Alec Peters delivered big time in the fourth quarter, leading Olympiacos Piraeus to an 83-84 road win at Olimpia Milano.

Alec Peters stepped up to cover for Milutinov in Bartzokas’s small ball

Missing [Nikola Milutinov](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nikola-milutinov/003941/) through gastroenteritis, [Olympiacos Piraeus](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/olympiacos-piraeus/roster/oly/?season=2024-25) took to Unipol Forum with just one available center in [Moustapha Fall](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/moustapha-fall/008811/). New signing [Nathan Mensah](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nathan-mensah/013514/) may have traveled with the team to Italy, but throwing the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague rookie in at the deep end at a strong side like [EA7 Emporio Armani Milan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/ea7-emporio-armani-milan/roster/mil/?season=2024-25) was not an option. Head coach [Georgios Bartzokas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/olympiacos-piraeus/oly/bartzokas-georgios/?season=E2024) had already tried playing small ball due to injuries of his bigs in previous games, but his experiment didn’t always work out well.

Yet, on Thursday night everything clicked and it was [Alec Peters](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/alec-peters/008829/) who delivered big time in the fourth quarter, leading Olympiacos to an [83-84 road win](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/olympiacos-edges-milan-in-thriller-83-84/). The Olympiacos forward started the closing quarter at the ‘4’ before moving to the center position when Fall was replaced with 3 fouls with 8 minutes to go.

"We had to play with a short lineup because we had only Moustapha Fall \[at center\] and it wasn’t easy for him to play 40 minutes and he had 3 fouls," Bartzokas told EuroLeague TV after the game. “And then we had a lineup with forwards and guards. So, protecting the paint and grabbing defensive rebounds was the key."

Peters stepped up for the Reds in Milan

Peters scored 12 of Olympiacos’s 20 points in the fourth quarter, including a huge triple to open a 74-80 lead with 2:22 left on the clock. In fact, he netted his team’s last 7 points of the game, allowing the Reds to maintain an edge until the final whistle. Peters ended the game with a season-high 14 points, going 3-for-3 from inside, 1-for-3 from deep and 5-for-5 from the line in 15:43 minutes on the floor.

Before coming to the fore in the fourth quarter, Peters saw his teammate, [Evan Fournier](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/evan-fournier/013380/), set the tone with an extraordinary third-quarter display. The Olympiacos forward scored 14 of his team’s 23 points in the third, allowing the visitors to establish a narrow lead. His complete outing on both sides of the floor saw Fournier finish the game with 18 points, 7 assists and as many as 5 steals.

Game Videos

“We’ve been struggling with injuries,” the Olympiacos forward told EuroLeague TV. “Guys in and out the lineup. We didn’t have Milu\[tinov\]. We just have to find some consistency regardless of who is in and who is out and play Olympiacos basketball, which is \[being\] tough, together and hard.”

Having previously gotten back to winning ways with two victories in the double-round week, Olympiacos has now extended its streak to three wins. At Milan it was Peters who stepped up and, should the Reds manage to consistently demonstrate this next-man-up mentality, they will be sending a strong message to the rest of the top-four spot contenders.

Game News

The Olympiacos forward netted 12 of his team’s 20 points in the fourth quarter

EA7 Emporio Armani Milan v Olympiacos Piraeus (2024-12-26T19:30:00.000Z)

AS Monaco celebrated its final piece of action of an eventful 2024 by sweeping aside Anadolu Efes Istanbul 94-75

Monaco enjoyed perfect end to 2024

If you could design the perfect way to end the calendar year, snapping a direct rival’s three-game winning streak with a comprehensive [19-point home victory](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/monaco-takes-first-place-with-win-over-efes-94-75/) would be a pretty good way to go.

And that’s exactly what [AS Monaco](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/as-monaco/roster/mco/?season=2024-25) enjoyed on Thursday night, celebrating its final piece of action of an eventful 2024 by sweeping aside [Anadolu Efes Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/anadolu-efes-istanbul/roster/ist/?season=2024-25) 94-75, performing with focus and execution at both ends of the floor to lead by double digits for more than 30 minutes.

Roca Team coach [Vassilis Spanoulis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/as-monaco/mco/spanoulis-vassilis/?season=E2024) certainly had no complaints with those efforts, immediately concluding that it was his team’s best performance since he joined the principality club a month ago.

“I’m very happy,” the Greek icon told [EuroLeague.TV](http://EuroLeague.TV). “Maybe we played the most solid game until now for 40 minutes, to keep this \[Efes\] team to 75 points. We shot with great percentages, two-point (65%), three-point (50%) and free throws (85%). And we say it one more time: 23 assists. This is great to play like this. It’s nice to watch this team playing like this.”

It must also be nice to play for a team like this, and [Jordan Loyd](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/jordan-loyd/009754/) enjoyed his contribution against Efes by recording a game-high PIR of 18 on 14 points, 4 assists and 6 rebounds in nearly 30 minutes on the floor.

