A career-high effort in a prestigious road victory allowed Zach LeDay of Olimpia Milano to earn Round 15 MVP honors with a PIR of 37, the highest of any winning player in this round.

Round 15 MVP: Zach LeDay, Olimpia Milano

A career-high effort in a prestigious road victory allowed [Zach LeDay](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/zach-leday/008987/) of [EA7 Emporio Armani Milan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/ea7-emporio-armani-milan/mil/) to earn Round 15 MVP honors with a PIR of 37, the highest of any winning player in this round.

LeDay led Milan to [an 81-94 road victory over FC Barcelona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/milan-surprises-barcelona-at-palau-blaugrana-81-94/) with a career-high 33 points, which is the joint second-highest total of any player this season, after hitting 6-of-10 two-pointers, 4-of-4 three-pointers and 9-of-9 free throws. He added 4 rebounds, 1 steal and 8 fouls drawn for a PIR of 37, the second-highest index rating of his career. LeDay has earned MVP of the Round honors for the third time in his 177-game career, having previously secured this accolade in Round 10 of the 2018-19 season and Round 7 of this current campaign.

[TJ Shorts](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/tj-shorts/012608/) of Paris Basketball amassed the highest PIR in this round, 41, but it came in a 98-93 losing effort against LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne. Shorts had 29 points on 11-of-14 two-pointers, 1-of-2 three-pointers and 4-of-6 free throws, as well as 3 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 steals and 10 fouls drawn for a PIR of 41. His 41 PIR is a new season high, beating the 39 PIR Real Madrid’s [Walter Tavares](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/walter-tavares/005791/) set against FC Barcelona in Round 12. 

[Carlik Jones](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/carlik-jones/013369/) of Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade amassed a PIR of 33 in his team's 90-91 road win over ALBA Berlin. Jones posted 24 points, which included the game-winning basket, while he also had 5 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals and 7 fouls drawn. 

[Theo Maledon](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/theo-maledon/007027/) of ASVEL and [Nigel Hayes-Davis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nigel-hayes-davis/008962/) of Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul, each with a PIR of 30, complete the top individual performances in Round 15. Maledon recorded 22 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals and 8 fouls drawn, while Hayes-Davis amassed 28 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal and 10 fouls drawn.

### Individual highs: Zach LeDay, Milan, 33 points

Zach LeDay of Milan led all scorers in Round 15 with 33 points. [Carsen Edwards](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/carsen-edwards/011987/) of FC Bayern Munich is the competition's top scorer with 20.7 points per game.

[Donatas Motiejunas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/donatas-motiejunas/lcz/) of AS Monaco pulled down a round-high 11 rebounds this week. Walter Tavares of Real Madrid ranks first with 8.1 boards per night.

[Tamir Blatt](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/tamir-blatt/011193/) of Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv was the only player to reach double digits in assists, dishing 10. Blatt also ranks first overall with 8.8 assists per contest.

[Nick Weiler-Babb](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nick-weiler-babb/010391/) of Bayern collected 4 steals, more than anyone else in Round 15. Weiler-Babb and AS Monaco’s [Alpha Diallo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/alpha-diallo/011226/) are tied atop the overall standings with 1.6 steals per game.

Six players had 2 blocks apiece in Round 15: Tavares, [Darius Thompson](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/darius-thompson/011078/) of Anadolu Efes Istanbul, his teammate [Vincent Poirier](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/vincent-poirier/004887/), [Donta Hall](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/donta-hall/011196/) of Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz, [Laurynas Birutis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/laurynas-birutis/005504/) of Zalgiris Kaunas, and [Kostas Papanikolaou](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/kostas-papanikolaou/001255/) of Olympiacos Piraeus. Tavares and Poirier are level atop the standings with 1.5 blocks per game.

Blatt (13 points, 10 assists), Olympiacos’s [Sasha Vezenkov](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/sasha-vezenkov/003469/) (19 points, 10 rebounds) and Virtus Segafredo Bologna’s [Toko Shengelia](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/tornike-shengelia/001133/) (16 points, 10 rebounds) were the only players to record a double-double in Round 15.

Round 15 MVP: Zach LeDay, EA7 Emporio Armani Milan

Turkish Airlines EuroLeague fans, we have our 15th winner in this season's EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge! Manuel Reiter beat everyone else in Round 15 with their team 'Fumbananana', which had a Fantasy Challenge score of 250.50.

EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge Round 15 winner

Turkish Airlines EuroLeague fans, we have our 15th winner in this season's [EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge](https://euroleaguefantasy.euroleaguebasketball.net/)! Manuel Reiter beat everyone else in Round 15 with their team 'Fumbananana', which had a Fantasy Challenge score of 250.50.

Manuel had the following starting lineup: Carlik Jones of Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade as team captain, then LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne's Theo Maledon, FC Bayern Munich's Andreas Obst, EA7 Emporio Armani Milan's Zach LeDay, and ALBA Berlin's David McCormack. His sixth man was Paris Basketball's TJ Shorts. On the bench, Manuel had Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade's Dejan Davidovac, FC Barcelona's Justin Anderson, Anadolu Efes Istanbul's Ercan Osmani, and Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz's Donta Hall. His team's head coach was Bayern play-caller Gordie Herbert.

The prize for finishing first in Round 15 is a free VIP Euroleague TV subscription for the 2025-26 season, so congratulations, Manuel!

Marko Dukic and his team 'Kughat' remains the leader of the [EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge](https://euroleaguefantasy.euroleaguebasketball.net/) overall standings with 2,577.20 points.

Trades are now open for Round 16. Remember, four trades are allowed before each round. You can either trade up to four players, or a head coach and three players.

The first game in Round 16 tips off on Tuesday, December 17, as AS Monaco hosts FC Bayern Munich at 19:00 CET. That game marks the next round's deadline.

Make new teams now or improve your existing ones and try to become our next round winner!

EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge offers weekly prizes to the top team manager. 

KK Crvena zvezda made it back-to-back wins in the EuroLeague by downing Olympiacos BC in Round 15, with Georgios Bartzokas having some strong words for his team afterward.

Crvena Zvezda took advantage of Olympiacos's ‘softer than butter’ performance

The [Olympiacos Piraeus](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/olympiacos-piraeus/oly/) players are likely to face some scathing criticism from their head coach Georgios Bartzokas after the Greek side [went down tamely at Crvena Zvezda Meridiabet Belgrade, 87-73,](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/shorthanded-crvena-zvezda-blows-away-olympiacos-87-73/) having trailed all night in the cauldron of Belgrade Arena.

The visitors were given a red-carpet reception by Zvezda fans, with the two clubs nurturing brethren relations thanks to their identical red-and-white team colors, but the home team pulled it from under their feet in a lop-sided contest.

“It was our worst performance of the season. We have to look at ourselves in the mirror and realize that we have to do whatever it takes to win games,” a grim-faced Bartzokas said during the post-game press conference. “We had 17 turnovers, we shot about 20% on three-pointers… defensively, we were softer than butter.

“It’s no excuse that \[big men\] [Moustapha Fall](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/moustapha-fall/008811/) and [Moses Wright](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/moses-wright/012878/) were out; if you’re a solid team, you go out and play as a team. Today we were really bad and tried to win the game individually, as we didn’t execute the game plan and got beaten on every play which involved contact. We deserved to lose.”

In stark contrast, the home team’s forward [Nikola Kalinic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nikola-kalinic/004866/) was elated after Zvezda produced arguably its most mature performance of the season, having also missed the sidelined trio of [Filip Petrusev](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/filip-petrusev/011194/), [Milos Teodosic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/milos-teodosic/jdr/) and [Joel Bolomboy](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/joel-bolomboy/009035/).

With Bolomboy and Teodosic sidelined by injuries, the in-form Petrusev sat this one out as he was ineligible to play due to a clause in his loan contract from Olympiacos, having been shipped back to his former club earlier this season.

“A huge victory for us, it’s good to be back on a winning streak,” Kalinic said to EuroLeague TV in a courtside interview. “Tonight we played very well throughout the 40 minutes and we are very happy with our focus, physicality and intensity. We were amazing tonight as everyone who stepped out gave us energy.”

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="ru" dir="ltr">Калинааааа ❤️👏🏻<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/kkcz?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#kkcz</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeAreTheTeam?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeAreTheTeam</a> <a href="https://t.co/NsuI3LdHIp">pic.twitter.com/NsuI3LdHIp</a></p>&mdash; KK Crvena zvezda Meridianbet (@kkcrvenazvezda) <a href="https://twitter.com/kkcrvenazvezda/status/1867717366869868825?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Zvezda’s head coach Ioannis Sfairopoulos won a personal battle against his Greek compatriot Bartzokas, as the Serbian side took care of the ball superbly and hit clutch three-pointers to keep Olympiacos at bay.

