pressing. The answer? A three-guard lineup.

While revealing some of his plans, the Greek coach referred to this possibility during the statements he made at the Athens International Airport. Bartzokas aims to force Monaco to diversify their game, at least in terms of their defensive approach.

"If we take into account that Monaco put Dwayne Bacon at '4', but also added Ouattara to the rotation, that was mainly because Diallo was out. We will try to play with more guards to deal with their pressure, but more or less, we will play the same way we have been playing all season," he stressed.

Bartzokas also touched on what his team needs to do to get at least one victory at the Salle Gaston Medecin in order to reclaim the home-court advantage in the EuroLeague playoffs.

"We are at the peak of the season of our European course, and every game is important. All of us who are part of Olympiacos's organization wants to play such games. This is our fate," Bartzokas said initially.

3-pointers this season

35%9,0Points made:9,0Accuracy:35,1%Place in standings:7Record max:18Record min:4Most made 3FGs:Tyler DorseyTeamEuroLeagueStatisticsSchedule

"In the first game of the series, we did a lot of things very well, we did a lot of things badly in the second. In essence, our tactics are more or less the same," he added.

"We made some changes from one game to the other. We were really bad last Friday, we did everything wrong. We play in a certain way, we have to play in our own style. It is clear that Monaco played in their own style in Game 2," Bartzokas emphasized.

The 2013 EuroLeague winner and coach of the year remembered the last time both teams met in Monaco during the regular season.

"We were coming off a derby against Panathinaikos," he recalled. "We had won by thirty points, and we were all happy."

"Monaco have all the elements a team needs - athleticism, enthusiasm, talent, a good coach, and an expensive roster. We have to play in our own style, which has given us two wins so far by twenty points against Monaco," Bartzokas explained. "It remains to be seen whether we will be mentally ready this time. I think we will," the experienced tactician went on to say.

Dwayne Bacon was a non-factor in Game 1, but a real threat two days later. Bartzokas thinks that holding the talented swingman down and reducing his effectiveness will exponentially increase Olympiacos' chances.

"Overall, we were sluggish in Game 2, that was the problem. Bacon, for example, did in Game 2 exactly what he had done in Game 1. He clearly has talent in one-on-one," the coach shared his thoughts.

"He is an important factor for Monaco, a barometer of how high Monaco will get on the scoreboard," Bartzokas continued. "When he scores a lot, his team's overall offensive productivity goes up."

The Reds want to capture at least one win in the next two contests to be able to return the series to Piraeus for a Game 5.

The team captain Giorgos Printezis thinks the Reds should improve to turn the situation around.

"We know these games are special. We want to win and focus on tomorrow's game," he told the Greek media before the game. "We all know we have to play harder. Offensively, more players must get involved, and we have to do a better job defensively as well."

Georgios PrintezisCredit Olympiacos BC

"We need to control the pace as much as possible. In this series, improving and showing something different game by game is very important," the 36-year-old veteran said.

"We allowed Monaco to find their rhythm and let their key players feel comfortable," Printezis added, referring to Game 2. "We conceded some easy baskets and weren't able to respond offensively the way we wanted."

"At the playoff level, it has been proven that all players must be ready. You have to be alert. We have a better team, but we have to prove it," the Greek forward concluded.

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