Loyd preferred to focus his attention on his team’s ability to limit Efes’s dangerous offense, saying: “When we play defense like that and we’re physical, we’re a great team.

AS Monaco guard Jordan Loyd spoke to EuroLeague TV after his team beat Anadolu Efes Istanbul in Round 18 of the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.

Jordan Loyd: 'When we play defense like that, we're a great team'

“Everybody did their job tonight and obviously I’m happy with the win. We’ve got to hit at the right time, the right moment, and at the end of the season I think we’ll be there.”

Another strong performance was delivered by big man [Mam Jaiteh](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/mam-jaiteh/002581/), who hit 12 points without a miss alongside 4 boards and 2 steals, and he underlined the confidence flowing through Monaco as he observed: “We need to enjoy this time.

“Everything is positive to make us even more ambitious. Overall we played the way we would like to play, but we’re conscious of the small mistakes that we need to improve. If we have the good mindset we will do better soon and we have everything to reach our goals.”

And considering the emphatic all-round nature of Monaco’s final performance of 2024, it’s easy to argue that a glorious 2025 lies ahead.

The future looks bright for the Roca Team after a thumping win over Efes

AS Monaco v Anadolu Efes Istanbul (2024-12-26T18:00:00.000Z)

Olympiacos Piraeus extended its winning streak to three games by grabbing a hard-fought 83-84 victory at EA7 Emporio Armani Milan on Thursday 

Olympiacos edges Milan in thriller, 83-84

Olympiacos Piraeus extended its winning streak to three games by grabbing a hard-fought 83-84 victory at EA7 Emporio Armani Milan on Thursday night. In a tight affair at Unipol Forum, neither team managed to secure a lead that was larger than 7 points, with the two sides trading blows throughout the 40 minutes. With the win, Olympiacos improved its record to 12-6. Meanwhile, Milan registered its third straight loss to drop to 9-9.

Sasha Vezenkov led all scorers with 21 points and Evan Fournier netted 18, with Alec Peters and Moustapha Fall scoring 14 and 11, respectively. Nikola Mirotic paced Milan with 16 points, Shavon Shields netted 15 and Leandro Bolmaro scored 14.

Kostas Papanikolaou opened the scoring with a dunk following a backdoor cut, but Leandro Bolmaro netted a midrange jumper and Nico Mannion nailed a triple to put Milan ahead, 5-2. Moustapha Fall and Sasha Vezenkov scored inside, but Zach LeDay drilled one from deep and Bolmaro scored a layup to put Milan back in front, 10-6. Vezenkov and Shavon Shields traded triples before buckets from the Olympiacos forward and Fall tied it at 13-13. After Shaquielle McKissic and Vezenkov scored in the paint to give Olympiacos the lead, Neno Dimitrijevic made 2 from the free-throw line to make it 19-19 after 10 minutes.

Stefano Tonut opened his account from beyond the arc before back-to-back layups from Fabien Causeur opened a 28-21 lead early in the second quarter. Five points from Vezenkov were followed by a reverse layup from Papanikolaou to bring Olympiacos within 32-28. A Causeur three was followed by a basket from Fall, but Bolmano netted off the glass to extend Milan’s lead to 37-30. Fall and Papanikolaou scored inside, trimming the deficit to 38-34. Then, Olympiacos went on a 2-7 run fueled by its defense, with Vildoza scoring from behind the rainbow and Peters netting in transition for a 40-41 edge at the break.

Vezenkov opened the third quarter with a bucket inside before a jumper from Walkup gave Olympiacos a 42-45 lead. Milan responded with back-to-back triples from Bolmaro and Shields, who gave the hosts a 48-45 cushion. Fournier drilled a triple for his first field goal of the night before a Fall put-back bucket put Olympiacos ahead, 49-50. Vezenkov sank a three-pointer to reach the 2,500-point milestone before a Fournier three allowed the visitors to maintain a 54-56 lead. Ousmane Diop and Fournier exchanged buckets before Shields tied it, 58-58. Then, Fournier completed a three-point play before nailing one from downtown, but Neno Dimitrijevic hit a jumper that reduced the difference to 60-64 heading into the closing quarter.

Dimitrijevic opened the fourth with a triple before a three from Giampaolo Ricci put Milan in front, 66-65. Yet, Peters netted inside and Vildoza nailed from the corner to restore a 66-70 lead. The game turned into a free-throw affair, with Olympiacos maintaining a 68-74 cushion. Shields scored one from deep, but Fournier got a tough score inside to make it 71-77. Mirotic completed a three-point play on the other end, but Peters responded with a triple, 74-80. Peters and Shields traded scores inside, before a couple of free throws from the former restored a 78-84 cushion. Bolmaro nailed a corner three before a layup from Mirotic brought Milan within 83-84 with 0:38 remaining. With one possession left for each team, neither side managed to get a score and Olympiacos sealed the road victory.