Zvezda dished out more assists (25-18) and committed much fewer turnovers (8-17), while hitting 10 of 23 from downtown and restricting Olympiacos to 6 of 23 from beyond the three-point arc. 

“We controlled the game throughout and played very good defense, especially in the second half,” said Sfairopoulos. “We found better solutions on offense in the second half and got the lead; we deserved to win and congratulations to the players. It’s a very important win for us and I also want to thank the fans for the incredible atmosphere they created this evening.”

In Round 16, Zvezda visits Anadolu Efes Istanbul while Olympiacos is at home to Virtus Segafredo Bologna, with both games scheduled for Wednesday. They will be in action again on Friday as part of the double-round week, with Olympiacos at home to ALBA Berlin while Zvezda hosts Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv.  

Game News

Coach Bartzokas lambasted his team following a tepid display in Belgrade

Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade v Olympiacos Piraeus (2024-12-13T19:30:00.000Z)

Olimpia Milano beat FC Barcelona 81-94 on an emotional night that saw Nikola Mirotic and Zach LeDay, with the Italian using a historical run to break the game open. 


Milan set a stunning record on an emotional night in Barcelona 

Friday night was a special occasion for [EA7 Emporio Armani Milan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/ea7-emporio-armani-milan/mil/) star forward [Nikola Mirotic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nikola-mirotic/000796/), who received a standing ovation before and after the game as hundreds of [FC Barcelona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fc-barcelona/bar/) fans remain in their seats to chant his name way after the final buzzer sounded. 

Mirotic's special homecoming was the perfect ending to a truly unusual game, with [Milan downing Barca 81-94](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/ea7-emporio-armani-milan/mil/) and some hard-to-beat records being made here and there.

[Zach LeDay](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/zach-leday/008987/) stole the show with an outstanding individual performance, hitting 6-of-10 two-pointers, 4-of-4 three-pointers and 9-of-9 free throws for a career-high 33 points, 23 of those coming in the second half. He had previously reached 29 points with Olympiacos Piraeus against Buducnost VOLI Pogdorica on November 30, 2018. 

Zach Leday stole the show with an outstanding individual performance, hitting 6 of 10 two-pointers, 4 of 4 three-pointers and 9 of 9 free throws for a career-high 33 points, 23 of those in the second half. He led EA7 Emporio Armani Milan to an 81-94 road win over FC Barcelona.

Zach Leday had career night against Barcelona

His 33 points are also the fourth-best scoring mark for a Milan player in competition history. [Samardo Samuels](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/samardo-samuels/005269/) holds Milan's scoring record with 36 points in a 76-85 road win against Nizhny Novgorod on February 26, 2015. [Mike James](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mike-james/005985/) (35 points) and [Shavon Shields](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/shavon-shields/007831/) (34) are also ahead of him.

After the game, LeDay revealed a special motivation for this particular game.

"My dad was just with me tonight. The last time I was in this arena. I had to leave and go bury, so my dad was with me tonight," LeDay told EuroLeague TV afterward. "It was just a crazy game, I am just glad we were able to get the win. I was able to help my teammates, and my teammates helped me.

"Like I said, this is my dad was with me tonight, just going out there hooping, just playing, being a dog on both ends, just bringing everything to help my team. My teammates help me. I'm just grateful for the win, grateful I was able to help the team."

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">WHICH IS THE HOTTEST TEAM IN EUROPE?<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/insieme?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#insieme</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ForzaOlimpia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ForzaOlimpia</a> <a href="https://t.co/KzGnSArtRD">pic.twitter.com/KzGnSArtRD</a></p>&mdash; Olimpia Milano (@OlimpiaMI1936) <a href="https://twitter.com/OlimpiaMI1936/status/1867695278557737394?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Of course, Mirotic delivered in his first game at Palau Blaugrana since leaving the club two seasons ago. He had 19 points, 7 rebounds and 5 fouls drawn for a PIR of 26. At the end of the game, Mirotic thanked Barca's fans for showing that much appreciation before and after the game.

