Sasa Obradovic names change in Mike James, picks Coach Of The Year / News - Basketnews.com

Sasa Obradovic talks to BasketNews about how Monaco are preparing for the series against Maccabi and the way Mike James' approach has changed. The Serbian coach sympathizes with TJ Parker, reflects on the Serbian teams' dynamic, and makes his playoff predictions.

Credit: AS Monaco Direction de la Communication / Stephane Danna Credit AS Monaco Direction de la Communication / Stephane Danna

AS Monaco started the 2022-23 season on the right foot, wanting to prove they rightfully belong to the EuroLeague elite.

AS Monaco / Schedule

AS Monaco Maccabi Playtika Tel AvivTue18:15 AS Monaco Maccabi Playtika Tel AvivThu18:15

By mid-January, they had placed themselves among the TOP 4 of the regular season standings, having achieved some big victories against teams with considerable aspirations.

Their 10-5 record in games decided by a margin of 5 points or less helped a lot and illustrates that they're a team with the right way and the players to close the games when needed.

Despite a poor 3-point shooting percentage (31.7%, worst in EuroLeague), Monaco are full of offensive weapons.

Coach Sasa Obradovic stretches the court with lineups that include Mike James, Elie Okobo, Jordan Lloyd, and Alpha Diallo or Jaron Blossomgame. The Serbian tactician has deployed a style of play that strongly favors his team's explosive guards and 1-on-1 skills while making the best out of the ample opportunities for scoring in transition.

The three big men possess at least one elite element - Donatas Motiejunas delivers experience and decent shooting, Donta Hall provides an impressive athletic ability, and John Brown is the team's "glue guy" that will take on the toughest defensive tasks.

Before the season set in, Obradovic referred to it as the opportunity of a lifetime. In theory, very few could argue with him.

Monaco reached the EuroLeague playoffs in 2021-22, losing to Olympiacos Piraeus in Game 5. They seem to be a team that keeps pushing the boundaries, recording considerable progress from one season to another.

Hence, Obradovic is willing to extend that label to the upcoming playoff series against Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv. He doesn't deny that the opportunity of a lifetime lies ahead for him and Monaco to reach the Final Four, something neither the club nor the coach personally have achieved.

Points this season

47%83,3Points made:83,3Accuracy:47,0%Place in standings:7Record max:102Record min:63Best scorer:Mike JamesTeamEuroLeagueStatisticsSchedule

"It is like that, at least on paper," he told BasketNews in an interview on the eve of Game 1 in the Principality.

"If we make the Final Four, it will be the biggest thing for our careers. I, as a coach, and some guys had the experience last year, while our newcomers [Jordan Loyd, Elie Okobo, John Brown] didn't. They all had the potential, but they didn't make it. So, going to the playoffs having the home-court advantage, we're expecting all players to come out and play," he added.

On the other hand, the 54-year-old tactician doesn't want to put enormous pressure on his players' shoulders that will stop them from playing like they're supposed to.

"We want to have patience, calmness, and smartness in all parts of the game. It won't be enough to play well in some periods. It's going to be a long and demanding series, both physically and mentally," Obradovic expects.

For Monaco and their coach, last year's series against Olympiacos provided a good lesson in the form of a learning experience.

Never before had Obradovic or the club immersed themselves in such a mentally and physically draining battle that took over two weeks to conclude. Olympiacos got the ticket to the Final Four in Belgrade, leaving Monaco with a bitter aftertaste.

In games decided by details, Obradovic says, there are always some takeaways. The Serbian coach will never forget how Kostas Sloukas changed the course of that series in Games 3 and 5, taking advantage of some tactical mistakes.

"In some moments, you need to pay attention to things like not fouling people in bonus, boxing out when needed, or fouling the guy who's a bad free-throw shooter. We've talked about that all year long, and now we're relying on the guys' internal approach to the game," he argues.

Obradovic is positive that his players will have the right mindset, but it's also about gaining or losing confidence and how you react to that.

"I always mention those things. It's more about how you're going to execute plays, not about having a book with 20 possible scenarios. You need to be simple in important games and rely on your strengths," he points out.

