Tuesday evening, Monaco left the Astroballe with a victory against Asvel (100-75) and, above all, a better record than its rival in the Euroleague (9 wins to 8). But the Rhodanians have the cards in hand to stay in touch with the reception of Red Star Belgrade on Friday evening and Bayern Munich on Tuesday. Two opponents in the same peloton chasing the top 8.

But against the Serbs, Asvel especially wants to regain its state of mind. ” It’s a match where we have to show our desire. What we did on Tuesday night, it wasn’t us. We have to go back to our basics: defense, the hunger for victories “, insists Chris Jones. Yes ” not everything was to be thrown away “Faced with Monaco – according to TJ Parker – Asvel will have to find offensive solutions apart from those offered by its back line duo: Jones and Elie Okobo.

The two men scored 40% of Villeurbannais points in the Euroleague this season but on Tuesday evening, AS Monaco limited them to 19 points and 5 out of 12 in shooting. Very prominent against the Roca Team (19 points, 9 rebounds), Marcos Knight will once again have a valuable impact, in the absence of William Howard, out for three weeks. An injury that further reduces the group of TJ Parker.

Objective 13 wins minimum at the end of the season

” We would have liked to postpone the match against Monaco in February. There, we have a reduced squad and we are going to play five matches in nine days, it will be really complicated “Slips the Rhone coach, who does not expect any return from injury before February. On Thursday afternoon, Victor Wembanyama and David Lighty were on the court but the young interior and the winger are not yet fit to play.

The former prodigy from Nanterre has had a shoulder injury since mid-December. Lighty, made by hand in November, is gradually coming back and has admired his marksmanship in the exercises concocted by Joseph Gomis, in charge of individual development in the Asvel staff. Last player on the flank, Raymar Morgan (herniated disc) has not yet played a match for the Rhodaniens. ” He returns from Capbreton next week but we will see how he returns after seven months without playing “says TJ Parker.

Under these conditions and while Asvel is struggling to win (2 successes in the last 11 matches), the top 8 is no longer really an objective. ” When we were at 6 (wins) – 2 (defeats), we were fine. But as I have been saying since the start of the season, you have to know who you are. The goal is to do at least as well as last year, 13 wins, and these two games are important for that. concludes TJ Parker.