Check out what the coaches and players are saying ahead of Round 19 of the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.

Pregame quotes hub: Round 19

## Friday, December 27

### Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul vs. Anadolu Efes Istanbul (18:45 CET)

**Sarunas Jasikevicius, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul head coach**

"We are facing one of the teams that are in form right now. Efes is very organized as a team. They have clear roles, there’s a lot of decision-making by the guards with Larkin being at the center of everything and then a lot of dirty work; rebounding and setting screens by the bigs. Obviously, it is a team that has been playing together for a long time now and they know each other, especially the main guys. It’s again another important game for us and we would like to start the year on a good note."

**Tarık Biberovic,  Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul forward** 

"We are about to play a very important and challenging game in the EuroLeague. For a while, we haven't been able to display the level of performance we expect, and we have been falling short of the results we hoped for. Anadolu Efes is a very strong team. They have highly talented players in every position. We will especially try to be more aggressive on defense, and we will aim to reflect that performance in our offense as well. We want to enter the new year with a victory and start a new streak in the EuroLeague."

**Tomislav Mijatovic, Anadolu Efes Istanbul head coach**

"We are getting ready for the innercity EuroLeague derby which we know it will be extremely physical and competitive game. We are looking forward to the challenge and with the full intensity and 40 minutes participation in all aspects of the game. We fully believe that we can bring joy to our fans and reach our goal which is to win the game."

**Shane Larkin, Anadolu Efes Istanbul guard**

"Fenerbahce is obviously a very talented team and it is a derby game which always creates more intensity and competitiveness. The key to winning a game like this is to play with more aggressiveness and execute the details. If we do that I believe we have a great chance to win the game."

### Paris Basketball vs. FC Barcelona (20:15 CET)

**Jabari Parker, FC Barcelona forward**

"I think it’s gonna be a good game. I am confident going into it. I am expecting to have a real good game and help my team. As far as my energy goes, to start the game the right way. Paris is a hot team for sure, but we have to remember who we are. We have been doing it for a long time, we have some experience and we have to remember that."

### Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens vs. Virtus Segafredo Bologna (20:15 CET)

**Ergin Ataman, Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens head coach**

"Bologna is not the team like at the beginning of the season. With Coach Ivanovic, they have won many important games on the road and at home. Now they play more aggressive, especially on offense they use Clyburn and Cordinier more. Polonara is very active. We need to be careful, to be aggressive on defense and find fastbreak points."

**Cedi Osman, Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens forward**

"They have a new coach and I think that they are playing better, but we finished 2024 in a good mood. We played a lot of games and won all of them. So we are in a good spot and we need to keep playing the same way we were in the last couple of games."

**Dusko Ivanovic, Virtus Segafredo Bologna head coach**

"We face one of the best teams in the EuroLeague, which plays very well, especially at home. They prefer aggressive basketball and with Nunn, Sloukas, Grant and Brown, they have a lot of solutions in terms of points scored and assists."

**Alessandro Pajola, Virtus Segafredo Bologna** **guard**

"Tough game against a team full of talent and with many offensive solutions. In the last home games they have scored more than 100 points, also taking advantage of the boost of their fans. We will need attention and concentration in every possession."

### Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade vs. Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv (20:30 CET)

**Zeljko Obradovic, Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade head coach**

"First of all, I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year. The first game of this year awaits us and the second in this part of the EuroLeague. We trained both yesterday and today, we made an analysis. Maccabi is a very specific team, they changed some players compared to the previous game we played against them. Regardless of the fact that the final result of that game gives the impression that we won easily, it was extremely demanding, as it will be tomorrow. They have great quality in their team, they cultivate a specific way of basketball with Coach Katash, who has been there for the third year. We have to be ready for their zone pressing and change of defense. Of course, concentration during all 40 minutes is also necessary."

**Sterling Brown,** **Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade guard**

"We should do what we normally do. We have to get the winning streak back. We need to play hard and get the win. We expect nothing less than a tough and demanding game."

**Oded Kattash, Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv head coach**

"There will be many similarities to the game against Zalgiris, especially the two dominant scorers. A team that mainly plays simple things but executes them the way most top teams do, so it needs to start with our defense."

**Levi Randolph, Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv head coach**

"I think as a team it's good, to refresh, clear your mind, get some practice days in, to really go over things and try to correct some of the mistakes that you don't have the time to do when you have a lot of games in a row so, I think it’s important."

### Real Madrid vs. FC Bayern Munich (20:30 CET)

**Chus Mateo, Real Madrid head coach**

"It would be great to get one more win in the EuroLeague, but first we have to play the game against an opponent like Bayern, which is playing very well, especially on offense, with several players scoring well, and which have had a sensational first half of the season. We had the chance to win in Germany until the last minute, even though we ended up losing by eight points. It was the first appearance in the EuroLeague of a new team. Now I think we are a little better defensively than we were there and, in that sense, we have to prove that we can defend as we have been doing lately, which I think is what is giving us the possibility of stringing together some victories. We are facing an opponent full of confidence, but I think we are in a good moment to face this challenge."

