A strong second half wasn't enough to make up for a terrible first half, with the deficit reaching -23. The debut at the PalaSerradimigni ended in defeat: Montecatini won (72-81), thus canceling out Dinamo's feat in Milan.
The absences certainly made their mark: in addition to Kajami-Keane (who was, however, replaced discreetly at the helm by the newly arrived Irishman Flood), Michele Vitali, and Pisano, captain Brooks also withdrew due to the flu. The defensive start was too slow, especially around the arc, with too much pursuit of three-pointers and too little construction for two-pointers. Montecatini immediately jumped ahead: 4-13 at the 6th minute, 9-21 at the 9th, and a whopping 22-45 at the 15th, thanks in part to a sensational 8-of-14 three-pointer shooting record.
At halftime, only three Dinamo players had scored: Nze, Grande, and Aromando. In the second half (with the score at 3-2 being positive), Riisma stepped up to bring his team to within 2 (67-69 in the 36th minute), but a couple of poorly managed plays and a pair of three-pointers from Montecatini in the other half were enough to create a reassuring lead.
Banco di Sardegna Grande's top scorers with 18 points were Aromando with 17, Nze with 16, and Riismaa with 13.