“All or Nothing”. All or nothing. The Scudetto will be decided in Game 7. There is no more exciting term in world basketball culture. Game 7 is the match that everyone wants to play and hopefully win. It’s like the Superbowl in football, the World Cup final in football, an Olympic final, only two teams that have already fought six times in the space of two weeks and eleven times in the course of the season are facing each other. Whatever happens, it will be a game that will go down in history. In the playoff era, Olimpia played only one Game 7 for the Scudetto, in 2014, at the Mediolanum Forum against Siena, winning from behind (from minus eight in the fourth quarter). But considering the equivalent matches, the previous ones are six: in 1983 (away defeat in Rome), in 1984 (home defeat against Bologna), in 1986 (home victory against Caserta), in 1989 (away victory in Livorno), in 1991 (home defeat against Caserta) and in 2014 (home win against Siena). Balance therefore equal, 3-3 overall, 1-1 away and 2-2 at home. But in the club’s history there have also been five playoffs, first in the playoff era, all against Varese: won in 1962, 1966 (forfeit), 1972; lost those of 1971 and 1973. In all, they make eleven games worth the championship with six wins and five defeats. The rest at this point matters little. 40 minutes to go, barring overtime. “All or Nothing”.
NOTES – Game 7 will be played on Friday 23 June at 20:30 at the Mediolanum Forum. Tickets are all sold out.
THE REFEREES – Saverio Lanzarini, Manuel Mazzoni, Mark Bartoli.
PLAYOFF NOTES – Nicolò Melli grabbed at least five rebounds in 17 out of 18 games. In the meantime, he has reached 117 blocks in the Olimpia jersey and is in third place ever in Serie A, behind Bob McAdoo (189) and John Gianelli ( 150) … Melli is also third ever for appearances in the playoffs for Olimpia with 59, ahead of Roberto Premier (58) and behind Mike D’Antoni’s 87 and Dino Meneghin’s 72… Billy Baron has scored at least a triple in 22 of the last 23 games played… In Game 2 Olimpia won its 200th playoff game, where they now have an all-time record of 201-137… Shavon Shields, 478 points in the playoffs with Olimpia, is finished eighth in club history. Antonello Riva is ahead with 509. Melli has reached 450 points, and is ninth ahead of Flavio Portaluppi, who has dropped to 10th place… Shavon Shields’ 26 points in Race 4 are his third best offensive performance in final races, the best in the Olimpia jersey. His personal best is 31. Shields has surpassed 400 points scored in the final in five series including the current one. Now there are 427 and he is fourth ever behind Roberto Premier.