Hunt for continuity so as not to endanger the first two rounds of the playoffs to which Olimpia Milano must respond with great authority to confirm its preponderant means which can only be put into crisis by the opponent that the forecasts indicate in the final on the other part of the board. This is the analysis that, like every Tuesday, Sandro Gamba proposes on the pages of La Repubblica Milan edition, after the end of the regular season of the 2023-24 Serie A championship. No EuroLeague playoffs and no Final Four for anyone, lots of training for the physical and tactical recovery of the final rush that will award the championship.
“Let’s be content for the moment with this second place and with the knowledge that, if they hadn’t thrown away two or three games too many at the start of the season, Armani would have finished the regular season in the lead, goal differences or not. The way they were at a certain point, it even went well: I remember the ranking towards the end of the first round, that sixth place which didn’t promise anything positive in the aftermath of yet another defeat against Brescia. From then on the team changed woken up. The first two rounds of the playoffs, against Trento (I don’t even want to consider the idea of an early elimination) and in the semi-final probably against Brescia themselves, will tell us to what extent. Olimpia would have the depth of personnel and the quality to crush all but one of their opponents, but it is now a fact that they have rarely managed to dominate matches from the 1st to the 40th minute. Let’s take note of it. What I expect is a backlash. A defense that is more present, more continuous, more physical in contact and rebounding. A team that was finally aggressive in its attitude and in its game plan executed to impose its own size and pace. Starting with the defense: I am sure that Ettore Messina will start again from there in the gym and for an old defense coach born in Porta Vittoria like me, this can only be good news. But I would like to see at least 25 minutes of offensive quality per game. The men to make the difference, from Melli to Mirotic, are there. From time to time we will see who to count on, besides them.”
