Olympiacos BC leaned on multiple players as it grabbed a 75-77 win at Barça Basket in Game 1 of the 2023-24 EuroLeague Playoffs.

Olympiacos showed its next-man-up approach in Game 1

Playoff basketball requires plenty of things: sacrifice, determination and, deep down, confidence. Olympiacos Piraeus showcased all three of those qualities on Wednesday night as it got off to [a 1-0 lead in its series against FC Barcelona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/olympiacos-downs-barcelona-on-the-road-in-game-1-75-77/).

The Reds had gone 0-2 in their two regular-season contests with Barcelona, losing 68-77 in Round 2 and 86-78 in Round 20, but it rose to the occasion in Game 1 of their best-of-five playoff series by grabbing a 75-77 triumph at Palau Blaugrana, where Roger Grimau’s men had only lost twice all season.

“I don’t think there was a doubt in the world on the plane ride over here and once we got to the hotel that we wanted to lose this game,” stated forward [Shaquielle McKissic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/shaquielle-mckissic/007853/) afterward. “This is a game that we wanted to win.”

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">𝗚𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝟭 ☑️ 🔴⚪ | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BAROLY?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BAROLY</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OlympiacosBC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OlympiacosBC</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeAreOlympiacos?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeAreOlympiacos</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TogetherWeFight?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TogetherWeFight</a> <a href="https://t.co/V8O8RIOPnj">pic.twitter.com/V8O8RIOPnj</a></p>&mdash; Olympiacos B.C. (@Olympiacos_BC) <a href="https://twitter.com/Olympiacos_BC/status/1783275501613695283?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 24, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### Telling contributions all night long

Time after time, Olympiacos found a way to respond to setbacks. Nikola Milutinov was a game-time decision coming into the contest and head coach Georgios Bartzokas decided not to take any risks early on, with [Moustapha Fall](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/moustapha-fall/008811/) getting the nod. The French center went on to net 10 first-quarter points, with the Reds up 18-19 at the end of the period.

During that opening quarter, [Alec Peters](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/alec-peters/008829/) got 2 quick fouls and went straight to the bench, but [Filip Petrusev](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/filip-petrusev/011194/) soon made up for his absence by scoring 12 points in the second quarter. For every obstacle, Olympiacos found a solution.

Then, in the third quarter, [Thomas Walkup](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/thomas-walkup/008855/) received his fourth foul and had to sit on the naughty step. Without its floor general out there, Olympiacos could have crumbled. Instead, [Nigel Williams-Goss](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nigel-williams-goss/007982/) appeared by scoring 8 of the Reds’ next 11 points to open a 47-60 margin.

Heavyweights collide as Barcelona and Olympiacos bid to further bolster their championship-credentials with two stellar defensive guards aiming to control the tempo as the host's Tomas Satoransky confronts the Reds' Thomas Walkup. Could this matchup prove pivotal come the final buzzer?

FC Barcelona-Olympiacos Piraeus | Playoffs Game 1 | 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

“We managed to win the game, even though we played almost the whole second half without Thomas Walkup and Moustapha Fall fouled out,” Coach Bartzokas commented. “We had some issues, we had some problems during the game, but we overcame this. It’s an important win.”

And so it was. On Friday night, Barcelona and Olympiacos will meet again. Get ready for episode two!

Game News

The Olympiacos Piraeus players celebrate after their Game 1 win at FC Barcelona in the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Playoffs.

Several players stepped up as the Reds grabbed a crucial win at Barcelona

FC Barcelona v Olympiacos Piraeus (2024-04-24T19:00:00.000Z)

Filip Petrusev thoroughly impressed for Olympiacos BC on his playoff debut in the EuroLeague, but a fourth-quarter injury put a dampener on an otherwise brilliant night.

Filip Petrusev’s bittersweet playoff debut

Despite having a Turkish Airlines EuroLeague winners’ medal to his name, Olympiacos Piraeus big man [Filip Petrusev](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/filip-petrusev/011194/) had never played in the playoffs until Wednesday night’s [75-77 Game 1 win at FC Barcelona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/olympiacos-downs-barcelona-on-the-road-in-game-1-75-77/).

Just a couple of years ago, a 22-year-old Petrusev had to watch on as his Anadolu Efes Istanbul teammates knocked out EA7 Emporio Armani Milan in the playoffs and then beat Olympiacos in the semifinals and Real Madrid in the championship game. It was a bittersweet feeling for the Serbian, who didn’t get a single second of postseason game time under head coach Ergin Ataman.