"No doubt, it was a very, very emotional game for me. As you know, coming here after almost two years meant a lot, to be honest," Mirotic said. 

"And especially seeing these people in the crowd cheering my name at the end and before the game. It means a lot to me that the four years I was here, I did something important for them and that they are happy about it. So for me, this is very special."

There is more, however. Milan cemented its win with a 0-20 run at the end of the third quarter. LeDay, [Neno Dimitrijevic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/neno-dimitrijevic/006085/) and [Leo Bolmaro](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/leandro-bolmaro/008985/) combined for 16 points that gave Milan the lead for good, 60-76. Until that moment, the game had been a back-and-forth battle.

That is the biggest run by any team on the road against Barca. Virtus Roma and Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz were tied for the previous record, each with a 0-18 run in 2008 and 2014, respectively. Moreover, Milan had never gone on a 0-20 run on the road in EuroLeague history. Its biggest run was 0-17 in an 85-86 road win against Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv on November 26, 2020.

"We are growing. Today, I think we faced a major challenge against a team who was very good. But in this EuroLeague, every game is a huge challenge, so we celebrate today and then we try to keep working" Milan head coach Ettore Messina said. 

"The good thing, as you say, is that we are growing and every day we make a little step forward in terms of understanding the game, reading the game. The defense was much better in the second half, so I am really happy for my players."

Ettore Messina's men used a historical run to break the game open


FC Barcelona v EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (2024-12-13T19:30:00.000Z)

Even if Theo Maledon once again grabbed the headlines in LDLC ASVEL's win over Paris Basketball, Mbaye Ndiaye showed that he is here to stay as a key contributor.

Mbaye Ndiaye steadily joining ASVEL’s cast of stars

[LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/ldlc-asvel-villeurbanne/asv/) has enjoyed some spectacular individual performances in the opening half of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.

Guard [Theo Maledon](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/theo-maledon/007027/) and big man [Neal Sako](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/neal-sako/010545/) have established themselves as two of the most exciting new talents in the competition, while veterans [Nando De Colo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nando-de-colo/002100/), [Joffrey Lauvergne](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/joffrey-lauvergne/004194/) and [Paris Lee](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/paris-lee/011225/) have sent regular reminders of their quality.

In Friday’s thrilling [Rivalry Series win over French rival and league leader Paris Basketball](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/asvel-ends-paris-unbeaten-run-in-all-french-rivalry-series-thriller-98-93/), however, a different star shone brightest as Senegalese big man [Mbaye Ndiaye](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/mbaye-ndiaye/012731/) delivered incredible levels of energy and effectiveness to record 19 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 blocked shot for a PIR of 25.

It was a career high in points and PIR for the big man who is spending his second season in the competition, and he also produced arguably the most spectacular highlight-reel play of the game as he received a long outlet pass from Maledon before rising for a sensational slam in transition.

Theo Maledon sends a long pass and Mbaye Ndiaye takes off for a showtime slam!

Ndiaye takes off! Motorola Magic Moment

Ndiaye did not miss a shot from two-point range all night, making all 5 attempts, and showed his shooting range by netting a couple of three-pointers on 5 tries. The 25-year-old also did his job from the free-throw line, making 3 of his 4 foul shots.

Perhaps the most telling statistic in Ndiaye’s performance was the fact that he spent more than 27 minutes on the floor, the second most of all ASVEL players behind superstar Maledon. And having set a career high in playing time in ASVEL’s previous game, seeing 28 minutes of action against EA7 Emporio Armani Milan, it’s clear that the big man has really earned the trust of coach Pierric Poupet.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">STREAK-BREAKERS 🙅‍♂️ <a href="https://t.co/YiCIh5U2ip">pic.twitter.com/YiCIh5U2ip</a></p>&mdash; LDLC ASVEL (@LDLCASVEL) <a href="https://twitter.com/LDLCASVEL/status/1867704299532251502?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

After the game Ndiaye made it clear that showing energy and commitment is his main task for the team, telling [EuroLeague.TV](http://EuroLeague.TV): “We put a lot of intensity on the court. We played together, with energy. I like the atmosphere in the team, we put a lot of intensity and played together.

“The coach trusted me and put me on the court. I have to put intensity, that’s my idea. I take my shots with confidence and that’s it, that’s my job.”