The Reds outlasted the hosts in a tight affair at Unipol Forum

Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv romped to a 95-78 victory over Zalgiris Kaunas in Round 18 of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and improved to 5-13 after Jaylen Hoard led the way on a game-high 23 points

Impressive Maccabi brushes aside Zalgiris, 95-78

Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv romped to a 95-78 victory over Zalgiris Kaunas in Round 18 of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and improved to 5-13 after Jaylen Hoard led the way on a game-high 23 points, while Rokas Jokubaitis added 16 against his former club. Roman Sorkin also chipped in with 18 points for Maccabi and Levi Randolph netted 10 as Maccabi dished out 24 assists and won the battle of the boards 36-26 against a flat-looking Zalgiris which dropped to 10-8.

Deividas Syrvidis and Sylvain Francisco amassed 15 points each for the Lithuanian team and Lonnie Walker scored 14 after enduring a torrid shooting night, sinking just 1 of 10 from deep after missing his opening nine shots beyond the three-point arc.

Following an even start, as the teams were tied 13-13 midway through the first quarter, Maccabi went on a crucial 9-0 run and never looked back. Jokubaitis and Hoard drained 11 points each in the opening period as Maccabi surged ahead 26-16 and then continued to torment the visitors in the second quarter.

Hoard and Jokubaitis combined for 29 points by halftime, with Maccabi dominating in all departments. The hosts sank 5 of 7 three-pointers in the first half and contained Zalgiris to 6 of 20, dishing out 24 assists while forcing 11 turnovers from the visitors.

Maccabi also nailed 15 of 24 shots from inside and its aggressive defense limited Zalgiris to 6 of 9, as the Lithuanian team was forced out of the paint by aggressive defense from Maccabi.

There seemed to be a glimmer of hope for Zalgiris after a ferocious Alen Smailagic dunk ignited a streak that slashed Maccabi’s lead to 67-55 late in the third quarter.

However, a 13-5 run from Maccabi vanquished any thoughts of a comeback as the Israel champs kept their feet on the gas in the fourth.

Maccabi led by as many as 23 points in the closing stages, 87-64, before a late rally by Zalgiris kept the final score remotely respectable for the visiting team.   

The Israeli champs fired on all cylinders from start to finish

Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv v Zalgiris Kaunas (2024-12-26T19:05:00.000Z)

AS Monaco stayed strong at home to comfortably down Anadolu Efes Istanbul, 94-75, on Thursday night. 

Monaco takes first place with win over Efes, 94-75

AS Monaco stayed strong at home to comfortably down Anadolu Efes Istanbul, 94-75, on Thursday night. The Roca Team improved to 12-6 to establish a two-game margin over Efes at 10-8.

Monaco raced into an early double-digit lead, which was extended to 49-34 at halftime. The advantage reached 19 points early in the second half, and that was too big a gap for Efes to ever threaten. Monaco’s team effort was paced by 14 points apiece for Mike James and Jordan Loyd. Mam Jaiteh added 12 points, and Jaron Blossomgame scored 11. Dan Oturu paced Efes with 14 points, with double-digit scoring from Darius Thompson (12), Elijah Bryant (12), Rolands Smits (10) and Vincent Poirier (10).

Loyd’s three-pointer gave Monaco the first lead, and Thompson’s driving layup responded for Efes. Vitto Brown’s triple, James’s layup and Loyd’s free throws made it 10-2, before Poirier and Donatas Motiejunas traded close-range scores. Brown’s three-point play pushed Monaco into a double-digit lead, 15-4. Ercan Osmani’s inside score and a pair of Poirier dunks pulled Efes closer, but Georgios Papagiannis scored 4 fast points before Bryant and Elie Okobo traded triples to make it 22-13 after ten minutes.

Papagiannis opened the second quarter with a floater, and three-pointers were exchanged between Rodrigue Beaubois and Matthew Strazel. Jaiteh’s fastbreak finish stretched Monaco’s lead to 29-16, but Oturu’s tip-in and Shane Larkin’s floater reduced the margin to single digits. Two more Jaiteh buckets kept Monaco comfortable, 35-20, and 4 straight points for Oturu didn’t help Efes much as Motiejunas and James netted at the other end. Free throws and a James triple maintained the margin, and it was 49-34 at the interval.

Jaiteh’s steal and score was bettered by Bryant’s triple to start the second half, but Terry Tarpey struck from deep and Jaiteh netted again to make it 56-37. Bryant and Loyd traded close-range buckets, before Jordan Nwora’s triple and a pair of Smits scores made it closer, 58-48. Blossomgame snapped a 0-9 run to settle Monaco, and Okobo added a smooth layup. Papagiannis and Poirier were on target at the rim, and a triple from Strazel made it 69-54 with ten minutes left.

Blossomgame’s threeball made Monaco even more comfortable, before Oturu scored twice and Thompson added a jumper to keep Efes hoping, 75-60. Strazel hit his third triple and Motiejunas was on target to protect a safe margin, and James also struck from deep for an 83-66 margin. Blossomgame’s layup and highlight reel reverse slam removed any lingering doubt despite a flurry of points from Thompson, and Monaco eased to a clear win.