Petrusev really announced himself to the EuroLeague with a standout season at Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade last year, but his team ended up going 17-17 and finished 10th in the standings, outside the playoff spots. His performances for the red-and-white side of Belgrade caught the attention of the Philadelphia 76ers in the NBA, who had his draft rights, and he soon moved stateside. However, following just one appearance, he was traded to the Sacramento Kings, where he went on to play twice.

With Petrusev having been waived by the Kings in late November, it wasn’t long before his phone started buzzing once again. This time, it was Olympiacos, the type of call that doesn’t happen often. Within days, the Reds’ fans had a new name they could sing from the bleachers.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="und" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/bwinMVP?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#bwinMVP</a>, Filip Petrusev! | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BAROLY?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BAROLY</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OlympiacosBC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OlympiacosBC</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TogetherWeFight?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TogetherWeFight</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeAreOlympiacos?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeAreOlympiacos</a> <a href="https://t.co/dy2jH1afIG">pic.twitter.com/dy2jH1afIG</a></p>&mdash; Olympiacos B.C. (@Olympiacos_BC) <a href="https://twitter.com/Olympiacos_BC/status/1783251740613038283?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 24, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### Showing up in the playoffs

Joining a new team in the middle of the season is never an easy task, particularly when it requires understanding a playbook the size of Georgios Bartzokas’s, but Petrusev had his best Olympiacos game at just the right time. Having averaged 5.5 points, 3.2 rebounds and a 6.9 PIR in 15:13 minutes across 15 regular-season appearances, there wasn’t a ton of pressure on the power forward coming into Game 1.

[Alec Peters](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/alec-peters/008829/) found himself sitting on the bench from the mid-point of the first quarter after picking up 2 early fouls, so an undermanned Olympiacos, missing its team captain and leader in [Kostas Papanikolaou](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/kostas-papanikolaou/001255/), was starting to scratch the bottom of the barrel. Well, absences tend to provide opportunities – and Petrusev made the most of his.

Petrusev got 1:20 minutes of game time in the first quarter, during which time he committed one foul and not much else. However, once he found his groove in the second, he started to take over. Olympiacos had a slender 18-19 lead at the end of the first 10 minutes, with Barcelona starting to mount a comeback, but Petrusev went on to score 12 second-quarter points as the Reds swelled their advantage to 35-44 at the half.

Filip Petrusev had 12 points, all in the second quarter, as Olympiacos Piraeus beat FC Barcelona in Game 1 of the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Playoffs.

Petrusev's highlights vs. Barcelona

While Petrusev didn’t add any more points to his tally, that second-quarter stretch saw him earn the confidence of Coach Bartzokas, who brought him back in at the end of the third quarter and kept him in until midway through the fourth. At a point in the game in which Olympiacos was holding on to its lead, the 24-year-old was being trusted.

However, it wasn’t all positive news for Mr. Petrusev. Having come out of the game with 6:46 minutes left, he reentered when there were 50 seconds remaining and Olympiacos was ahead by three points, 72-75. Clearly lifted by the faith shown in him, Petrusev looked to put his team up by five with a dunk, despite having [Alex Abrines](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/alex-abrines/003478/), [Ricky Rubio](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/rubio-ricky/lfw/) and [Willy Hernangomez](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/willy-hernangomez/003196/) all jump up to try and block his shot.

He ended up being blocked by Abrines on his way up, then landed awkwardly after colliding into Hernangomez before immediately grabbing his left knee. In the end, [Nikola Milutinov](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nikola-milutinov/003941/) helped his countryman return to the bench. [Giannoulis Larentzakis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/giannoulis-larentzakis/010392/) entered the game and made both free throws to set a 72-77 score.

Olympiacos would go on to win 75-77, but it was a bittersweet night for Petrusev. The Reds grabbed a hugely important Game 1 victory, but his knee injury will have put a dampener on things for him personally. Here’s hoping it’s nothing serious.

The Olympiacos big man was vital in the second quarter but suffered an injury in the fourth

Olympiacos BC took a 1-0 lead in its series against Barça Basket by winning 75-77 in Game 1 of the 2023-24 EuroLeague Playoffs.