**Alberto Abalde, Real Madrid forward**

"We are doing well. Victories get you into a good dynamic and give everyone confidence to keep working. We have room for improvement, work to do and now we will try to be strong at home against Bayern, a very solid team that knows what they play and penalizes the opponent's mistakes a lot. We will need to play a consistent game, in line with what we want to be. We will have to do a good job because Bayern has been doing very well and we want another victory, although we know it is a difficult challenge."

**Gordon Herbert, FC Bayern Munich head coach**

"Real is one of the best teams in Europe year after year, and that hasn't changed. Especially away, this will be a real test for us. We need to take care of the ball on offense, and the rebounds will undoubtedly be a key factor."

## Thursday, January 2

### Zalgiris Kaunas vs. Olympiacos Piraeus (19:00 CET)

**Andrea Trinchieri, Zalgiris Kaunas head coach**

"We need to know that we are going to play against one of the best teams. A very deep roster, very good players, and a very refined system. They've been doing the same thing for a lot of years. Then we have to go and play, looking more at ourselves, how we can bounce back and what we can do to put together a very good performance. We need to focus only on playing the best possible performance, and the result of the game is a consequence of our performance."

**Georgios Bartzokas, Olympiacos Piraeus head coach**

"We have to be serious for 40 minutes. We understand that everyone wanted to party those days and spend time with their families and their beloved ones, but we need to get in game mode. Zalgiris is a very good team. They play hard on defense; that’s why we must protect the ball. Still, if we stay focused and follow our game plan, we have chances to get the win."

**Nikola Milutinov, Olympiacos Piraeus center**

"It is going to be a tough game. We all know that Zalgiris is a very good team. And when they play in their home court in front of their fans, they play even better. They play hard on defense and we must match their energy in order to get the win."

### LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne vs. EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (19:00 CET)

**Ettore Messina, EA7 Emporio Armani Milan head coach**

"We face an extremely athletic team with three guards excellent at creating play. Transition defense, containing their one on one plays, ball movement will be the keys in order to have the chance to win on a traditionally tough court."

### ALBA Berlin vs. AS Monaco (20:00 CET)

**Vassilis Spanoulis, AS Monaco head coach**

This will be the first game of the new year. We have to be serious. We have to focus on executing our game plan. And we want to improve in every game. This is a very important game for us. And in every game, we want to go on the court with the same concentration and we always look to win."

### Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz vs. Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade (20:30 CET)

**Ioannis Sfairopoulos, Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade head coach**

"We play away from home, and every away game is difficult. Moreover, we are playing against Baskonia, which is an excellent team at home, it is very difficult to play with them. They have players with exceptional speed and confidence. If they find the right rhythm, they are hard to stop. That happened against Paris. Two or three players pushed the team to victory. That's why we have to stay focused for 40 minutes, not lose focus and follow the plan. To do everything possible to fight for victory."

**Dejan Davidovac, Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade forward**

"We have a tough away game ahead of us, the key will be to play defense for 40 minutes and stop some of their key players. Howard got into a rhythm in the last few games, Moneke play his game and do lots of things for the team. We manage to stopp them pretty well in the first game, so somehow we should play this game according to that pattern.

Pregame quotes hub: 'We would like to start the year on a good note'

Real Madrid v FC Bayern Munich (2025-01-03T20:00:00.000Z)

Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade v Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv (2025-01-03T19:30:00.000Z)

Paris Basketball v FC Barcelona (2025-01-03T19:15:00.000Z)

Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens v Virtus Segafredo Bologna (2025-01-03T19:15:00.000Z)

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul v Anadolu Efes Istanbul (2025-01-03T17:45:00.000Z)

Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz v Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade (2025-01-02T19:30:00.000Z)

LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne v EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (2025-01-02T19:00:00.000Z)

ALBA Berlin v AS Monaco (2025-01-02T19:00:00.000Z)

Zalgiris Kaunas v Olympiacos Piraeus (2025-01-02T18:00:00.000Z)

Here, you can find all the latest injury news surrounding all registered players in the 2024-25 EuroLeague season.

EuroLeague injury report: Round 19

Follow all the latest injury information for registered players in the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season, as reported by the clubs, and get your [EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge](https://euroleaguefantasy.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/home?_ga=2.101462721.1199459303.1696273873-903329349.1669636775) teams up to date!

### ALBA Berlin

Louis Olinde and Justin Bean will miss Thursday's game against Monaco while Martin Hermannsson's participation is uncertain, ALBA has confirmed.

- Gabriele Procida, who has not played in the EuroLeague since Round 14, retuned to action in the German League this week.
- Will McDowell-White, who has not played since Round 8, has appeared in ALBA's last two German League games.
- [Justin Bean](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/justin-bean-out-three-months-with-broken-wrist/) is out until early February after breaking his wrist.

### Anadolu Efes Istanbul

All of Efes's players are available for its game against Fenerbahce on Friday, the club has confirmed.

### AS Monaco

Nick Calathes is ready to return to action against ALBA on Thursday, the club has confirmed on its website.

