Maccabi advances to third straight championship game
The 2006 Final Four was the first one played in a city without a EuroLeague team, Prague in the Czech Republic. The Final Four opened with a rematch of the previous season's championship game between Maccabi Elite Tel Aviv and Tau Ceramica in the first semifinal. Maceo Baston scored 20 points and set a Final-Four record with 6 blocked shots to lead Maccabi to an 85-70 victory and its third straight championship game. EuroLeague MVP Anthony Parker scored 19 points for the winners.
The second semifinal also featured a dominant effort by a power forward; Matjaz Smodis posted 17 points and 12 rebounds as CSKA Moscow outlasted FC Barcelona 75-84. Theo Papaloukas and J.R. Holden led the winners each with 19 points each, helping CSKA to win the game and end a string of three semifinals losses in a row since 2003. Shammond Williams led Barcelona with 24 points.