The Roca Team strengthened its challenge at the top of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague standings

Real Madrid started the second part of the regular season in style, going to the German capital to down ALBA Berlin 69-80. Los Blancos registered their third straight win, and 18th in as many head-to-head games against ALBA, to improve to 9-9 on the season, while ALBA dropped to a league-worst 3-15 record.

Real Madrid keeps winning run going, downs ALBA 69-80

Real Madrid started the second part of the regular season in style, going to the German capital to down ALBA Berlin 69-80. *Los Blancos* registered their third straight win, and 18th in as many games against ALBA, to improve to 9-9 on the season, while ALBA dropped to a league-worst 3-15.

Sergio Llull, who made his 425th EuroLeague appearance to tie Kyle Hines for the most all-time, scored 13 of his game-high 20 points in the first half to help Real pull away to a 17-point lead, and the hosts never came closer than 6 points the rest of the way as Real mostly controlled things on both ends of the floor. Llull was 5-of-9 from long range, while Mario Hezonja scored 18 points and had 6 rebounds. Dzanan Musa scored all 10 of his points in the first quarter, Facundo Campazzo had 9 points and 9 assists, while Walter Tavares collected 9 points and 10 rebounds. David McCormack had 15 points and 8 rebounds for ALBA, Malte Delow scored 13, and Matteo Spagnolo 10 points in the loss.

After Campazzo and Delow traded triples, Musa strung together 8 points, including a pair of threes to make it 11-13, and spark a 2-14 run by Real. Hezonja and Llull each added a three-pointer and Gabriel Deck joined in to complete a run of 9 consecutive points by the visitors and make it 13-24. Spagnolo snapped a run with a jumper, but another three from Llull made it 15-28 after 10 minutes.

Llull had a four-point play and a corner three to extend the margin early in the second. A three from Hugo Gonzalez opened a 21-38 lead. Spagnolo scored on a fast break and Matt Thomas hit a three-pointer, only for Tavares to answer with a big dunk to help restore a 17-point margin. However, ALBA responded with an 8-0 run that included big dunks from Delow and McCormack, and Real went into halftime up 34-45.

Tim Schneider made a triple and a tough baseline jumper, but Gabriel Deck had a three-pointer for the visitors and Tavares scored inside, keeping the margin in double figures at halfway point of the second, 39-52. Hermannsson scored 4 points to get the margin into single digits, before Hezonja hit a triple, but a jumper from Spagnolo and a put-back dunk by McCormack cut it to 48-55. After a timeout, however, Andres Feliz and Llull each scored a runner and Real took a 51-61 lead into the fourth quarter.

McCormack and Yanni Wetzell cut the margin to 55-61, but Lull hit his fifth triple and took it to the rim to keep ALBA at bay. Then Hezonja took over, scoring 8 points, including a three-point play, a tough turnaround jumper and a three-pointer to make it 59-74 and ice the game. ALBA kept fighting, and McCormack scored twice for the hosts after offensive rebounds, but the margin never went under 10 points the rest of the way.

Real has never lost against ALBA in 18 games this century

ALBA Berlin v Real Madrid (2024-12-26T18:00:00.000Z)

Check out what the coaches and players are saying ahead of Round 18 of the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.

Pregame quotes hub

## Friday, December 27

### Virtus Segafredo Bologna vs. LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne (20:30 CET)

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

"In my opinion, ASVEL is probably one of the best teams. They play very well, with great confidence, great athleticism and can rely on very good defense. Maledon and De Colo are very important players and leaders who can create and drag their teammates. We will have to play a very good defensive game to try to contain them.”   

**Achille Polonara, Virtus Segafredo Bologna forward** 

"We are expecting a complicated game, ASVEL played a very good first leg in the EuroLeague. They are a tough, young, very explosive and athletic team. We will have to be very careful with their one-on-one and their counterattacks while on offense simply playing our basketball, as we know how to do."

### FC Bayern Munich vs. Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens (20:30 CET)

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

"Panathinaikos has assembled a very intriguing team. Coach Ataman is an excellent trainer and a prominent personality. With a healthy Lessort and Nunn, they had the best combination in the EuroLeague up to now. They’ll make adjustments but still have an incredible amount of talent. We need to show that our defense continues to improve, as it has looked lately. I’m excited that we’ll play again in the SAP Garden in front of our amazing fans."

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

"Especially at their home court, FC Bayern Munich runs the floor very effectively. Offensively, they attempt many three-pointers in fast breaks and coast-to-coast plays. Therefore, we must be cautious on transition defense and offensively control the game by focusing more on five-on-five play. This will be the key."

**Wenyen Gabriel, Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens center**

"I’m very excited about this opportunity. Sometimes you’re blessed to get chances like this, and I’m thrilled to be here wearing the colors of Panathinaikos AKTOR. I’m adjusting well. We had a practice yesterday where we mostly played five-on-five, so I got the chance to work with many of my teammates and get a feel for the system. I’ve started learning some plays and the defensive philosophy. The coach has been clear about what he expects from me. I’m looking forward to getting started."

### Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz vs. Paris Basketball (20:30 CET)

### Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade vs. Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (20:30 CET)

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

"We’re facing a team we’ve already played against. I told the players that was the only game where we had no chance of winning – all the others were decided by a single possession. Some games we won easily, that one we lost easily, but in every other match, we were competitive. Now, we need to find a way and the motivation to compete with them. Our current record is far from satisfactory, but we must draw strength and believe in our abilities to perform much better in the second half of the EuroLeague."

**Balsa Koprivica,  Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade center**

"We are halfway through the season. I think the most important thing for us is how we start the year. Two seasons ago, in this period, we had more wins and a very good finish. We still have a long way to go and there is little difference in the standings between the teams. I think we can achieve a lot depending on how we start the second part of the EuroLeague."

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

"We are facing an opponent that is playing really well. The atmosphere there is possibly one of the best in the world. We need to have really good guard play to control the team. We need to have concentration for 40 minutes and especially control their guards."

**Bonzie Colson, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul forward**

"Partizan is a very talented team. They are playing really well right now. But it's more about us. We are focusing on our principles, our offense and defense, and just getting better. We had a couple days to prepare for them. Things are moving well, so we just got to prove it on the court."

### FC Barcelona vs. Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade (20:30 CET)

**Joan Penarroya, FC Barcelona head coach**

"A difficult match, as they have already shown us \[in Belgrade\]. It's a team that plays well, that is getting victories, with a long roster full of experienced and quality players. We expect difficult match like all those in this EuroLeague, a game in which we will have to do things well. What we would like is to always be at home and give joy to our fans. And it is also evident that it seems that it is easier to win at home than away. There are many \[unexpected\] results in this first round of the EuroLeague, but it is clear that we have to turn games at Palau into those in which the rivals do not come out happy."

**Juan Nunez, FC Barcelona guard**

"The game \[in Belgrade\] was already very complicated, we won in the last few plays and I think it is important to start this second round \[of the regular season\] well, a game at home with our fans, and to win the game. In this second round it is key to win all the games possible at home and to scratch something away. Yes, of course, I think we are Barça, we have to go with the conviction of going to win all the games, whether at home or away, so it is important to protect the home court advantage, but well, we will try to win as many games as possible. Zvezda is a physical team like many in the EuroLeague, with talent too. A team that mixes talent with physicality, with experienced players and a team that is doing well this year. It is playing good basketball and it will surely be a difficult game tomorrow."

## Thursday, December 26

### ALBA Berlin vs. Real Madrid (19:00 CET)

**Israel Gonzalez, ALBA Berlin head coach**

"Real Madrid also had to deal with injury problems and starting difficulties at the beginning of the season. But for the second half of the season match against us, it looks as if they will be able to draw on the full depth of their squad again. In the past matches, you could already see that they are gradually finding their rhythm again. Campazzo, Hezonja, Musa, Tavares and Deck are all in good shape and want to show that they have champion potential. That's why it won't be an easy task for us on Thursday."

**Chus Mateo, Real Madrid head coach**

"We know that ALBA is a team that plays without fear, it is a team that makes many quick shots, at the beginning of the possession, and against which we will have to be attentive to the pace of play that they try to impose. We have to continue with the defensive intensity that we have had in recent games, which allows us to run and have a balance in our game, have good ball circulation and be consistent on the rebounds."

**Usman Garuba, Real Madrid center**

"We are eager to continue adding victories in the EuroLeague and to do so we have to play as a team, with intensity and with great defense, without relaxing at any time. We are playing against a different ALBA Berlin from the one we faced in the first round, which plays at a great pace and will be very motivated against us."

### AS Monaco vs. Anadolu Efes Istanbul (19:00 CET)

**Tomislav Mijatovic, Anadolu Efes Istanbul head coach**<br>
"We are entering the first game of the second phase of the regular season with a very demanding and challenging road game. Our opponent is a high-scoring potential team with several players who have high scoring capacity. We are ready to face the challenge. We have to play the complete Anadolu Efes game both offensively and defensively and put our maximum effort individually and as a team in order to reach our goal, which is to win the game."<br>
**Jordan Nwora, Anadolu Efes Istanbul forward**<br>
"We are going to Monaco to play against a very good team. If we continue to build good habits and grow as a team we can extend our winning streak."

### Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv vs. Zalgiris Kaunas (20:05 CET)

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

"Zalgiris doesn’t score a lot of points, but that’s due to their pace, so first and foremost, defense is key. We have weaknesses on defense, and as a team, we’ll need to compensate for them against very dominant scorers. Every time one of their players has the ball, we’ll need five players focused on him, and that’s something we didn’t do well in the \[Israeli League\] game against Jerusalem. We need to do that much better. Of course, as always against Lithuanian teams, we need to box out well for rebounds."