- [Nick Calathes](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/nick-calathes-out-3-4-weeks-with-knee-injury/) has not yet played this season.
- Furkan Korkmaz departed Monaco earlier this week and [signed for Bahcesehir in the EuroCup](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/bahcesehir-brings-furkan-korkmaz-home-to-istanbul/).
- [Alpha Diallo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/monaco-basket-loses-alpha-diallo-to-knee-injury/) has not yet returned to action from a knee injury.

### Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz

Baskonia has not yet sent an injury report for its game against Crvena Zvezda on Thursday.

- Baskonia announced the signing of [Luka Saminic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/luka-samanic-arrives-to-bolster-baskonia-frontline/) on Monday.

- [Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/timothe-luwawu-cabarrot-sidelined-with-calf-injury/), who last played in Round 11, is dealing with a calf injury, but no timetable has been set for his return.

### Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade

Branko Lazic and Ognjen Dobric will miss Thursday's game against Baskonia while Filip Petrusev is questionable, Zvezda has confirmed.

- Ognjen Dobric has missed the last two rounds with an ankle injury.
- [John Brown](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/crvena-zvezda-signs-defensive-ace-john-brown/) made his debut with the club in the ABA league over the weekend.
- Milos Teodosic and Branko Lazic have missed the last two rounds.

### EA7 Emporio Armani Milan

In addition to Josh Nebo, Fabien Causeur will also miss Thursday's game against ASVEL with some muscular discomfort, Milan has confirmed.

- [Josh Nebo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/josh-nebo-to-be-reevaluated-in-3-4-weeks/) suffered another injury in Round 17 and is expected to miss extended time, according to Coach Ettore Messina.

### FC Barcelona

Nico Laprovittola is Barcelona's only absentee for its game at Paris on Friday, the club has confirmed.

- [Raul Neto departed the club](https://x.com/FCBbasket/status/1874767693905326389) on Thursday.
- [Chimezie Metu](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/barcelona-loses-chimezie-metu-for-6-8-weeks/) returned from injury in Round 18.
- [Nico Laprovittola](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/nico-laprovittola-to-undergo-knee-surgery/) was ruled out for the season due to an ACL and meniscus injury.

### FC Bayern Munich

Bayern has not yet sent an injury report for its game at Real Madrid on Friday.

- Bayern has been without Vladimir Lucic (muscle bruise) since Round 2.

### Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul

Wade Baldwin, Arturs Zagars and Scottie Wilbekin are all ruled out for Fenerbahce's game against Efes on Friday while Dyshawn Pierre has rejoined team practices, the club has confirmed.

- [Wade Baldwin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/wade-baldwin-out-with-hamstring-injury/) has not played since suffering a hamstring injury in Round 16.
- [Arturs Zagars](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/arturs-zagars-fenerbahce-beko-foot-injury/) has not played since Round 14 with a foot injury.
- [Dyshawn Pierre](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/fenerbahces-dyshawn-pierre-sidelined-by-calf-injury/) suffered a calf injury in Round 12.
- [Scottie Wilbekin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/fenerbahce-confirms-the-worst-scottie-wilbekin-has-torn-his-acl/) tore his ACL in Round 1 and is out.

### LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne

ASVEL has not yet sent an injury report for its game against Milan on Thursday.

- [Mbaye Ndiaye ](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/mbaye-ndiaye-ldlc-asvel-out-for-several-months-with-knee-injury/)has ruptured the cruciate ligaments in his right knee and is likely out for the season.
- [Edwin Jackson](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/edwin-jackson-to-miss-six-weeks-with-hamstring-injury/) returned to action in Round 18.
- [Charles Kahudi](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/charles-kahudi-out-for-four-weeks-with-groin-injury/) is out until mid-January with a groin injury.

### Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv

Maccabi has not yet sent an injury report for its game against Partizan on Friday.

- [Trevion Williams](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/maccabi-signs-trevion-williams-away-from-alba-berlin/) made his Maccabi debut last week.
- [Jasiel Rivero](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/maccabi-loses-jasiel-rivero-again-to-torn-hamstring/) is out until early-to-mid January with a torn hamstring.

### Olympiacos Piraeus

Naz Mitrou-Long, Keenan Evans and Moses Wright are ruled out for Olympiacos's game against Zalgiris on Thursday, the club has confirmed.

- [Nathan Mensah](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/olympiacos-bc-signs-nathan-mensah/) made his Olympiacos debut in the Greek League on Sunday.
- Nikola Milutinov (gastroenteritis) returned to action in the Greek League on Sunday.
- Giannoulis Larentzakis (neck muscle strain) returned to action in the Greek League on Sunday.
- [Moses Wright](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/moses-wright-out-for-the-season-with-health-issue/) is out for the season with a health issue.
- [Keenan Evans](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/zalgiris-star-keenan-evans-out-long-term-after-knee-surgery/) remains sidelined after undergoing knee surgery. He has not yet been registered for the competition.

### Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens

Mathias Lessort and Marius Grigonis are ruled out for Panathinaikos's game against Virtus on Friday, the club has confirmed.