Ndiaye has now recorded double digits in both scoring and PIR in four of the last seven games, and his continuing emergence is another reason to believe that ASVEL can keep on fighting for a place in the postseason.

The Senegalese big man delivered a breakout performance to help down league leader Paris Basketball

LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne v Paris Basketball (2024-12-13T20:00:00.000Z)

LDLC ASVEL brought Paris Basketball's 10-game winning run in the EuroLeague to an end by coming out on top 98-93 in Round 15's Rivalry Series game.

ASVEL ends Paris unbeaten run in all-French Rivalry Series thriller, 98-93

LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne ended the 10-game winning run of league leader Paris Basketball, taking a thrilling French derby 98-93 in Round 15’s Rivalry Series game at the Astroballe. ASVEL is now 6-9 and has won four straight at home, while Paris remains top of the standings at 11-4.

A first half featuring 13 lead changes ended with ASVEL surging into a 49-40 lead. Paris fought back after the break, and it was close until the home team pulled away in the latter stages. Theo Maledon paced ASVEL with 22 points, 7 assists and 5 rebounds. Mbaye Ndiaye added 19 points, Neal Sako scored 14 and Nando De Colo had 12. TJ Shorts was again superb, pairing 29 points with 8 assists, while Nadir Hifi netted 20.

Game Videos

Sako scored three baskets in the opening 90 seconds to send ASVEL ahead. David Lighty added a jumper before Yakuba Ouattara replied from deep and Mikael Jantunen powered a fast-break layup to make it 8-7. Maledon and Shorts netted their first buckets, before Nadir Hifi gave Paris its first lead. Shaq Harrison, Maodo Lo and De Colo all drained triples, then Ndiaye and Lo finished well inside to keep it close at 20-19. Jantunen’s reverse layup and Shorts’s triple gave ASVEL a small lead, 22-24, at the end of the first.

Points flowed early in the second as Leo Cavaliere, Sako and Shorts scored close to the rim, while Lighty hit a triple. Sako and Shorts were again on target inside, before Bandja Sy and Maledon added three-pointers to keep it tied at 33-33. Ndiaye and Collin Malcolm also struck from deep, then De Colo followed a tough layup with a jumper and Melvin Ajinca struck from deep to make it 45-36. Shorts reignited Paris but Maledon scored 4 in a row, making it 49-40 at the break.

Kevarrius Hayes scored the first two field goals of the second half, and Tyson Ward added a put-back to make it 50-46. Hayes scored again and Shorts netted twice in a row to tie it up, 52-52. Harrison’s slam and Maledon’s flashy layup lifted ASVEL, before Hifi and Ndiaye traded mid-range buckets to make it 61-54. Hifi added a threeball but Andre Roberson answered with a dunk and Ndiaye scored again to keep the hosts moving. Another Hifi triple was met by Sako from close range. Ward scored consecutive baskets, but Roberson hit from deep to keep ASVEL ahead, 72-71, with 10 minutes left.

Ajinca opened the final period with a buzzer-beating three, but Shorts scored twice in a row to tie it up, 77-77. Joffrey Lauvergne and Ndiaye dunked but Sy hit from deep and Cavaliere’s free throws sent Paris ahead, 81-82. Ndiaye immediately answered from long range, and it was 86-82 with 3 minutes remaining. Maledon and Hifi traded triples, before De Colo also struck from deep to make it 92-85. Shorts netted twice in a hurry to make it 93-89 in the last minute. Hifi and Sy also scored inside, but ASVEL did enough from the foul line to hold on.

Friday’s French derby saw Pierric Poupet’s men outgun Tiago Splitter’s squad to stay strong at home

KK Crvena zvezda cruised to an impressive 87-73 home win over Olympiacos BC in Round 15 of the EuroLeague, improving to 8-7 while the former three-time champions of Europe’s premier club competition dropped to 9-6.

Shorthanded Crvena Zvezda blows away Olympiacos, 87-73

Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade cruised to an impressive 87-73 home win over Olympiacos Piraeus in Round 15 of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, improving to 8-7 while the former three-time champions of Europe’s premier club competition dropped to 9-6.

A smooth team effort saw five home players finish in double figures, paced by Nemanja Nedovic who bounced back superbly from a sore knee to post a team-high 18 points.