Olympiacos downs Barcelona on the road in Game 1, 75-77

Olympiacos Piraeus has an early advantage in its series with FC Barcelona after winning 75-77 in Game 1 of the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Playoffs at Palau Blaugrana. The Reds outscored the hosts in each of the first two quarters, leading 35-44 at halftime, then was in front at the end of the third and fourth, despite Barca putting more points on the board in each of those quarters.

Nigel Williams-Goss netted a game-high 15 points for Olympiacos, with Isaiah Canaan adding 14, Filip Petrusev netting 12 and Moustapha Fall contributing 11. Barca duo Jabari Parker and Willy Hernangomez scored 13 points apiece, while Alex Abrines had 11 and Ricky Rubio finished with 10.

Game Videos

Fall opened the game with two straight dunks and one hook shot to give Olympiacos a six-point lead. Barcelona went scoreless for almost 5 and a half minutes before birthday-boy Jan Vesely made 2 of 2 from the line, but Williams-Goss responded with a tough bucket to make it 2-8. The latter traded triples with Parker before the Barcelona forward exchanged dunks with Fall, 9-13. A Nico Laprovittola three-point play was followed by a Luke Sikma layup, but Parker hit a couple of free throws to bring Barcelona within 14-15. Ignas Brazdeikis and Fall scored back-to-back baskets, but Abrines netted a buzzer-beating jumper to cut the difference to 18-19.

Moses Wright opened the second quarter with a steal on one end and a put-back bucket on the other. Hernangomez and Wright exchanged dunks before and an Abrines triple gave Barcelona its first lead of the game, 25-23. Another Abrines three-pointer was followed by 7 points from Petrusev, with Olympiacos tying the game at 30-30. A couple of Williams-Goss free throws and a Canaan bucket from deep gave Olympiacos a three-point lead, but Rokas Jokubaitis trimmed the deficit to 34-35 with an off-balanced jumper. Petrusev took his tally to 10 second-quarter points by making a free throw and netting a bucket from inside before Canaan sank a tough triple to make it 34-42. Then, a Petrusev coast-to-coast basket gave Olympiacos its first double-digit lead of the game, with the visitors taking a 35-44 lead into the second half.

Parker and Sikma exchanged baskets to open the third quarter before a Nikola Kalinic bucket was followed by a Shaquielle McKissic alley-oop on the other end, 39-49. Then, Williams-Goss and Jokubaitis traded jumpers before McKissic netted a buzzer-beating long two-pointer to make it 42-53. Rubio and Williams-Goss traded triples before the latter responded to a Hernangomez dunk with a three-point play, 47-60. Barcelona answered with a 7-0 run, with Abrines netting a triple and Laprovittola nailing a bucket. The hosts cut the difference to 54-61 heading into the closing quarter.

Da Silva opened the last quarter with a bucket from inside and Hernangomez netted one of his own to trim the deficit to 58-61. Olympiacos went 3 and a half minutes scoreless before Canaan made 3 of 3 from the line after drawing a foul from Laprovittola. Then, two straight McKissic buckets gave Olympiacos a 10-point cushion, but Barcelona responded with an 8-0 run thanks to 5 Rubio points and a Laprovittola triple to cut the difference to 67-69. Yet, a Canaan triple was followed by a Milutinov three-point play to extend Olympiacos’s lead to 67-75. However, Kalinic netted a bucket and Walkup committed an unsportsmanlike foul on Rubio, who made 2 of 2 from the line to make it 72-75 with 1 minute left on the clock. Larentzakis hit a couple from the line, but Hernangomez made 1 of 2 and Olympiacos clinched a Game 1 victory in Barcelona.

Giannoulis Larentzakis of Olympiacos Piraeus celebrates following his team's Game 1 win at FC Barcelona in the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Playoffs.

The Reds caused the hosts to suffer just their third defeat at home this season

Obradovic awaits 'character game' after Monaco unable to deal with small-ball

AS Monaco head coach Sasa Obradovic said that he expects his team to step up and bounce back after losing Game 1 of their best-of-five playoff series at home to Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul.

“We know where we need to go. The next game is a character game. I believe we will act solid,” said Obradovic after his team’s 91-95 overtime loss at Salle Gaston Medecin.

The fact that Fenerbahce gave his team a serious fight - coming back from 14 points down - was not a surprise at all for the Monaco play-caller.