- [Mathias Lessort](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/all-euroleague-center-mathias-lessort-leaves-game-with-leg-injury/) suffered a broken fibula in Round 17 and will miss several months.
- Ioannis Papapetrou, who has not played in the last two rounds, played in the Greek League on Sunday.
- Marius Grigonis (lower back surgery) has not played since Round 4.

### Paris Basketball

Paris has not yet sent an injury report for its game against Barcelona on Friday.

- Daulton Hommes has not yet played this season.

### Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade

Patizan reports that both Vanja Marinkovic and Mitar Bosnjakovic will miss Friday's game against Maccabi. The participation of Isiaha Mike and Iffe Lundberg will be game-time decisions.

- Vanja Marinkovic has not played since Round 16 with an Achilles injury.
- Mitar Bosnjakovic is out with an ankle injury.
- Frank Ntilikina returned to action last week after missing two rounds.
- Iffe Lundberg (foot) last played in Round 12.

### Real Madrid

Real Madrid has not yet sent an injury report for its game against Bayern on Friday.

- [Gabriel Deck](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/real-madrid-loses-gabriel-deck-to-torn-hamstring/) is sidelined with a torn hamstring.

### Virtus Segafredo Bologna

Virtus reports that Toko Shengelia will not play against Panathinaikos on Friday.

- Toko Shengelia has not played since Round 15.

### Zalgiris Kaunas

Zalgiris has not yet sent an injury report for its game against Olympiacos on Thursday.

Stay up to date with the latest information provided by the EuroLeague clubs

Injury report, Round 19: Mike, Lundberg game-time decisions; Shengelia still out

KK Crvena zvezda broke two unwelcome records in a couple of wins on Spanish soil over the past seven days, boosting its chances of making the EuroLeague postseason after improving its record to 11-8 in Europe’s premier club competition.

Crvena Zvezda showing new-found steel to keep marching on

[Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/crvena-zvezda-meridianbet-belgrade/red/) broke two unwelcome records in a couple of wins on Spanish soil over the past seven days, boosting its chances of making the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague postseason after improving its record to 11-8 in Europe’s premier club competition.

Last Friday, Zvezda staged a stunning upset to [beat Barcelona on the road, 74-78](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/crvena-zvezda-pulls-out-a-dramatic-win-in-barcelona-74-78/), for its first-ever win over the Catalan giant before grinding out [a 73-75 victory at Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/resilient-crvena-zvezda-edges-out-baskonia-73-75/), its first road win against the Basque outfit since 2017.

The Serbian side’s form this season is in stark contrast to what it was delivering last term, when it finished 16th with an unimpressive 11-23 record. With 15 games to go in the current campaign, Zvezda has every chance of getting into the playoff picture after its third win in a row, as [Ioannis Sfairopoulos](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/crvena-zvezda-meridianbet-belgrade/red/sfairopoulos-ioannis/)’s men look forward to playing the next six games in its hometown.

Following a tripleheader with [Paris Basketball](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/paris-basketball/prs/), [Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fenerbahce-beko-istanbul/ulk/) and [AS Monaco](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/as-monaco/mco/) at Belgrade Arena, Zvezda heads “away’ across town to Aleksandar Nikolic Hall to face [Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/maccabi-playtika-tel-aviv/tel/), which has been playing is home games in the Serbian capital since the beginning of last season.

Then comes the “visit” to [Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/partizan-mozzart-bet-belgrade/par/) at the venue Zvezda shares with its archrival, where Partizan will have home-court advantage this time. A home matchup with visiting [LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/ldlc-asvel-villeurbanne/asv/) completes the streak, presenting Zvezda an opportunity to gain ground in the club’s quest to make the postseason, which would be a major turn in fortunes on the biggest stage.

Apart from center [Joel Bolomboy](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/joel-bolomboy/009035/) and guard [Isaiah Canaan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/isaiah-canaan/010612/), who led Zvezda’s charge in Baskonia, the Spanish club’s former players [Rokas Giedraitis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/rokas-giedraitis/006436/) and [Codi Miller-McIntyre](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/codi-miller-mcintyre/009048/) were also instrumental in Thursday night’s success at Buesa Arena. Giedraitis sank 12 points while Miller-McIntyre posted 9 points and 3 assists, of which two resulted in spectacular slam dunks for player of the game Bolomboy. 

In no small part thanks to Miller-McIntyre’s hard work, with the versatile playmaker also recording 2 steals, Zvezda was able to weather the storm against Baskonia as the hosts had fought back from a 17-point second-half deficit before Canaan, who finished on 15 points, forced the final twist with a pair of clutch layups.

It was also an emotional night for Miller-McIntyre, who stressed that he had the fondest memories of playing in Vitoria-Gasteiz before he joined Zvezda during the offseason.  

“It’s amazing. Vitoria is a special place for me and I was happy to see my old teammates and the fans,” the 30-year-old told Serbia’s Sport Klub television after the rip-roaring contest. “We had ups and downs, but we stayed focused for most of the 40 minutes They’re a great team with great scorers bur we did a good job in the end.”