Maccabi's run, on the other hand, was like a roller coaster, depending on whether they were playing at home or away. Even more impressive is how their defensive effectiveness changes on the road.

On the back of a 7-1 streak that allowed them to take the 5th place in the regular season, the Israeli powerhouse faces a team that is quite similar to them in strengths and weaknesses.

And even though a lot has been said about both squads having backcourt options that most EuroLeague teams would envy, Obradovic says he's approaching this series without being primarily focused on guard play.

"Watching both teams, you can say there's a lot of quality on that part," he admits.

"Lorenzo Brown and Wade Baldwin are extraordinary players, creating for themselves and others. But it's not just those two. The series demands much more. Maccabi are great in transition game, and we have to control the rhythm by taking good shots."

Talking about guard play, Obradovic welcomed Mike James back to the team a month ago following the player's two-week suspension for reportedly violating the club's internal regulationafter the game vs. Panathinaikos on March 8.

James missed a total of seven games in the process, including three EuroLeague outings, all won by his team.

However, following Monaco's victory over Valencia (90-79), Sasa Obradovic explained the reasons for the absence of the Oregon-born player and laid down the conditions for his return.

"We found a new chemistry without him. Mike must understand that he is part of a collective; he must return in the best condition and share the ball."

As time went by, James put together a string of excellent performances in the French league and Cup, especially over the past 10 days. It looks like the process is going well for him ahead of the playoffs?

"Very well," Obradovic confirms.

"Mike has changed his game, and he's helping the team more. He's been playing differently, putting in the effort on defense as well.

As I always say, Mike, along with Alpha Diallo and John Brown, are our best defenders. I have no problem motivating him, especially on occasions like that," Monaco head coach adds.

Fresh off their French Cup win against rivals LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne, Monaco had a slightly different game preparation than Maccabi, considering that it took place over a shorter time span.

"The only test we had to go through was this past weekend when we played the French Cup final. Now, the level of our opponents, their individual quality, and their physicality are much different than ASVEL's," Obradovic notes.

The playoffs are always the hardest part. The EuroLeague is the second-best competition in the world - and more so this season.

Obradovic has coached teams considered the underdogs, and there's always a certain struggle in those trying to survive the regular season since less than 50% of competing teams make the cut.

"You have an extra motivation and approach to games. This can be decisive," Monaco's play-caller remarks. "On the other hand, you want your team to have consistency, especially nowadays when the coach's job is on the line every week."

Credit AS Monaco Direction de la Communication / Stephane Danna

For Monaco, the dangerous part was in the last month since they had already secured the playoffs and the home-court advantage three games before the end of the regular season.

"It's not easy to motivate your players and keep them focused when you've already achieved something," Obradovic maintains.

For the coach who managed to vault astruggling team to the playoffs last year, securing the home-court advantage in what most people consider the most competitive EuroLeague season of all time has been an equally challenging task.

"Both situations are tough. I took over when the team had only five wins. We reached the playoffs in a good mood. But I always like to escape from my comfort zone.

If I had taken over last summer, it would have been easier. But there's no perfect situation, and we have to adjust to any kind of surprise we might face," Obradovic says.

Now, the experienced tactician has seen both sides of the spectrum. His career has allowed him to be less dogmatic and more prismatic in his point of view since he has taken over different kinds of teams.

That's one of the reasons why he can sympathize with what LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne head coach TJ Parker said about the French LNB being a more difficult and dense league than the one Zalgiris Kaunas (LKL) and Partizan (ABA League) face.

Although Obradovic says his colleague "said it a bit wrong," adding that one "shouldn't make such comparisons too much," he nevertheless thinks Parker has a point.

"You can see how other leagues are and what the level is. All the teams play their best basketball against ASVEL and Monaco.

I can tell by scouting or recruiting a team. You see a completely different picture when teams play against us. Their coaches and players see those games as an opportunity to get another contract."

Credit Franco Arland/Icon Sport via Getty Images

Obradovic thinks coaches in France are far better than they used to be. They don't always have players with quality, but they use a lot of tricks, and it's not easy to play against them.

"For me, EuroLeague games are easier to prepare. You know exactly what you're going to face. In France, it's harder to show your individual quality. I understand the situation because I've been in that position myself, preparing games against big teams," he concedes.