“We expected a game like this. I expect a full series with more results like this,” he said.

What Obradovic did not expect was Fenerbahce head coach Saras Jasikevicius going to a small-ball lineup.

Sasa Obradovic: 'The next game is a character game'

“We were expecting a typical game and it was completely an atypical game. There was the small-ball lineup the whole time. We got punished by some individual mistakes on one-on-one, letting shooters get open,” he said.

With Johnathan Motley in Monaco but unable to play with an injury, Jasikevicius started the game with Sertac Sanli at center. But the big man played only 6:53 minutes as he drew four fouls. And the coach only used Greek center Georgios Papagiannis for 8:10 minutes.

Instead, he used 2.05-meter forward Nathan Sestina as a small-ball center for 31 minutes.

“In some moments we adjusted pretty good \[to the small-ball lineup\] and sometimes we lost the control. We have to be smarter - not shoot the ball from the outside if we are in the bonus but go inside and draw some fouls,” Obradovic said. “We didn’t find the right matchups to attack.”

A major problem was Monaco shooting just 29.6% on three-pointers - hitting 8-of-27. Elie Okobo and Mike James combined for 35 points but they also combined to make just 3-of-14 from the outside.

In addition, Monaco came into the playoffs almost with a sense of invincibility having won 12 of its last 13 games. Now the team has been grounded and can show its character.

AS Monaco v Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (2024-04-24T17:00:00.000Z)

Nathan Sestina came off the Fenerbahce bench and scored a career-high 16 points with 4 three-pointers to go with 6 rebounds and 1 steal for a performance index rating of 16 in Fenerbahce’s 91-95 opening game victory. 

Sestina showed he is an option for Fenerbahce 

Nathan Sestina was probably not high on AS Monaco’s scouting report of Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul players who could have a major impact on Game 1 of the playoffs. But the EuroLeague rookie showed he can be an option for head coach Saras Jasikevicius if needed. 

Sestina came off the Fenerbahce bench and scored a career-high 16 points with 4 three-pointers to go with 6 rebounds and 1 steal for a performance index rating of 16 in Fenerbahce’s 91-95 opening game victory. 

The 26-year-old American scored 8 straight points after Monaco had opened a 14-point lead in the second quarter to get Fenerbahce back in the game. And the forward added the back-breaking three-pointer with 72 seconds left in overtime to secure the win. 

Nate Sestina scored 16 in Game 1 in Monaco

Sestina made 4-of-5 three-pointers in total as the team made 14-of-30 from long range. It was the third time this season that Sestina hit 4 triples. He went 4-of-5 in a Round 20 win over Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade and 4-of-6 in a Round 27 victory against Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz - scoring 14 points in both of those games. 

But Sestina hasn’t been a part of the Fenerbahce attack in the six games since the outburst against Baskonia. He only attempted 10 shots over that stretch and totaled just 13 combined points. In the Round 34 game at Olympiacos Piraeus, Sestina registered no stats in just 45 seconds on the court.  

The situation in Game 1 just worked to perfection for Sestina, who played a career-high 31 minutes and tied his previous bests of 6 rebounds and 16 PIR. 

What the rest of the series holds for Sestina remains unclear, but one thing is certain: he showed he can step up if given the chance and Monaco will have him a bit more scouted on the pre-game report.

The big man came off the bench to set a career-high in scoring

Sestina's Game 1 performance showed he is an option for Fenerbahce 

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul rallied from 14 points down to steal home-court advantage from AS Monaco with a 91-95 overtime victory in Game 1 of the best-of-five playoff series. 

Fenerbahce pulls off 91-85 OT Game 1 win in Monaco 

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul rallied from 14 points down to steal home-court advantage from AS Monaco with a 91-95 overtime victory in Game 1 of the best-of-five playoff series. Fenerbahce buried 3 three-pointers in overtime to grab control of the game. Nigel Hayes-Davis led the way with 19 points, Nick Calathes had 17 points and Nathan Sestina scored 16 points. Fenerbahce grabbed its first opening game of a playoffs series since 2018-19, which was the fifth of five consecutive seasons of taking Game 1 and advancing to the Final Four.

Fenerbahce will look to take a 2-0 lead in the series with Game 2 coming Friday. Monaco got 51 points from the trio of Elie Okobo (19 points), Jordan Loyd (16) and Mike James (16) but they were not enough. Monaco, which had won 12 of its last 13 games, also lost Game 1 of its playoffs series last season at home against Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv before advancing to the Final Four.