Staying focused and keeping the composure under pressure has been a big factor in Zvezda’s run this term, as those traits were missing last season when the Serbian team kept throwing away leads in the home stretch – much to the frustration of its fans.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="sr" dir="ltr">Прва победа у 2025. години 🔴⚪️✅<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://twitter.com/hashtag/CrvenoBelaPorodica?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CrvenoBelaPorodica</a> <a href="https://t.co/cJ7IlI0xDm">pic.twitter.com/cJ7IlI0xDm</a></p>&mdash; KK Crvena zvezda Meridianbet (@kkcrvenazvezda) <a href="https://twitter.com/kkcrvenazvezda/status/1875112059391844565?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The win over Baskonia was almost a carbon copy of the one against Barcelona as Zvezda held firm in a dramatic finale, and Coach Sfairopoulos hailed his team for holding its nerve when the chips were down.

“When Baskonia made some tough shots and came back in the last five minutes, we showed our character. We didn’t panic and we made some good decisions, offensively and defensively,” the Greek tactician told the post-game press conference.

“We did a great job on [Markus Howard](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/markus-howard/011948/) as he scored zero points in the first half and made only 2 of 10 shots from downtown. That was important because he is a player who can score 20 points in three or four minutes.”

Sharpshooter Howard was limited to just 10 points as Baskonia finished on 6 of 28 from deep after going 0 of 15 in the first half, a testament to Zvezda’s ironclad defense which has been the pillar of the team’s impressive recent form.

Sfairopoulos will hope his men can keep up the good work as Zvezda aims to make the most of the upcoming run of games in Belgrade, in its bid to keep firing on all cylinders. 

Game News

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Unlike last season, the Serbian team looks full of grit and composure when the chips are down

LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne guard Nando De Colo added another record to his impressive career resume, becoming the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague all-time leader in free throws made on Thursday night. In ASVEL's 66-75 home loss against EA7 Emporio Armani Milan, De Colo made 8 free throws on as many attempts, getting his career count to 1,135, passing the previous all-time leader Vassilis Spanoulis

De Colo became a free-throw making king

LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne guard Nando De Colo added another record to his impressive career resume, becoming the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague all-time leader in free throws made on Thursday night.

In ASVEL's 66-75 home loss against EA7 Emporio Armani Milan, De Colo made 8 free throws on as many attempts, getting his career count to 1,135, passing the previous all-time leader Vassilis Spanoulis who was sitting atop of the chart with 1,131 free throws made. The next best player on the all-time list is the reigning MVP Mike James of AS Monaco with 1,069.

De Colo accomplished this feat in his 312th career game, and now he is both the man with the most free throws made, and the best free-throw shooting percentage (93.0%) in EuroLeague this century.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The best free-throw shooter in Euroleague history is Mister Nando De Colo ! 👏 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LDLCASVEL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LDLCASVEL</a> <a href="https://t.co/RdzK3nL7bu">pic.twitter.com/RdzK3nL7bu</a></p>&mdash; LDLC ASVEL (@LDLCASVEL) <a href="https://twitter.com/LDLCASVEL/status/1874914537889202435?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> 

De Colo, the three-time EuroLeague champ, is also the all-time leader in PIR with 5,256 index rating points, and ranks second all-time in scoring with 4,673 points.

De Colo is in fifth place all-time in steals (351), sixth all-time in two-point shots made (1,046), 10th all-time in assists (1,136), and 12th all-time with 482 career three-pointers made.

The 37-year old guard keeps re-writing EuroLeague history books.

KK Crvena zvezda produced is third successive win in the EuroLeague and improved to 11-8, after center Joel Bolomboy paced the Serbian team with 16 points and 8 boards in a dramatic 73-75 success at Baskonia.

Joel Bolomboy propelled Crvena Zvezda to a crunch win at Baskonia

[Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/crvena-zvezda-meridianbet-belgrade/red/) produced is third successive win in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and improved to 11-8, after center [Joel Bolomboy](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/joel-bolomboy/009035/) paced the Serbian team with 16 points and 8 boards in [a dramatic 73-75 success at Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/resilient-crvena-zvezda-edges-out-baskonia-73-75/).

Bolomboy, who had missed 11 games through injury before he returned to action in mid-December, stepped up in Zvezda’s hour of need as he kept the Serbian team firmly on course to reach the postseason.

Having been dominated by Baskonia counterpart [Donta Hall](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/donta-hall/011196/) early on, Bolomboy turned the table on his rival and dismantled the home team with a barrage of slam dunks and some intelligent plays at both ends of the court, ensuring Zvezda held its own in the paint.

In his postgame comments, Bolomboy was relieved that Zvezda came out on top after the visitors nearly spilled a 15-point lead in the second half and trailed 73-71 in the home stretch, before [Isaiah Canaan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/isaiah-canaan/010612/) forced the final twist.  

“These are the games that matter the most because had we lost it, it would have been a different story,” Bolomboy said in a courtside postgame interview. “We’ve got to stay focused and execute better offensively when we’ve got a big lead.

“They have the crowd behind them and really good players who can score and thrive in game-time situations when the it’s on the line, so I am glad we walked away with the win.”

