Mike James, Monaco: 'I knew that I had to step up'
AS Monaco head coach Sasa Obradovic:
"Especially in these circumstances, it’s always hard to play. We had this pressure in the first game. Now the pressure was on Maccabi. And you could see this, as Maccabi was not the same as it was in the first game. We were more into the game. In each part of the game, there was someone who contributed. In the first half, it was Mike [James], later Jordan [Loyd], then Elie [Okobo] in some moments in the last quarter together with [Alpha] Diallo. It was a pretty good team win. This is just one game. We really need to be focused on the next one and play the same way. On the defensive end, we did a great job. Maybe we can complain about some transition points that Maccabi made. In set plays, we did a great job defending their main players and controlling the result almost all game.
"We can talk about Mike being great on offense, but we will also have to underline how good he was on defense. Especially in the end he did a great job. And not just Mike. We were really tough in any situation and especially in any kind of set play. Most teams want to run and in Game 1 you could have surprises. We were shocked in the first game. Then you are more ready. It’s very hard to play here, but I really believe in my team’s character and that the team chemistry recreated all this period from the beginning of the season. We deserved home-court advantage. That was a great reward in the end.
"In the regular season, we could have won too here, but for some reason we stopped playing. I think we were 18 or 19 points up in the first half, if I’m not mistaken. But this doesn’t mean anything. The regular season is the regular season, this is a much more emotional game in which you need to have calmness, patience and a clear mind to find good solutions. Both teams were a bit nervous, Maccabi even a bit more as you could see from their three-pointer and free-throw figures. From our free throws you could see that we were more locked in to win the game. Mental war continues and we have to forget this one and focus quickly on the next one. I expect a strong and aggressive Maccabi in the next game.
Maccabi is an institution that belongs to EuroLeague history with this kind of fans and this kind of history. You should always respect this kind of opponent and these kinds of fans. They are emotional. I understand this. I come from an emotional country too. It was good that we kept our focus on the game.
"We weren’t relaxed. In this kind of situation, you can’t be relaxed. But we started well and each possession we got more and more confidence. We were never affected by this kind of atmosphere and we somehow stayed focused."
Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv head coach Oded Kattash:
"We knew before the game that it was not going to be easy, as we saw. We knew that we had to play our A-game to beat a team like Monaco. We were struggling offensively in the first half, in which we hit 1-for-10 from three. We couldn’t get our rhythm on offense. We had some turnovers, some bad shots. In the second half, we were fighting. We got back into the game, but in some moments we missed some open shots and they hit big shots. I think we did a better job on Mike James in the first half than in the second one. It was a great atmosphere. Our fans were amazing, but I think that we really disappointed them. We want to make them happy. Hopefully, we will do it on Thursday."
Game Videos
![https://media-cdn.cortextech.io/a808e080-40c9-4d61-85df-3a62ecb274f5.jpg]()
FC Barcelona-AS Monaco | Playoffs Game 4 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:20
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2025/05/02/E2jE1FhKXxWGowT6lp8lUBHRABQWb054-1746220519769.jpg]()
Diallo's big dunk! Motorola Magic Moment of the Night
- 00:13
![https://media-cdn.cortextech.io/4facf830-7c30-41b8-8277-3d9219923fe8.jpg?crop=3401%3A1914%3Anowe%3A476%3A149]()
James finds Theis! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:10
![https://media-cdn.cortextech.io/18b44212-7737-497c-834f-4598a3ad0902.jpg?crop=1080%3A608%3Anowe%3A136%3A65]()
Blossomgame's two-handed dunk! Motorola Magic Moment
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/K8a3iqvOwPs/maxresdefault.jpg]()
Follow the Efes-Panathinaikos Game 3 post-game press conference
- 01:22
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2025/04/30/O8WZDwLviBOUDHjZHslMrL6CLIIE91hT-1746046313957.jpg]()
Kendrick Nunn: 'I'm just glad it's not my tooth!'