The former Serbian international player says it's really hard to play in two competitions. Moreover, the schedule doesn't leave much room for rest.

"Last month, we were playing every second day. I don't know who created that schedule," he wonders.

"Those games aren't easy because if you're not at 100%, you can lose to anyone. That's why I appreciate the results and teams from ACB. You see what they face every week in Spain and in the EuroLeague," Obradovic stresses.

His take on Spanish teams is the main reason why Obradovic would pick Baskonia's Joan Penarroya as his Coach of The Year.

"He did a great job, combining first place in ACB with the EuroLeague. If somebody asked me, I'd say this is the top achievement. They didn't make the playoffs, but they were close, and - again - they're doing great in Spain. You need to give him a big credit," Monaco's coach defends his choice.

Credit Valencia Basket/Miguel Angel Polo

Of the other seven coaches whose teams have made the playoffs, Obradovic has a hard time deciding who has done the best job this season.

"I'll say let's wait to see how the season will end. Everybody has done an extraordinary job," he says, explaining that each of them has been successful in their own right.

"If you think of Olympiacos, who finished first in the regular season, [Giorgos] Bartzokas did an amazing job. Real and Barca, despite all the adversity they had to face, are where people expected.

I can say how proud I am of the things we did, but it's the opinion of someone who works for a certain club. But [Oded] Kattash did an unbelievable, really great job also. It's his first time in the playoffs, and he had the support of the entire Maccabi organization.

Some will say the way Partizan are playing with an old wolf like Zeljko Obradovic, who knows how to win in the playoffs. Fenerbahce went through difficult times with injuries, and Zalgiris' coach also did a big thing. For Zalgiris, the playoffs were an extra achievement," Obradovic explained in detail.

When hit with the question of who will make the Final Four, some coaches prefer to skip it. But Obradovic has a clear view of who he thinks will prevail in the other three pairings.

"Knowing that Fenerbahce have some injury issues and certain players are doubtful, and also having the experience from the previous season, when Olympiacos had an amazing home-court advantage, I'd give the Greeks the role of the favorite," he begins.

"With all respect to the job Zalgiris did, I think Barcelona know how to treat big games, and they will be the ones to go through. I don't think any series will be a sweep (3-0). It's going to be 3-1 or 3-2, but what counts is who will pass," Obradovic continues.

"Real Madrid-Partizan will be a nice series to watch. The chances are equal. Real Madrid are like Barca. They know how to play, and all their experienced players are back.

The two regular-season games, especially the one in Belgrade, show that Partizan can compete against them. I know how Zeljko prepares those games, but I'd still give 60-40 chances to Real Madrid," he concludes his predictions.

Before joining Monaco, Obradovic coached Crvena Zvezda but was let go after a disappointing start in the EuroLeague with 5 wins in 16 matches. He also had three stints as a player with his hometown team.

Last January, just before Monaco were about to take onCrvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade, the Monegasque team's head coach made a gesture before the match, kissing the logo of the Serbian team in the middle of the court.

"There is no happier person than me. Imagine, 60% on this side and 40% of Partizan's world are applauding me in Serbia," Obradovic was happy. "[Is there a place] where it is more beautiful?"

Looking at the two Serbian teams' season, the Belgrade-born expert says it's been bumpy for both.

"It was important to know what the main goal was at the beginning. Was it to win the ABA League or go to the TOP 8? And also, when did they decide what a good season will look like?" he wondered.

"If you want to make the playoffs, but with the roster that Red Star had, that was impossible. Then, you change the roster, bringing in two high-level players, but you can't play [Facundo] Campazzo."

Obradovic believes that with their current roster and the quality Zvezda have, they could have made the playoffs, but different circumstances took their chances away. However, he wasn't surprised by Partizan at all.

"They have individual, coaching, and team quality to be in the TOP 8. I know how much their fans can support the team."

Obradovic hopes that Monaco fans will be able to do the same in the playoff series against a sizeable and loud Maccabi crowd.

Mike Batiste predictions:

Kyle Hines predictions:

Leo Westermann predictions:

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