Canaan endured a torrid shooting night as he sank only 1 of 8 from deep but came up big when the chips were down, silencing the home fans with a pair of majestic layups which forced Baskonia into submission.

“I just tried to take what they give me,” Canaan pointed out. “Clearly I couldn’t make a three tonight, but I was fortunate to get the ball on the rim \[on those last two plays\]. Every game matters for us and as long as we continue to stay together and keep fighting, we can play with the best of them.” 

Zvezda head coach [Ioannis Sfairopoulos](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/crvena-zvezda-meridianbet-belgrade/red/sfairopoulos-ioannis/?season=E2024) was aware a Baskonia fightback was imminent after the hosts trailed 28-42 at halftime, having shot 0 of 15 from long range in the opening two quarters. Still, the Greek tactician was delighted to see his team weather the storm after the hosts had turned the game around in the fourth.

“We expected Baskonia to react after falling behind,” he said. “We were still in control early in the second half but then they made some tough shots and got back into the game. In the end, we won the game thanks to good decisions at both ends of the court.”

“We want to take it one game at a time and not think too far ahead. We want to learn from our mistakes from the past and not make them again,” Sfairopoulos added, as Zvezda keeps showing the kind of grit and character missing last season when the Serbian side fell woefully short of getting into the postseason picture.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">⭐️ BO-LOM-BOY <br>M-V-P 🗣<br><br>📊 16 pts, 8/11 2FG, 8 reb;<br>PIR 19<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://twitter.com/hashtag/EveryGameMatters?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EveryGameMatters</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/adidasPlayeroftheGame?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#adidasPlayeroftheGame</a> <a href="https://t.co/X0wEgDN9IC">pic.twitter.com/X0wEgDN9IC</a></p>&mdash; KK Crvena zvezda Meridianbet (@kkcrvenazvezda) <a href="https://twitter.com/kkcrvenazvezda/status/1874941631494799542?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Baskonia head coach [Pablo Laso](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/baskonia-vitoria-gasteiz/bas/laso-pablo/) could only rue his team’s inconsistency as the Spanish outfit ultimately paid the price for a dreadful first-half performance.

“It was very tight and we fought until the end,” Laso said with a wry smile on his face. “We played with heart and were aggressive in the second half, but in the first we couldn’t make a shot. We have to decide which one of those two teams we want to be.”

The big man hit shined in his most impressive performance after returning from injury

After a few sub-par performances by his lofty standards, Zach LeDay ensured Olimpia Milano beat LDLC ASVEL with a pair of clutch three-pointers.

Zach LeDay bounced back by stepping up late against ASVEL

Ever since [Zach LeDay](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/zach-leday/008987/) inspired [EA7 Emporio Armani Milan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/ea7-emporio-armani-milan/mil/) to a [stunning win at FC Barcelona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/milan-surprises-barcelona-at-palau-blaugrana-81-94/) in Round 15, his downturn in performances coincided with the Italian team losing three straight in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague. But in Round 19, LeDay enjoyed a key role – particularly late – as Milan got back on track with [a 66-75 victory at LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/mirotic-leday-help-milan-snap-losing-streak-with-win-at-asvel-66-75/).

With [Theo Maledon](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/theo-maledon/007027/) having reduced Milan’s lead to four points, 60-64, with 2:10 minutes to go, it seemed as though the game could go either way. Yet, LeDay did not leave any doubt by knocking down back-to-back three-pointers in quick succession to swell the lead to 60-70 – the first time it had gone to double digits all night – and effectively put the win on ice.

Now in his sixth season in the EuroLeague, LeDay has earned a reputation for his incredible consistency. That was put to the test in the last few games, with LeDay netting 6, 14 and 3 points in his last three games, respectively, in defeats to Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens ([103-74](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/nunns-39-points-leads-panathinaikos-past-milan-103-74/)), FC Bayern Munich ([78-79](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/bayern-grabs-long-awaited-road-win-at-milan-78-79/)) and Olympiacos Piraeus ([83-84](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/olympiacos-edges-milan-in-thriller-83-84/)). Those 14 points would typically be a decent number, but they were the joint second fewest he had netted since Round 7.

What’s more, in Milan’s loss against Olympiacos, LeDay was 1 for 5 from the field and didn’t attempt a single free throw. As such, his final numbers against ASVEL – 17 points on 4-of-6 two-pointers, 2-of-5 three-pointers and 3-of-4 free throws – were a marked improvement.

“I made a big mistake before the last game; I tried to let the game come to me, I didn’t just kill what was in front of me,” LeDay told EuroLeague TV after the game. “So I wanted to show that I learned a lesson.”

EA7 Emporio Armani Milan forward Zach LeDay spoke to EuroLeague TV after his team beat LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne in Round 19 of the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.

Zach LeDay: 'I wanted to be there for my team'

Tiredness and knocks start to take their toll on players around this time of year, but LeDay is clear minded in what his approach needs to be, particularly at LDLC Arena on Thursday night.

“There’s a point in time where people talk about hitting the wall, but sh\*t, you’ve just got to run through that mother\*\*\*\*er,” he said. “Just do what you got to do, you know what I mean? I wanted to be there for my team and lock in and really focus on the little things today.”