Monaco’s defense held Fenerbahce in check early while the hosts drained 2 three-pointers and converted 2 three-point plays in opening a 14-4 lead. A second Donatas Motiejunas triple increased the Monaco advantage to 21-8. The home side drained a fourth three-pointer to lead 26-15 after 10 minutes.

Okobo took over in the second quarter with 6 points to help Monaco push the lead to 34-20. Fenerbahce answered with the next 5 points and Sestina later scored 8 straight points - with 2 three-pointers - to help trim the gap to 42-35. Monaco went into the break ahead 46-37.

Fenerbahce picked up its defense intensity in the second half and drained back-to-back triples to get within 47-45. The guests went 3 minutes without a score until another Sestina triple and it was 52-51 after Marko Guduric’s three-point play. Monaco was able to stay ahead the rest of the quarter though Calathes hit a long three-pointer at the third-quarter buzzer to make it 61-60.

Calathes’s free throws to start the final frame put Fenerbahce ahead 61-62. Monaco held Fenerbahce without a basket for the first 5 minutes of the fourth quarter with an 11-1 run for a 72-63 cushion. Tyler Dorsey answered with back-to-back triples in a 4-17 Fenerbahce run with Hayes-Davis’s three-point play making it 76-80 with 90 seconds left. Jaron Blossomgame countered with a triple and Alpha Diallo put the hosts back up 81-80 with 2 free throws with 45 seconds remaining. After Calathes split free throws to tie the game and Monaco came up empty, Marko Guduric missed the final shot at the buzzer and the game went to overtime tied 81-81.

Calathes and Hayes-Davis drained back-to-back triples to put Fenerbahce up 82-87. Sestina followed from long range and the visitors were up 86-94 with 72 seconds to play. Monaco could not get closer than 4 points the rest of the way.

The visitors came back from down 9 with 4 and a half minutes left in regulation

Fenerbahce pulls off 91-95 OT Game 1 win in Monaco 

After 34 rounds of action and three play-in games, sit back and enjoy the best part of the season – EuroLeague postseason basketball!

Olympiacos, Fenerbahce, Maccabi make Game 1 history on the road

### Wednesday, April 24

[AS Monaco 91-95 Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2023-24/as-monaco-fenerbahce-beko-istanbul/E2023/312/)

Fenerbahce rallied from 14 points down to steal home-court advantage from Monaco with a 91-95 overtime victory in Game 1 of the best-of-five playoffs series. Fenerbahce buried 3 three-pointers in overtime to grab control of the game. Nigel Hayes-Davis led the way with 19 points, Nick Calathes had 17 points and Nathan Sestina scored 16 points. Monaco got 51 points from the trio of Elie Okobo (19 points), Jordan Loyd (16) and Mike James (16).

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">Play-Off serisinde 1-0 öne geçiyoruz! 💪<br><br>Tebrikler Fenerbahçe Beko! 👏<br><br>Maç Sonucu | <a href="https://twitter.com/ASMonaco_Basket?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ASMonaco_Basket</a> 🆚 Fenerbahçe Beko: 91-95<br><br>Skor dağılımımız: Hayes-Davis 19, Calathes 17, Sestina 16, Dorsey 13, Guduric 11, Wilbekin 7, Sertaç 6, Papagiannis 4, Biberovic 2. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/YellowLegacy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#YellowLegacy</a> <a href="https://t.co/jVRos4Z8fl">pic.twitter.com/jVRos4Z8fl</a></p>&mdash; Fenerbahçe Beko (@FBBasketbol) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBBasketbol/status/1783215371480105340?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 24, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

[FC Barcelona 75-77 Olympiacos Piraeus](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2023-24/fc-barcelona-olympiacos-piraeus/E2023/311/)

Olympiacos had an 18-19 advantage after the first quarter, led 35-44 at halftime and took a 54-61 edge into the fourth quarter. Oscar da Silva opened the last quarter with a bucket from inside and Hernangomez netted one of his own to trim the deficit to 58-61. Olympiacos went 3 and a half minutes scoreless before Canaan made 3 of 3 from the line after drawing a foul from Laprovittola. Then, two straight McKissic buckets gave OIympiacos a 10-point cushion, but Barcelona responded with an 8-0 run thanks to 5 Rubio points and a Laprovittola triple to cut the difference to 67-69. Yet, a Canaan triple was followed by a Milutinov three-point play to extend Olympiacos’s lead to 67-75. However, Kalinic netted a bucket and Walkup committed an unsportsmanlike foul on Rubio, who made 2 of 2 from the line to make it 72-75 with 1 minute left on the clock. Larentzakis hit a couple from the line, but Hernangomez made 1 of 2 and Olympiacos clinched the victory in Barcelona.