Nikola Kalinic chipped in with 16, while Dejan Davidovac, Luka Mitrovic and Codi Miller-McIntyre added 12 each, the latter also dishing out 9 assists in a fine all-round performance.

At the other end, Sasha Vezenkov netted a game-high 19 points for Olympiacos and Nikola Milutinov scored 11, but the duo lacked support from the rest of the team as the visitors made a mere 6 of 23 shots from downtown.

It was a game of runs in the first quarter as Zvezda scored 9 unanswered points to take an 11-6 lead, only for Olympiacos to hit back with their own 0-9 run. Nedovic beat the buzzer with a baseline three to give the hosts a 19-17 lead at the end of the first, setting the tone for a tight battle in the second.

Mitrovic came up big in the paint at both ends for Zvezda in the first half as the hosts forced a barrage of tough shots from Olympiacos, which struggled from downtown all night. The home team went on to take a 29-23 lead midway through the second quarter but the visitors managed to slash the deficit to 39-38 by halftime, having won the battle of the boards 20-12 in the opening 20 minutes.

Driven by Ognjen Dobric, Zvezda went on an 11-0 run early in the third quarter, making light of the absences of Filip Petrusev, Joel Bolomboy and Milos Teodosic, who cheered their teammates from courtside. Then Kalinic caught fire in the closing stages and Zvezda clinched the third period 28-15 to romp ahead 67-53 ahead of the final 10 minutes.

The hosts were able to keep their foot on the gas in the fourth as their opening 12 points came from the unlikely source of Davidovac, who took advantage of poor defending from Olympiacos which looked devoid of energy and bereft of ideas. Kalinic and Nedovic put the icing on the cake for the home team with long-range efforts, sparking wild celebrations among the home fans in the Belgrade Arena.

Ultimately, Olympiacos was undone by the absence of its own big men Moustapha Fall and Moses Wright, leaving Milutinov with too much work to do against rivals who kept swarming the Greek team’s Serbian center.

Despite missing three key players, the Serbian team romped to an emphatic victory over its more heralded Greek rival

Olimpia Milano remained red-hot in the EuroLeague by topping FC Barcelona 81-94 at Palau Blaugrana in Round 15 on Friday night.

Milano surprises Barcelona at Palau Blaugrana, 81-94

EA7 Emporio Armani Milan remained red-hot in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague by topping FC Barcelona 81-94 at Palau Blaugrana in Round 15 on Friday night.

Milan improved to 9-6 in the standings and is on a six-game winning streak, while Barca dropped to 8-7. Zach LeDay paced the winners with a career-high 33 points. Nikola Mirotic added 19 while Shavon Shields had 11 for Milan. Kevin Punter led Barca with 18 points. Justin Anderson added 17 and Jan Vesely had 13 for the hosts.

Shields got Milan going with a driving layup. Jan Vesely erased it with his trademark mid-range jumper and found Anderson for a corner triple, good for a 5-2 lead. Mirotic stepped up for Milan, but Tomas Satoransky scored in penetration and fed Punter for a three-pointer. Jabari Parker found space for an uncontested layup, then Mirotic and Vesely each struck from downtown for a 15-9 score.	 LeDay improved Parker's jumper with a three-point play, then Willy Hernangomez added back-to-back layups to make Milan call a timeout at 21-12. LeDay and Shields made free throws before Dario Brizuela's triple boosted the hosts' lead to 24-16 after 10 minutes.

Ousmane Diop scored around the basket and Mirotic added a stop-and-pop triple to bring Milan within 24-21. Brizuela answered from downtown and Joel Parra matched Mirotic's jump hook with a backdoor slam. Diop kept pacing Milan and Nico Mannion made it a two-point game, 29-27. Freddie Gillespie hit a jump hook, Vesely answered with a jumper and Armoni Brooks's deep three-pointer got Milan even closer, 33-32. Anderson rescued Barca from the foul line and Parker struck from beyond the arc for a 38-32 lead. LeDay followed an off-balance jumper with a bomb from downtown in a 0-6 run that tied it at 38-38. Anderson scored down low and added a three-pointer, then Fabien Causeur's driving layup fixed the halftime score at 43-40.

