Playoff predictions: Monaco vs. Fenerbahce

Two teams with a lot of arguments on both sides will settle it on the court starting Wednesday. See how the EuroLeague.net experts think the series between AS Monaco and Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul will go.

Monaco wins Game 5 at home…again

by Frankie Sachs

Ummm… Can there be a tie? Seriously, I think Fenerbahce has what it takes to upset Monaco, but I still believe Monaco is the better team and has the best player in the series. Mike James is primed to shine at this time of year and he cannot be stopped without allowing Elie Okobo and co. to run wild. Meanwhile, the duo of John Brown and Alpha Diallo are the defensive antidotes to Nigel Hayes-Davis. What scares me about picking Monaco is that Fenerbahce is so strong at home that I envision it winning Games 3 and 4. And then if Scottie Wilbekin and Marko Guduric catch fire, Coach Jasikevicius's charges can steal a game in Monaco. But I will bet against it. For the third year in a row, Monaco plays a Game 5. And for the second straight season, it wins it at home. My pick: Monaco 3-2.

Fenerbahce to stun Monaco

by Geoff Gillingham

Fenerbahce had a turbulent end to the regular season by going 1-3, with its only win coming against bottom-of-the-pile ALBA Berlin as Nigel Hayes-Davis set a new single-game scoring record with 50 points. Yet, I have confidence in Saras Jasikevicius to mastermind a game plan that will send Fenerbahce back to the Final Four for the first time since 2019. For what it's worth, I think Monaco's Mike James will have a really impressive series on an individual level, adding further weight to his MVP case, but I worry that he may not get the support he needs. Fenerbahce has broken several records since Coach Jasikevicius's arrival, and I believe they'll find a way to stun Monaco in this series. My pick: Fenerbahce 3-1.

Monaco by a small margin

by Javier Gancedo

I believe this is the most balanced series of them all. Fenerbahce has proved to be almost unbeatable at home this season, and Monaco arrives to the playoffs in great shape, winning 12 of its last 13 EuroLeague games. The way I see it, Monaco will keep rolling early in the series, then Fenerbahce will make adjustments which, added to its home-court advantage in Games 3 and 4, should take the series back to the Principality. In Game 5, James should show his MVP credentials and prove that right here, right now, he is the best player in the competition. In other words, I expect a long series decided by a superstar. My prediction: Monaco 3-2.

Monaco will pull out a back-and-forth series

by Igor Petrinovic

For me, this series is a toss-up and it will depend a lot on how the teams, players and coaches respond to the situation they are in. Will Mike James, after a fantastic season, feel the extra weight and pressure of needing to lead the team to another Final Four? Will he get enough help from his backcourt mates? Can Monaco continue being the most disciplined team when it comes to taking care of the ball? Can Fenerbahce bounce back after a disappointing end of the regular season? Will head coach Sarunas Jasikevicius's men turn again into the offensive machine they were during February and March? I can see these teams splitting two games in Monaco, then splitting them again in Istanbul, before engaging in a do-or-die Game 5 in two weeks' time, when Monaco will know very well what it takes to win. My pick: Monaco 3-2.