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">European winning night ✨🤍❤️<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/gBNEVOkydl">pic.twitter.com/gBNEVOkydl</a></p>&mdash; Olimpia Milano (@OlimpiaMI1936) <a href="https://twitter.com/OlimpiaMI1936/status/1874927969938112690?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

This victory moved Milan up to ninth place in the standings, good for a spot in the play-in. LeDay and co. will be hoping that they can now string together some victories – as they did between Rounds 10 and 15 – and force their way into one of the six elusive playoff places.

The 30-year-old hit a couple of clutch threes to all but wrap up the win

Nick Calathes made his AS Monaco debut against ALBA Berlin on Thursday in Round 19 of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and everyone could see what head coach Vassilis Spanoulis expects from him.

Nick Calathes's return made Monaco even stronger 

[AS Monaco](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/as-monaco/mco/) kept first place in the standings with a [90-105 road win over ALBA Berlin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/alba-berlin-as-monaco/E2024/164/#boxscore) in Round 19. [Nick Calathes](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nick-calathes/001932/) made his Monaco debut and everyone saw what head coach [Vassilis Spanoulis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/as-monaco/mco/spanoulis-vassilis?season=E2024) expected from him.

Spanoulis and Calathes were Panathinaikos Athens teammates in the 2009-10 season as well as on the Greek national team. They also played against each other many times while Spanoulis was starring for Olympiacos Piraeus. The big question was how would Spanoulis integrate a veteran like Calathes into a backcourt that was working very well, led by [Mike James](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/mike-james/005985/), [Elie Okobo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/elie-okobo/011212/) and [Jordan Loyd](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/jordan-loyd/009754/)?

The answer is simple: Calathes offers what he has always been good at: outstanding defense, court vision and vocal leadership. His numbers against ALBA were not spectacular but spoke volumes. Calathes only took one shot, which he missed, but he had 2 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals and 1 block for a PIR of 6 in less than 19 minutes. He was on the court when the game was decided.

Nick Calathes had 7 assists in his AS Monaco EuroLeague debut against ALBA Berlin. Here are the best ones.

Calathes returns in Berlin

After trailing 35-55 at halftime, ALBA managed to get within 86-92 on a put-back layup by [Gabriele Procida](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/gabriele-procida/008384/). That's where Calathes provided silent leadership, dishing 4 assists in the last 4 minutes to make sure Monaco cruised to a comfortable victory. He found James for a three-pointer, collected a steal and allowed James to score again, fed [Jaron Blossomgame](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/jaron-blossomgame/011231/) for the game-clinching triple and still had time to find James again for an easy basket.

It is no surprise that Monaco's offensive flow was better with Calathes around. James finished the game with a season-high 23 points. [Matthew Strazel](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/matthew-strazel/008099/) fired in 5 of 6 three-pointers on his way to 18 points, his highest-scoring mark this season. Blossomgame's 17 points matched his EuroLeague career high. Okobo and Loyd finished with 13 and 12 points, respectively.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="fr" dir="ltr">🦾 Il a fallu résister au comeback de Berlin pour décrocher cette belle victoire à l&#39;extérieur ⚡️<br><br>La <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RocaTeam?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RocaTeam</a> reste co-leader de l&#39;Euroleague ! 👑🇲🇨<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DagheMunegu?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DagheMunegu</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EveryGameMatters?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EveryGameMatters</a> <a href="https://t.co/ujCcD8HUih">pic.twitter.com/ujCcD8HUih</a></p>&mdash; AS Monaco Basket 🇲🇨 (@ASMonaco_Basket) <a href="https://twitter.com/ASMonaco_Basket/status/1874935779774099964?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

James praised Spanoulis's adjustments after the game: "He hasn't really changed my game. I think that's just a little bit different pace that we play, with a little bit different plays, a little bit more off-screen plays, more plays to get me in movement instead of his \[Sasa Obradovic, Monaco's former head coach\] attacking in isolation all the time from the top. So it's just different," James said. 

"I think he's got different rules on defense, so that changed a lot for us. We are playing with confidence. We are trying to pick it up, he has done a great job."

Calathes is aware that he doesn't need to score to be a key piece in this team. He just needs to play excellent defense as always and put the ball in the right place. With so much scoring talent around him, his off-the-charts basketball IQ makes him shine even more.

'The Bald Eagle' is back in a key veteran role 


Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade completed a perfect tour of Spain in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague with a 73-75 victory at Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz to improve to 11-8

Resilient Crvena Zvezda edges out Baskonia, 73-75 

Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade completed a perfect tour of Spain in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague with a 73-75 victory at Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz to improve to 11-8. The win came after Zvezda celebrated a 74-78 win at FC Barcelona in the previous round.

Joel Bolomboy paced Zvezda with 16 points and 8 rebounds, but it was Isaiah Canaan who emerged as the game-winner for the visitors after sinking a pair of crucial layups. Canaan finished with 15 points, despite making just 1 of 8 from downtown, while Rokas Giedraitis sank 12 points against his former club.

