Sasa Obradovic after loss vs Virtus: 'Very hard to find any positives' / News - Basketnews.com

Obradovic took responsibility for the painful loss against Virtus. After saying that the team did not play according to the plan, he provided an update on Jordan Loyd.

Credit: Valencia Basket/Miguel Angel Polo Credit Valencia Basket/Miguel Angel Polo

AS Monaco played their first game at home in the new EuroLeague season. However, the former Final Four competitors were blown out by Virtus Segafredo Bologna.

Player of the Game EFF 18 Tornike Shengelia Points 12 Accuracy 4-9 Rebounds 5 Assists 4

The Roca Team scored just 59 points and lost all four quarters, falling to 0-2 in the season. After the game, Monaco's head coach, Sasa Obradovic, was visibly sad.

"When you lose like this, when you make mistakes for 40 minutes in offense and defense, individual [and] team, the coach should take responsibility for this. Explanation? If you don't play with a plan, if you don't play to your strength, if you force things, if you don't have patience, if you don't foul good, then it's going to be really hard," he said.

"We ended with a bad shooting night, missing free throws [for] the second, third game in a row. In the EuroLeague, those guys play at the highest possible level. To talk about us and underestimate an opponent, I think we should be realistic," the coach continued. "Today, we played against a team that deserved to win all four quarters. They over-rebounded us, the same as in Valencia. They gained confidence in offense and defense, and we lost confidence. This is the game of losing and gaining confidence. If you try to gain confidence from the things you do less, of course, it's not going to be good. Both ways."

Asked whether he could take away anything positive from the game, Obradovic was blunt - such a loss at home cannot bring many encouraging points.

"I think it's very hard to find any positive points now, but it's not the end of the world. It's going to be a hard time," he said. "We have to say it out loud - there probably are not going to be many smiles in a losing atmosphere anymore. Out of this, you can also be stronger. This is how you prepare yourself."

Points this season

36%62,0Points made:62,0Accuracy:36,4%Place in standings:18Record max:65Record min:59Best scorer:Mike JamesTeamEuroLeagueStatisticsSchedule

"When you lose, I think the coach should always take a certain responsibility," Obradovic reiterated.

The Serbian specialist then repeated the point that if the players lack motivation against a team like Virtus, the coach cannot motivate them singlehandedly.

"I think we're not out of condition. Mentally, you have to be ready for the game to play the toughest you can. Nobody can push you, that doesn't exist on a EuroLeague level," the coach explained.

Monaco played without Jordan Loyd and Kemba Walker who are both recovering from injuries. Obradovic said that Loyd is a player he misses in the rotation a lot.

"They're practicing. Jordan is starting [to practice] with contact. I don't know when he's going to [play]. We probably missed Loyd the most, but it was to be expected. He couldn't have helped us right away after not playing for months," Obradovic said. "He also needs time. Kemba also started with practices, but Kemba also didn't play for many months. To expect that everything fits in one single game, it's impossible."

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