**Jake Cohen, Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv forward**

"We are in the middle of a process and trying to improve. I think the results haven’t been good, but we know what we need to work on and believe in ourselves. \[Coach\] Oded \[Kattash\] will get us there, and the roster is capable. We know what needs to be done to reach the highest levels possible. We were very close in several games. We just need to execute."

### EA7 Emporio Armani Milan vs. Olympiacos Piraeus (20:30 CET)

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

"We face one of the most consistent team in the EuroLeague, a very aggressive team defensively, who will use its quality of passing to free up shooters on offense. We really intend to play a good game, get back on track, and give our fans a game to be proud of, because they have remained very close to us, especially lately, and will our arena one more time."

**Georgios Bartzokas, Olympiacos Piraeus head coach**

"It's going to be a tough game. Before the two losses in the previous two EuroLeague games, Milan was on a big winning streak. Also, they played very well against Trapani in the Italian league. As I said, we expect a very difficult game. We will have to fight hard, give our best, and be totally focused in order to get the win. We will miss Nikola Milutinov, and that's a big problem for us. Mensah did travel with us by bus, but as anyone can imagine, he is not ready to help us."

**Nigel Williams-Goss, Olympiacos Piraeus guard**

"Milan is a very good team. Offense is their strength. It is always tough to play away, especially against a talented team like Milan. It is a big challenge for us. We will miss Milutinov, and that means that we all must give our best effort to overcome his absence and get the win. We should stick together and play harder on defense."

Pregame quotes hub: 'It's more about us'

Virtus Segafredo Bologna v LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne (2024-12-27T19:30:00.000Z)

FC Bayern Munich v Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens (2024-12-27T19:30:00.000Z)

Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz v Paris Basketball (2024-12-27T19:30:00.000Z)

Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade v Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (2024-12-27T19:30:00.000Z)

FC Barcelona v Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade (2024-12-27T19:30:00.000Z)

EuroLeague.net's team of experts - Geoff Gillingham, Javier Gancedo, Frankie Sachs and Igor Petrinovic - provide their updated power rankings for the midway point of the 2024-25 EuroLeague regular season

EuroLeague Power Rankings at the midway point of the regular season

Welcome to the December edition of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Power Rankings. The following list is the brainchild of [EuroLeague.net](http://EuroLeague.net)'s team of experts, which is made up of [Geoff Gillingham](https://bsky.app/profile/geoffgillingham.bsky.social), [Javier Gancedo](https://x.com/ganchetto), [Frankie Sachs](https://x.com/MrEuroleague) and [Igor Petrinovic](https://x.com/IgorPetrinovic).

The power rankings represent where the experts rank if compared to all teams right now and not necessarily where they feel they will be at the end of the season.

Next to each team, there are several numbers. First is the team's record. It is followed by the highest rank on any individual ballot and the next number represents the lowest.

### 1. Olympiacos Piraeus (11-6); 1, 2

**Previous rankings: Preseason - 2. November - 1.**

**Best case scenario:** [Sasha Vezenkov](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/sasha-vezenkov/003469/) cannot be stopped and [Olympiacos](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/olympiacos-piraeus/roster/oly/?season=2024-25) takes the crown for the first time in more than a decade.

**Worst case scenario:** The Reds drop a few unexpected games, don’t have home-court advantage for the playoffs and miss out on the Final Four.

### 2. AS Monaco (11-6); 1, 3

**Previous rankings: Preseason - 6. November - 8.**

**Best case scenario:** Coach [Vassilis Spanoulis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/as-monaco/mco/spanoulis-vassilis/?season=E2024) has the magic touch he possessed as a player and [Monaco](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/as-monaco/roster/mco/?season=2024-25) makes history with its first EuroLeague championship.

**Worst case scenario:** A bevvy of road games and some injuries stop Monaco from reaching its peak and the team falls out of the top four and loses in the playoffs.

### 3. Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens (10-7); 2, 4

**Previous rankings: Preseason - 1. November - 2.**

**Best case scenario:** The EuroLeague Trophy returns to Athens for the second straight season.

**Worst case scenario:** The Greens never fully recover from the injury to [Mathias Lessort](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/mathias-lessort/003842/) and are not up to the task when the playoffs roll around.

### 4. Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (10-6); 4, 8

**Previous rankings: Preseason - 3. November -3.**

**Best case scenario:** [Nigel Hayes-Davis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nigel-hayes-davis/008962/) and [Wade Baldwin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/wade-baldwin-iv/009863/) become the league’s most dangerous scoring tandem and lead [Fenerbahce](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fenerbahce-beko-istanbul/roster/ulk/?season=2024-25) to an assault on the title.

**Worst case scenario:** Inconsistency plagues the team and drives [Coach Jasikevicius](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fenerbahce-beko-istanbul/ulk/jasikevicius-saras/?season=E2024) mad as Fenerbahce drops into the Play-In Showdown range.

### 5. Paris Basketball (11-5); 3, 8

**Previous rankings: Preseason - 17. November - 4.**

**Best case scenario:** [TJ Shorts](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/tj-shorts/012608/) keeps [Paris](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/paris-basketball/roster/prs/?season=2024-25) on its miracle run all the way to the Final Four.