### Tuesday, April 23

[Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens 87-91 Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2023-24/panathinaikos-aktor-athens-maccabi-playtika-tel-aviv/E2023/313/)

The 2024 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Playoffs have started with a bang! The first game is in the books as Maccabi edged Panathinaikos 87-91 in front of an outstanding sellout crowd in the Greek capital. Maccabi led 25-26 after 10 minutes, then Luca Vildoza and Mathias Lessort allowed Panathinaikos to get a 50-42 margin at halftime. Antonius Cleveland and James Webb got Maccabi closer, 70-63, at the end of the third quarter. Bonzie Colson struck twice from downtown and Lorenzo Brown added another one for a 77-81 Maccabi lead. Kendrick Nunn's layup turned the game into a thriller, 87-87, in the final minute. Brown and Josh Nebo sealed the outcome down the stretch. Colson led Maccabi with 18 points while Brown added 16. Lessort led all scorers with 22 points. Maccabi leads the series 0-1!

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="und" dir="ltr">1️⃣:0️⃣ <a href="https://t.co/xeaynAptR6">pic.twitter.com/xeaynAptR6</a></p>&mdash; Maccabi Tel Aviv BC 🇮🇱​ (@MaccabiTLVBC) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaccabiTLVBC/status/1782857003074810264?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 23, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

[Real Madrid 90-74 Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2023-24/real-madrid-baskonia-vitoria-gasteiz/E2023/310/)

Real underlined its status as the defending champion and regular season standings leader by comfortably downing Baskonia, 90-74, at WiZink Center on Tuesday. The teams will meet again in the Spanish capital for Game 2 on Thursday. The home team needed little time to establish a double-digit margin, and the lead reached 17 points – 42-25 – midway through the second quarter. It was 48-37 at the interval, which grew beyond 20 points in the third and the outcome was never in doubt after that. Dzanan Musa led the hosts with 16 points, while Vincent Poirier dominated inside with 10 points and 7 rebounds, while Sergio Llull hit 2 triples to become the competition’s all-time leader in three-pointers made. Markus Howard paced Baskonia with 15 points despite only playing 18 minutes due to a knee injury. 

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="und" dir="ltr">🏁 FP: <a href="https://twitter.com/RMBaloncesto?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RMBaloncesto</a> 90 - 74 <a href="https://twitter.com/Baskonia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Baskonia</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EuroLeague?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EuroLeague</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/UnicajaBanco?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@UnicajaBanco</a> <a href="https://t.co/gve6wmnyHF">pic.twitter.com/gve6wmnyHF</a></p>&mdash; Real Madrid Basket (@RMBaloncesto) <a href="https://twitter.com/RMBaloncesto/status/1782873063085805789?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 23, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Game Center: The EuroLeague Playoffs are here!

For the first time in modern EuroLeague Playoffs history, three road teams were victorious in Game 1.

Real Madrid v Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (2024-04-25T19:00:00.000Z)

Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens v Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv (2024-04-25T18:15:00.000Z)

FC Barcelona v Olympiacos Piraeus (2024-04-26T19:00:00.000Z)

Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens v Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv (2024-04-23T17:30:00.000Z)

AS Monaco v Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (2024-04-26T17:00:00.000Z)

Real Madrid v Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (2024-04-23T19:00:00.000Z)

They have played championship games for the trophy twice before, but this season only one between FC Barcelona and Olympiacos Piraeus can make the Final Four. Check out the EuroLeague.net staff predictions on their playoff series.

