Olympiacos – Monaco 77-80: Third Consecutive Loss for Piraeus in Euroleague

Olympiacos suffered a defeat with a score of 80-77 against Monaco in the 32nd competitive match and experienced their third consecutive loss in the league, now risking losing their top spot in the rankings. With 14 missed shots in the game, Olympiacos faltered against Monaco in the final stretch and will need to fight hard at the end of the season to secure the first position in the regular Euroleague standings. Bezenkov and Peters were the top performers for Piraeus, while Fournier had an off night and watched as Blossomgame and James sealed the win in the last quarter. The game started with intense defense from both teams, leading to numerous missed shots early on and a low score in the first quarter. Monaco needed to bring in Tays to catch up in scoring, with the German center hitting five points in a row and becoming a key factor in the game on both sides of the court. Olympiacos struggled with misses from Bezenkov and Fournier, resulting in a 23-15 deficit after the first 10 minutes. In the second quarter, the game dynamics changed as Peters came off the bench to boost Olympiacos, alongside Li and McKissic’s offensive solutions. Bartozek’s team quickly turned the game around by tightening their defense, allowing only 12 points for Monaco in the second quarter, ending the half with a 37-35 lead. After halftime, Olympiacos began to unravel from three-point range, finding themselves up by +10 at 56-46 thanks to Papаниkolаou, Bezenkov, and Peters. However, Monaco responded with a quick 6-0 run featuring two triples and stayed close. The third quarter ended with Monaco scoring in ‘dead time,’ setting the stage for a tight final period. Monaco took the lead early in the fourth quarter and maintained it until the final buzzer. Olympiacos was very inaccurate from the free-throw line, finishing 19/33, ultimately costing them the game. Mike James delivered crucial points for Monaco, leading his team to victory with a final score of 80-77.