**Worst case scenario:** The marathon of the EuroLeague schedule catches up with the debutant, which slips out of the playoff picture.

### 6. Anadolu Efes Istanbul (10-7); 5, 9

**Previous rankings: Preseason - 7. November - 7.**

**Best case scenario:** A healthy [Shane Larkin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/shane-larkin/007200/) rekindles the [Efes](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/anadolu-efes-istanbul/roster/ist/?season=2024-25) magic and - after a two-year hiatus – leads the team back to the Final Four.

**Worst case scenario:** Larkin cannot capture his peak form, the chemistry never fully develops and Efes loses in the Play-In Showdown.

### 7. FC Bayern Munich (11-6); 5, 9

**Previous rankings: Preseason - 15. November - 6.**

**Best case scenario:** [Bayern](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fc-bayern-munich/roster/mun/?season=2024-25) never loses at home, [Carsen Edwards](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/carsen-edwards/011987/) leads the league in scoring and [Coach Herbert](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fc-bayern-munich/mun/herbert-gordon/?season=E2024) guides the team to the Final Four.

**Worst case scenario:** A grueling stretch of games to start the second-half of the regular season deflates Bayern, which never recovers and finishes the regular season outside the top 10.

### 8. Real Madrid (8-9); 6, 9

**Previous rankings: Preseason - 4. November - 9.**

**Best case scenario:** All the players get healthy, management adds a key reinforcement and *Los Blancos* play in the championship game for the fourth year running.

**Worst case scenario:** Age and injuries take their toll and [Real Madrid](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/real-madrid/roster/mad/?season=2024-25) has to fight just to make the Play-In Showdown.

### 9. Zalgiris Kaunas (10-7); 7, 12

**Previous rankings: Preseason - 13. November - 10.**

**Best case scenario:** [Lonnie Walker](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/lonnie-walker-iv/013403/) and co. continue to thrill fans across Europe all season long, [Coach Trinchieri](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/zalgiris-kaunas/zal/trinchieri-andrea/?season=E2024)’s defense wreaks havoc and [Zalgiris](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/zalgiris-kaunas/roster/zal/?season=2024-25) parties its way to Game 5 of the playoffs.

**Worst case scenario:** Walker leaves during the season, the Zalgiris attack sputters and the team cannot qualify for the Play-In showdown.

### 10. FC Barcelona (9-8); 7, 13

**Previous rankings: Preseason - 5. November - 5.**

**Best case scenario:** The balance between [Kevin Punter](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/kevin-punter/009862/) on the perimeter and a deep frontline wears down opponents and [Barcelona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fc-barcelona/roster/bar/?season=2024-25) marches to the Final Four.

**Worst case scenario:** Barcelona can’t find a remedy for its inconsistency and its defensive flaws keep the team from reaching the playoffs.

### 11. EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (9-8); 6, 14

**Previous rankings: Preseason - 8. November - 13.**

**Best case scenario:** [Milan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/ea7-emporio-armani-milan/roster/mil/?season=2024-25) finds a solution at center, the duo of [Nikola Mirotic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nikola-mirotic/000796/) and [Zach LeDay](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/zach-leday/008987/) do the heavy lifting as Milan works itself back into the playoff picture.

**Worst case scenario:** Milan’s six-game winning streak proves to have been an aberration, and the team struggles to stay pace with the top 10 in the standings.

### 12. LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne (8-9); 10, 12

**Previous rankings: Preseason - 16. November - 15.**

**Best case scenario:** [Theo Maledon](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/theo-maledon/007027/) enters the MVP discussion as [ASVEL](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/ldlc-asvel-villeurbanne/roster/asv/?season=2024-25) stuns fans across the continent and reaches the playoffs for the first time under the modern format.

**Worst case scenario:** Teams find a way to stop Maledon and ASVEL cannot respond. The team falls back to the far end of the standings.

### 13. Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade (9-8); 12, 14

**Previous rankings: Preseason - 12. November - 11.**

**Best case scenario:** [Zvezda](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/crvena-zvezda-meridianbet-belgrade/roster/red/?season=2024-25) gets even tougher with the addition of [John Brown](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/john-brown-iii/010588/) and the magic of [Milos Teodosic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/milos-teodosic/jdr/) shines in key moments as Zvezda plays its way into the Play-In Showdown.

**Worst case scenario:** It turns out that Zvezda has peaked too early, the team cannot win close games and it does not threaten for a spot in the next stage by the end of the season.

### 14. Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (7-10); 11, 14

**Previous rankings: Preseason - 9. November - 17.**

**Best case scenario:** [Coach Obradovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/partizan-mozzart-bet-belgrade/par/obradovic-zeljko/?season=E2024) is able to maximize the talent on the roster and [Carlik](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/carlik-jones/013369/) and [Tyrique Jones](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/tyrique-jones/011981/) lead [Partizan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/partizan-nis-belgrade/roster/par/?season=2024-25) on an impressive winning streak and into the top half of the standings.