Playoff predictions: Barcelona vs. Olympiacos

### Barcelona will make history

#### *by Javier Gancedo*

FC Barcelona has the chance to make it to four consecutive Final Fours for the first time ever. I like its chances against Olympiacos Piraeus. First, Ricky Rubio is back to the EuroLeague Playoffs for the first time in 13 years and he has been playing better and better. Rubio should make things works for Barca, controlling the game tempo, playing hard defense on Thomas Walkup, and connecting with Willy Hernangomez and Jan Vesely for easy points in the paint. Barca has more flexibility at forward with Nikola Kalinic and Jabari Parker. Yes, head coach Roger Grimau is inexperienced, but he knows how it feels to win EuroLeague Playoffs series as a player. I see Barca as the clear favorite, as it also has the fire power from downtown to dynamite the series. My prediction: Barca 3-1. 

### The Reds defense will lead them to Final Four

#### *by Igor Petrinovic*

This feels like a true, traditional, heavyweight battle. Home-court advantage is what all teams strive for during the regular season, and Barcelona has it against Olympiacos solely because it swept the Reds in their two games this season. But it's been nearly four months since these two teams last faced off, and it was Olympiacos that had one of the strongest finishes to the regular season of all teams, winning 10 of its last 11 games. The team also has its entire quartet of big men – Nikola Milutinov, Moustapha Fall, Filip Petrusev and Moses Wright – ready and healthy to play for the first time this season. Olympiacos has the size to match Barcelona, and has the perimeter defense to battle against Barcelona playmakers Nico Laprovittola, Tomas Satoransky and Ricky Rubio. I think the Reds snatch one in Barcelona, then protect their own home court against a Barcelona team that was only 7-10 on the road this season. My pick: Olympiacos 3-1.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="ca" dir="ltr">𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐍𝐄𝐌 𝐀 𝐒𝐄𝐑-𝐇𝐈 🌟<br><br>Comença LA setmana. Comencen els Playoffs de l’<a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Euroleague</a>! 𝐒𝐎𝐌-𝐇𝐈, BARÇA 💙❤ <a href="https://t.co/3psZUsWKy3">pic.twitter.com/3psZUsWKy3</a></p>&mdash; Barça Basket (@FCBbasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBbasket/status/1782314670503637376?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 22, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### Barca is just scratching the surface of its potential

#### *by Frankie Sachs*

Championship contenders must play their best basketball in April and May. For some veteran-laden teams, like reigning champion Real Madrid or AS Monaco, that could be "turning it on" late in the season. FC Barcelona is a different bird. It is still getting better and has untapped potential. Head coach Roger Grimau is in his first season on the bench of a pro team. Star forward Jabari Parker is a EuroLeague rookie. Willy Hernangomez is back in Europe after eight seasons in the NBA. And Ricky Rubio returned to basketball after stepping away last summer. This is no disrespect to Olympiacos, but I believe Barcelona has only scratched the surface of its ability. My only debate here was whether to predict a sweep, which I will. My pick: Barca 3-0.

### Olympiacos to win in five

#### *by Geoff Gillingham*

Just like it did in 2015, I believe Olympiacos will defeat Barcelona in the playoffs, despite not having home-court advantage. Back then, the Reds secured a 3-1 series victory by winning at Palau Blaugrana in Game 2 and then twice at Peace and Friendship Stadium. This time around, however, I have the feeling that Barcelona will win twice on its home floor and that Olympiacos will do the same in Greece, before the Reds go on to secure a Game 5 triumph at Palau Blaugrana. There's not much to separate the two teams, but I think Georgios Bartzokas will get the better of Roger Grimau and lead Olympiacos to a third straight Final Four appearance. My pick: Olympiacos 3-2.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">✈️ Off to 📍 Barcelona! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeAreOlympiacos?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeAreOlympiacos</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TogetherWeFight?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TogetherWeFight</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OlympiacosBC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OlympiacosBC</a> <a href="https://t.co/XQaRf3o7PH">pic.twitter.com/XQaRf3o7PH</a></p>&mdash; Olympiacos B.C. (@Olympiacos_BC) <a href="https://twitter.com/Olympiacos_BC/status/1782769969974894909?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 23, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Olympiacos Piraeus v FC Barcelona (2024-05-02T16:45:00.000Z)

Olympiacos Piraeus v FC Barcelona (2024-04-30T18:30:00.000Z)

Two teams with a lot of arguments on both sides will settle it on the court starting Wednesday. See how the EuroLeague.net experts think the series between AS Monaco and Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul will go.