- 02:06
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2025/04/30/35nJF5ydXk35fDBoVWfxMlMMW41qpdSq-1746046352650.jpg]()
Konstantinos Mitoglou: 'We expect a tougher game in the next game'
- 00:28
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2025/04/30/XKFxY9eQCKfwCkz5jeUe7Zy32S80IMXh-1746045205289.jpg]()
A monster dunk from Oturu! Motorola Magic Moment of the Night
![https://media-cdn.cortextech.io/0c3a8223-b4f9-4317-8bba-6948f6dc3597.jpg]()
Anadolu Efes Istanbul-Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens | Playoffs Game 3 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:25
![https://media-cdn.cortextech.io/13f57545-937e-4d78-8973-441ce0fd36ad.jpg?crop=1080%3A608%3Anowe%3A78%3A82]()
Crucial block by Juancho! Motorola Magic Moment
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/ixVNKzRorFI/maxresdefault.jpg]()
FC Barcelona-AS Monaco | Playoffs Game 3 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:28
![https://media-cdn.cortextech.io/500741f1-8af1-4bac-9c05-45a6355ef421.jpg?crop=707%3A398%3Anowe%3A135%3A146]()
A fine dunk from Oturu! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:15
![https://media-cdn.cortextech.io/c3ba4c5c-5d27-481b-a456-33bb7c43fe26.jpg?crop=1080%3A608%3Anowe%3A99%3A117]()
Diallo's big block! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:11
![https://media-cdn.cortextech.io/d64e1f28-6b0c-45e3-84b6-107de8c9df7d.jpg?crop=1080%3A608%3Anowe%3A78%3A114]()
Cedi Osman steals and dunks! Motorola Magic Moment
![https://media-cdn.cortextech.io/b3fe6839-b048-483b-89ca-35827b8dfd19.jpg?crop=1920%3A1080%3Anowe%3A0%3A0]()
Fantasy Challenge Podcast: Can TJ Shorts go the extra mile?
- 00:27
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2025/04/25/sj48gClWyAbmzcz6b4EWrdbLAyfZX8YF-1745613987862.jpg]()
Monaco Showtime! Motorola Magic Moment of the Night
- 00:56
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2025/04/25/5MDZZUMWmSnDeXB3gejIcDzwOa4WPMo2-1745619717657.jpg]()
Alpha Diallo: 'It's really hard to beat us'
- 01:15
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2025/04/25/7kYjLtcGcqMcb5sJaePlCTtQpFGBDyqB-1745619612632.jpg]()
Mam Jaiteh: 'If we play like this defensively, we will do good'
![https://media-cdn.cortextech.io/c434196f-2c3b-4a3c-9e75-9bb1358ab5db.jpg]()
AS Monaco-FC Barcelona | PO Game 2 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:12
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/705e4bf7-41aa-4a89-adf0-50b286b7a92f.jpg?crop=532%3A299%3Anowe%3A318%3A72]()
Tarpey’s big driving dunk! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:28
![https://media-cdn.cortextech.io/6f250613-2b31-4806-8f7a-043b7c847f44.jpg?crop=527%3A297%3Anowe%3A582%3A187]()
Jaiteh’s poster dunk! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:17
![https://media-cdn.cortextech.io/e2437211-bc12-4b44-b537-c347d9b8bdcf.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A125%3A109]()
From defense to slam-dunk offense! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:14
![https://media-cdn.cortextech.io/6f250613-2b31-4806-8f7a-043b7c847f44.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A94%3A83]()
Jaiteh’s diving hustle! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:07
![https://media-cdn.cortextech.io/fd41b7fa-eee1-4077-a70f-e7f298d962ad.jpg?crop=1080%3A608%3Anowe%3A94%3A33]()
Diallo’s chasedown block! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:26
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2025/04/23/MNpEVTF7XBbmypZF8BcgiUtdNzpQNtXA-1745442527164.jpg]()
Tarpey's big block! Motorola Magic Moment of the Night
- 00:58
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2025/04/23/01Vb0KNent3LNoG2l7eoYqnJZ2Qn45Kr-1745438152702.jpg]()
Daniel Theis: 'Matthew Strazel sets the tone for our defense'
- 00:55
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2025/04/23/6OXuS7cMklN446eP9hQKXFHJSR9vod3x-1745438098489.jpg]()
Elie Okobo: 'We showed great character today'
![https://media-cdn.cortextech.io/52666067-1016-45a4-b5ff-200e06f4cb13.jpg]()
AS Monaco-FC Barcelona | PO Game-1 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:12
![https://media-cdn.cortextech.io/60182b3f-81cd-47cd-bf88-3c401e48102f.jpg?crop=1080%3A608%3Anowe%3A103%3A122]()
Theis throws it down! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:11
![https://media-cdn.cortextech.io/5571b7d4-0389-4409-bce4-ed85a86f595d.jpg?crop=1236%3A695%3Anowe%3A57%3A40]()
James turns defense into offense! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:56
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2025/04/10/2wUnPD4idFyFE94jc4oNLwHK3bhCfipj-1744319165989.jpg]()
Mike James: 'We can celebrate a little bit'
![https://media-cdn.cortextech.io/927fb3ee-04b8-4f2c-9bb0-51a407f0443d.jpg]()
LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne-AS Monaco | RS Round 34 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
![https://media-cdn.cortextech.io/5918722c-7382-462a-a0fa-aa3394e822aa.jpg]()
Olympiacos Piraeus-Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv | RS Round 34 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
![https://media-cdn.cortextech.io/7246b817-834e-4575-9145-557f6e3c343c.jpg?crop=1920%3A1080%3Anowe%3A0%3A0]()
The EuroLeague & Friends gang are joined by Nick Calathes for episode 22
