Tortona come into this one on a bad run, and the problem is on the defensive end. They have lost three games in a row, conceding 86 in Riga, 98 to Venezia in the Super Cup and 108 in Rome, which was their worst defeat since reaching Serie A. Le Mans bring a quick, guard-led attack that should find space against that. That clash of a leaky defence and a fast attack is the reason I am backing the visitors.
The club's own preview is blunt about it. Both the coach and guard Giordano Bortolani talk about needing to defend better and protect the rebounds. Paul Eboua and Edoardo Di Meo are out, and TaShawn Thomas, a big man who has already missed the last two games, is doubtful. That makes the rotation thin just when they need rim protection.
Le Mans lean on young scorers. Carlos Stewart has scored 29 in both league games, Melvin Ajinca is their second scorer, and Bastienne Grasshoff has been effective as a third option. They lost to Paris, a Euroleague side, by only two points in the league, and then lost at home to Aris in their Eurocup opener. Their own defence is not great either, so I do not expect a low-scoring game, but the pace and the number of scoring threats favour them in this matchup.
The home side's debut in Europe at their own arena brings extra motivation, and the market has priced that in along with the Serie A name. What I think it has missed is how much the recent defensive collapses and the thin rotation change the matchup.