Punter buried a turnaround jumper soon after the break. Shields followed a highly-contested jumper with a coast-to-coast layup to make it a one-point game, 45-44. Satoransky stepped up with a backdoor layup and a jump hook, Mannion and Anderson traded layups and Punter gave Barca fresh air at 52-46. Juan Nunez and Causeur each struck from beyond the arc for their respective teams, then LeDay did even better with a four-point play. Punter hit a jumper and erased Shields's triple with his own shot from downtown. LeDay and Neno Dimitrijevic hit a three-pointer apiece and combined for 12 points in a mammoth 0-20 run which Bolmaro capped with free throws to break the game open, 60-76, at the end of the third quarter. 

Vesely hit another jumper early in the fourth quarter and soon added a layup that gave Barca hope at 64-76. LeDay scored down low and matched Anderson's triple with his own make from three-point land, restoring a 67-81 Milan margin. Vesely kept pacing Barca with a layup, yet Mirotic scored around the basket and made free throws to seal the outcome, 69-85, with 4 minutes remaining. Barca kept trying to change things but LeDay's three-point play rounded a near-perfect performance and allowed Milan to celebrate a well-deserved victory long before the final buzzer.

Nikola Mirotic had a triumphant return to his former home


Milan surprises Barcelona at Palau Blaugrana, 81-94

Shane Larkin featured for Anadolu Efes for the first time since Round 5 as his side thrashed Panathinaikos BC 93-67, but it was a team effort that saw the hosts thrive.

On Larkin’s return to action, Efes showed its array of talent to blow out Panathinaikos

[Anadolu Efes Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/anadolu-efes-istanbul/ist/) registered its biggest win of the season on Friday night, and it was against none other than former coach Ergin Ataman and the reigning champs Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens. [In a 93-67 win](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/efes-beats-up-panathinaikos-93-67/), Efes had a 29-point margin early in the fourth quarter and cruised to victory while totally outplaying the visitors.

The evening was even more meaningful for Efes because of the return of [Shane Larkin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/shane-larkin/007200/), who had been out with an ankle injury and last played in Round 5.

"Happy to have everybody back on the roster for the first time after a long, long time," said Efes head coach Tomislav Mijatovic, while also commenting on the importance of Larkin returning to the lineup.

"\[Larkin\] is our franchise player, our team captain. Our guys did a great job in the past month and a half fighting for him and fighting for the team. It is not easy to play without your team captain. And today, the cherry on top: Shane came back, the effort and energy was there. This is the way we want to look in every game."

Efes had a 4-5 record without Larkin and has now improved to 8-7 with this resounding win over Panathinaikos, which suffered its biggest loss since Coach Ataman arrived in the summer of 2023.

"When you play against a great team that has a great coach, great leadership, you must give your best effort in every way, shape or form. And our guys did that today," Mijatovic stated about his team. "Everybody contributed tremendously, everybody gave their best, and everybody did it in the period they were on the court."

Larkin played 17:28 off the bench, posting 6 points, 3 assists and 2 rebounds. He was not much of the factor, and that was the story of the game. On Larkin's return, it was his teammates' effort that stood out.

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[Jordan Nwora](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/jordan-nwora/013363/) and [Vincent Poirier](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/vincent-poirier/004887/) got the team going in the first quarter as Efes opened the game with a 10-2 lead, with 8 of those points coming from Nwora.

[Ercan Osmani](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/ercan-osmani/012710/) played a big role on both ends, then [Dan Oturu](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/dan-oturu/012788/) and [Rodrigue Beaubois](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/rodrigue-beaubois/006590/) took over, fueling a 14-2 run which Efes used to open a double-digit margin in the second quarter.

All along, [Darius Thompson](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/darius-thompson/011078/) orchestrated the offense to the tune of 9 assists and 0 turnovers, as well as 3 steals, while all 7 of his points came late in the game when Efes was fully in control.

When all was said and done, Beaubois finished as the top scorer for Efes with 16 points, while Nwora collected 15 points plus 8 rebounds, and Oturu scored 15.

"Tonight was a great teamwork, everybody contributed, everybody did a great job," Beaubois said. "We have the potential, but we need to have the mentality. Tonight we had it and we have to use this game to go forward."

Next week brings a double opportunity for Efes to build on this performance, with the two-time EuroLeague champion hosting the two Belgrade teams, first Crvena Zvezda, then Partizan.

The hosts' team effort was the story of the game

Anadolu Efes Istanbul v Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens (2024-12-13T17:30:00.000Z)