Playoff predictions: Monaco vs. Fenerbahce

### Monaco wins Game 5 at home…again

#### *by Frankie Sachs*

Ummm… Can there be a tie? Seriously, I think Fenerbahce has what it takes to upset Monaco, but I still believe Monaco is the better team and has the best player in the series. Mike James is primed to shine at this time of year and he cannot be stopped without allowing Elie Okobo and co. to run wild. Meanwhile, the duo of John Brown and Alpha Diallo are the defensive antidotes to Nigel Hayes-Davis. What scares me about picking Monaco is that Fenerbahce is so strong at home that I envision it winning Games 3 and 4. And then if Scottie Wilbekin and Marko Guduric catch fire, Coach Jasikevicius's charges can steal a game in Monaco. But I will bet against it. For the third year in a row, Monaco plays a Game 5. And for the second straight season, it wins it at home. My pick: Monaco 3-2.

### Fenerbahce to stun Monaco

#### *by Geoff Gillingham*

Fenerbahce had a turbulent end to the regular season by going 1-3, with its only win coming against bottom-of-the-pile ALBA Berlin as Nigel Hayes-Davis set a new single-game scoring record with 50 points. Yet, I have confidence in Saras Jasikevicius to mastermind a game plan that will send Fenerbahce back to the Final Four for the first time since 2019. For what it's worth, I think Monaco's Mike James will have a really impressive series on an individual level, adding further weight to his MVP case, but I worry that he may not get the support he needs. Fenerbahce has broken several records since Coach Jasikevicius's arrival, and I believe they'll find a way to stun Monaco in this series. My pick: Fenerbahce 3-1.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Wear your helmet, fasten your seatbelt and get ready for the drive to Berlin!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/YellowLegacy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#YellowLegacy</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EuroLeague?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EuroLeague</a> <a href="https://t.co/R2ggo530fb">pic.twitter.com/R2ggo530fb</a></p>&mdash; Fenerbahçe Beko (@FBBasketbol) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBBasketbol/status/1782424200122089654?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 22, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### Monaco by a small margin

#### *by Javier Gancedo*

I believe this is the most balanced series of them all. Fenerbahce has proved to be almost unbeatable at home this season, and Monaco arrives to the playoffs in great shape, winning 12 of its last 13 EuroLeague games. The way I see it, Monaco will keep rolling early in the series, then Fenerbahce will make adjustments which, added to its home-court advantage in Games 3 and 4, should take the series back to the Principality. In Game 5, James should show his MVP credentials and prove that right here, right now, he is the best player in the competition. In other words, I expect a long series decided by a superstar. My prediction: Monaco 3-2.

### Monaco will pull out a back-and-forth series

#### *by Igor Petrinovic*

For me, this series is a toss-up and it will depend a lot on how the teams, players and coaches respond to the situation they are in. Will Mike James, after a fantastic season, feel the extra weight and pressure of needing to lead the team to another Final Four? Will he get enough help from his backcourt mates? Can Monaco continue being the most disciplined team when it comes to taking care of the ball? Can Fenerbahce bounce back after a disappointing end of the regular season? Will head coach Sarunas Jasikevicius's men turn again into the offensive machine they were during February and March? I can see these teams splitting two games in Monaco, then splitting them again in Istanbul, before engaging in a do-or-die Game 5 in two weeks' time, when Monaco will know very well what it takes to win. My pick: Monaco 3-2.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="fr" dir="ltr">🅶🅰🅼🅴 🅳🅰🆈<br>🆚 <a href="https://twitter.com/FBBasketbol?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FBBasketbol</a><br>📍 Salle Gaston-Médecin<br>🕘 19h<br>🏀 Playoffs <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EuroLeague</a><br>⚔️ Match 1️⃣ <br>📺 <a href="https://twitter.com/skweektv?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SkweekTV</a><br>🎟 <a href="https://t.co/XonYhHkKSL">https://t.co/XonYhHkKSL</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RocaTeam?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RocaTeam</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EveryGameMatters?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EveryGameMatters</a> <a href="https://t.co/HN7mhkTaQ0">pic.twitter.com/HN7mhkTaQ0</a></p>&mdash; AS Monaco Basket 🇲🇨 (@ASMonaco_Basket) <a href="https://twitter.com/ASMonaco_Basket/status/1783047588142297226?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 24, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul v AS Monaco (2024-05-03T17:45:00.000Z)

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul v AS Monaco (2024-05-01T17:45:00.000Z)