- 00:39
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2025/04/03/aq1FCtuw70nji6NpCw4MUG5kvzRiex8j-1743716305491.jpg]()
Levi Randolph: 'This shows the character of our team'
![https://media-cdn.cortextech.io/c4b532fc-d7f1-4e2a-9411-35bee2136916.jpg]()
Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv-FC Bayern Munich | RS Round 33 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
![https://media-cdn.cortextech.io/4990cf7f-d53c-41a1-9be1-9ff5569e3f25.jpg]()
AS Monaco-Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens | RS Round 33 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/d609197f-c83a-4032-ac31-e10863a4c457.jpg]()
Anadolu Efes Istanbul-Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv | RS Round 32 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 01:24
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2025/03/27/Gzj88ZfNdChzYaAZVFvz6JRS3IGDK6gX-1743112389467.jpg]()
Jaron Blossomgame: 'We played Monaco basketball’
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/c1bd3fde-2cc7-4e1d-be77-e2f10912bfdf.jpg]()
Olympiacos Piraeus-AS Monaco | RS Round 32 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:16
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/ed4591d9-52ec-45bd-8c13-52d00414c31b.jpg?crop=1080%3A608%3Anowe%3A135%3A146]()
Jaiteh’s ferocious finish! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:10
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/a32fd62b-6604-42eb-a94b-b7dab4000f65.jpg?crop=1080%3A608%3Anowe%3A155%3A40]()
James feeds Theis for the flush! Motorola Magic Moment
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/ef5799c3-50b4-4c70-b294-33bf62ebb034.jpg]()
Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv-Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens | RS Round 31 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/27af245d-b7db-42ac-b941-f0defd4e2f4e.jpg]()
AS Monaco-Zalgiris Kaunas | RS Round 31 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:20
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/f3d0434b-74e0-4fe2-b600-fa6ed987e916.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A77%3A90]()
Okobo with a classy jumper to close the half! Motorola Magic Moment
- 01:18
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2025/03/20/I0InDLESANSOQCTKX6xT5kJX1FrsbBvh-1742506746633.jpg]()
Rokas Jokubaitis: 'We play for pride and are doing an amazing job'
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/2c426c46-4a59-4d27-92e2-3af7d1149ca7.jpg]()
Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv-Virtus Segafredo Bologna | RS Round 30 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:45
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2025/03/20/BbZDEy5RVm7IO1o1cjC3PYFrCnqgaoHs-1742504190928.jpg]()
Mike James: 'We played with more energy than we have been'
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/9682cc5e-edb7-448f-81f3-5ab310c55399.jpg]()
AS Monaco-Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul | RS Round 30 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:17
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/0b307184-8b8b-477c-92b9-04125dbac038.jpg?crop=1080%3A608%3Anowe%3A68%3A95]()
Diallo with a clutch dunk! Motorola Magic Moment
AS Monaco guard Mike James:
"We fought hard. We needed to come here and take back home-court advantage. We’ve only got two wins in the series. We’ve got a lot more to do and we’ll try to get one more. They [Maccabi] guarded me differently tonight. In the first two games, there were a lot of double and triple teams. They tried to get the ball out of my hands and every shot I took was kind of forced with all those people around me. Today they guarded me a little bit one-on-one and I could be more myself, exploit some mismatches and get the rhythm going. We needed to win and I knew that I had to step up for us to do it, so I came with that mindset."
AS Monaco center Donatas Motiejunas:
"We did a pretty good job offensively and defensively. We were in control for most of the game. I am really proud of our guys. Everyone contributed something, some more, others less, but everyone put their hearts and souls on the court. This brought us the win. The series is not over. It’s 2-1 and we actually need to win the next one, get a 3-1 lead and get some rest.
"We are trying to think one game at a time. I think that the Final Four is still far away. Maccabi is an amazing team and they can play great basketball. They showed it in Game 1 at our court and I’m pretty sure they are going to bring their A-game in two days."
Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv guard John DiBartolomeo:
"It was a tough game. We were playing from behind the entire game. Every time we made a run, we were just not able to push through. We kept cutting the lead and they kept pushing back. They’re a good team. They have lots of weapons on the offensive end. It’s a tough loss for us, but we need to get over it and focus on Thursday.
"I think that everyone understands the importance of Game 4. Our backs are against the wall now. This will test our character, but we have been preparing for this moment all year. We’ve worked to get here, so we need to be focused, ready and positive."