Efes used Milan’s calling card to steal home-court advantage

Anadolu Efes Istanbul made its name all season with its offensive firepower, but it was defense that carried the reigning champion to a 48-64 road victory in Game 1 against AX Armani Exchange Milan.

Efes came into the game as the second-highest scoring team at 83.1 points per game but ranked dead last in defense at 81.0 points allowed. Milan was more the team known for its defense, allowing a league-low 72.0 points. The hosts, however, struggled all season in scoring, averaging just 74.0 points a game, which was 15th in the league.

Game 1 of the playoffs was definitely decided on defense.

“It was a strange game. We played the game in Milan’s style. We didn’t find our scorers well, but we played great defense,” said Efes head coach Ergin Ataman, whose team held Milan to just 33.3% shooting on two-pointers and 28.6% on three-pointers.

“They played with great personality and great efficiency on both ends. More importantly, I think they played an overwhelming defense and did not allow us to create any advantage,” Milan head coach Ettore Messina said afterward.

Milan has not shot well inside all season - ranking 16th at 51.5% - but the team had been decent from long range at 35.7%. It couldn't hit from anywhere in Game 1. Efes also forced Milan into 15 turnovers - 3.4 more than its average of 11.6, which was fourth-fewest in the regular season.

The reigning champion will take a lot of confidence from this game, knowing it can play a different style and get an important victory.

“In these games, you just gotta do all the small things: dive for loose balls, get rebounds and really focus on the strengths of the other team. We did a great job tonight on the defensive end. We gave up 48 points so we just gotta keep locking up on that side, and I think we’ll be alright,” said Efes’s star guard Shane Larkin, who scored 16 points to lead the team in the win.

The victory not only gave Efes a 1-0 lead in the best-of-five series and showed it can also win games at the defensive end, but it was Efes’s first over Milan in more than two seasons. Milan had swept the season series from Efes both this and last season.

So the drama is definitely building thanks to probably the most unlikely source of a game-decider - Anadolu Efes Istanbul’s defense.