At the other end, Chima Moneke scored 18 points, Donta Hall netted 14 while Markus Howard and Trent Forrest chipped in with 10 each for Baskonia, which shot 0 of 15 from deep in the first half and dropped to 8-11 after a tough home loss.

Game Videos

The home team made a bright start and took an early 14-6 lead as Hall dominated the paint in the opening exchanges, but Zvezda hit back with a 0-10 run before getting firmly into the driver’s seat in the second quarter. Bolomboy took over as Baskonia had no reply for the Serbian outfit’s fast-paced offense, garnished with some spectacular slam-dunks, which propelled the visitors into a 28-42 halftime lead.  

Aggressive defense on the perimeter made it difficult for Baskonia to get any open looks from long range, with the hosts misfiring time and again as their backcourt struggled, particularly Howard.

Zvezda looked set for some plain sailing after engineering a 42-57 advantage in the third quarter, with Bolomboy bending the rim with yet another ferocious dunk, but Baskonia got a second win with a 10-0 run that set the scene for a tense final 10 minutes.

Baskonia closed the gap to 68-69 as Howard, who finished on 2 of 10 from downtown, hit a rare triple and the home team nosed ahead 73-71 in the home straight, as Zvezda’s offense was ground to a screeching halt. However, Canaan came up big down the stretch as he twice weaved his way through traffic to force the final twist, with Moneke falling short with a tough hook shot on the buzzer at the other end.

The Serbian team headed into 2025 with a gritty road win over a plucky rival 

Olympiacos BC had a huge second half to beat Zalgiris Kaunas, having trailed by 12 points at halftime before winning 85-92.

Olympiacos’s defense fueled second-half comeback at Zalgiris

Twenty minutes into Thursday’s game at Zalgirio Arena, everything indicated that 2025 would not start on a positive note for [Olympiacos Piraeus](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/olympiacos-piraeus/oly/). 

Boosted by the ever-buzzing home crowd, [Zalgiris Kaunas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/zalgiris-kaunas/zal/) hit the ground running, with [Sylvain Francisco](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/sylvain-francisco/007975/) cooking on offense. The hosts fired on all cylinders, making 11 of 17 (64.7%) from beyond the arc, with Francisco going 5-for-6 from deep. The Zalgiris guard ended the first half on 20 points - just 2 points shy from his career high in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague.

Zalgiris led 52-40 at halftime, but a visit to the locker room was enough for Olympiacos to regroup and change the chip on both ends.

"In the first half, they did whatever they wanted," game MVP [Sasha Vezenkov](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/sasha-vezenkov/003469/) told EuroLeague TV after the game. "They scored 52 points. Yes, they scored tough shots, but we were not physical and didn’t open the game as we wanted to."

Olympiacos Piraeus forward Sasha Vezenkov spoke to EuroLeague TV after his team beat Zalgiris Kaunas in Round 19 of the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.

Sasha Vezenkov: 'Second half was our best defense this year'

The Reds flipped the switch after the break, with Vezenkov netting 19 of his game-high 24 points in the last two quarters. Olympiacos may have outscored Zalgiris 33-52 after the break, but it was its defense that allowed the visitors to complete the comeback.

"I think that in the second half, we had our best defensive game so far this season," Vezenkov added. "We said that even if we’re losing by 12 points, we can win this game possession by possession. We played tough, put pressure on the two handlers that Zalgiris have and are really talented and I think we played a great second half to win the game."

In fact, Francisco scored just 2 points in the second half, where he went 1-for-2 from inside the rainbow and 0-for-4 from downtown. Olympiacos’s solid defense forced him to 3 second-half turnovers, with Zalgiris finishing the game with 19 errors.

"It really started with our defense in the second half and that gave us flow and rhythm on defense and that turned into flow and rhythm on offense," [Thomas Walkup](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/thomas-walkup/008855/), who netted a season-high 13 points including a big triple on crunch time, told EuroLeague TV.

More importantly, Olympiacos made the most of Zalgiris’s mistakes by netting 33 points off turnovers. Physicality on the defensive end of the floor and a tactical switch by head coach Georgios Bartzokas allowed Olympiacos to extend its winning streak to four games.

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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> of the game, Sasha Vezenkov! <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/svIls6eCH8">pic.twitter.com/svIls6eCH8</a></p>&mdash; Olympiacos B.C. (@Olympiacos_BC) <a href="https://twitter.com/Olympiacos_BC/status/1874911789970063366?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

"The defense was completely different in the second half,” Bartzokas said in the post-game press conference. "\[We had\] more physicality. We changed some tactical things like \[introducing\] hedge-out instead of switching defense in every screen with the 4 and then they missed lots of shots. They made 3 triples in the second half and the last one was when the game was over."

Having opened 2025 with a hard-fought road victory, Olympiacos will look to extend its unbeaten streak with a potential home win against FC Bayern Munich. One of the finest offenses in the league is set to visit the Reds next week, but in this second-half defensive effort against Zalgiris, Olympiacos has the blueprint that should be followed against the Germans.

The Reds contained a red-hot Francisco by tightening their defense to clinch fourth straight win