**Worst case scenario:** The talent is not enough; Partizan pays dearly for some narrow losses and the dream of reaching the postseason goes up in flames.

### 15. Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (7-10); 15, 16

**Previous rankings: Preseason - 11. November - 14.**

**Best case scenario:** Thanks to [Coach Laso](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/baskonia-vitoria-gasteiz/bas/laso-pablo/?season=E2024)’s championship pedigree, [Chima Moneke](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/chima-moneke/012201/)’s superstar skills and [Markus Howard](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/markus-howard/011948/)’s otherworldly shooting, [Baskonia](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/baskonia-vitoria-gasteiz/roster/bas/?season=2024-25) gets hot and plays its way into the postseason.

**Worst case scenario:** The Round 15 loss to Virtus haunts the team, which heads into a tailspin and finishes near the bottom of the standings.

### 15. Virtus Segafredo Bologna (4-13); 15, 16

**Previous rankings: Preseason - 16. November - 16.**

**Best case scenario:** [Coach Ivanovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/virtus-segafredo-bologna/vir/ivanovic-dusko/?season=E2024)’s fire turns this team around and [Virtus](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/virtus-segafredo-bologna/roster/vir/?season=2024-25) makes a run at the Play-In Showdown.

**Worst case scenario:** Even the coaching change is just a short-term boost and an aging roster dooms Virtus to a spot near the bottom of the standings.

### 17. Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv (4-13); 17, 17

**Previous rankings: Preseason - 14. November - 12.**

**Best case scenario:** Everyone gets healthy, the rookies take a step forward and a feisty squad gives fans reasons to dream for next season.

**Worst case scenario:** The bottom drops out and [Maccabi](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/maccabi-playtika-tel-aviv/roster/tel/?season=2024-25) falls to its worst regular season finish under the current EuroLeague format.

### 18. ALBA Berlin (3-14); 18, 18

**Previous rankings: Preseason - 18. November - 18.**

**Best case scenario:** [Matteo Spagnolo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/matteo-spagnolo/008173/), [Gabriele Procida](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/gabriele-procida/008384/) and [David McCormack](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/david-mccormack/013386/) emerge as a dangerous core that can compete with any team.

**Worst case scenario:** The losing takes the sting out of [ALBA](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/alba-berlin/roster/ber/?season=2024-25)’s top talents and the team finishes the season with a whimper.

The Euroleague.net experts provide their updated power rankings for the midway point of the 2024-25 regular season

Power Rankings at the midway point of the regular season

For the first time in several weeks, the trio of hosts for the EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge Podcast are reunited in Episode No. 13. Javier Gancedo and Frankie Sachs of Euroleague.net and Vasiliki Karamouza of Sport 24 dish on what went well – and in some cases very well – in Rounds 16 and 17 and what to look forward to in Round 18.

The Fantasy Challenge Podcast gang reunites for Episode No. 13

For the first time in several weeks, the trio of hosts for the EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge Podcast are reunited in Episode No. 13. [Javier Gancedo](https://eur04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fx.com%2Fganchetto&data=05%7C02%7Cigor.petrinovic%40euroleague.net%7Cf637e2d6bb3e4ec70a6008dd233d96d4%7C2b3d64f0329542979f1528435f0a62ce%7C1%7C0%7C638705469604612942%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=fUS02rr3aDuSVx9gQ66XZiQcD%2Bv6TCX4GMBB6ALFkvE%3D&reserved=0) and [Frankie Sachs](https://eur04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fx.com%2FMrEuroleague&data=05%7C02%7Cigor.petrinovic%40euroleague.net%7Cf637e2d6bb3e4ec70a6008dd233d96d4%7C2b3d64f0329542979f1528435f0a62ce%7C1%7C0%7C638705469604628238%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=zQXYURdvCs21NyTsaIeao0vYWbkNQx0zEiUnGjWg9G8%3D&reserved=0) of [Euroleague.net](http://Euroleague.net) and [Vasiliki Karamouza](https://eur04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fx.com%2Fkaramouza_vas&data=05%7C02%7Cigor.petrinovic%40euroleague.net%7Cf637e2d6bb3e4ec70a6008dd233d96d4%7C2b3d64f0329542979f1528435f0a62ce%7C1%7C0%7C638705469604647657%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=ScfEOK5GTYf4YtFYuF6KZJfXNlUJjKq1IQ5NCpdoQBI%3D&reserved=0) of Sport 24 dish on what went well – and in some cases very well – in Rounds 16 and 17 and what to look forward to in Round 18.

With unlimited trades allowed this week, the trio shared their favorite bargain options, the expensive players they can’t live without and other must-own picks. Other topics of discussion include what to do at the center position after the injury to Mathias Lessort, whether David McCormack is a viable long-term option and if the time is right to add Shane Larkin.

Check out the teams Javi, Frankie and Vasiliki plan to use in Round 18, which begins at 19:00 CET on Thursday when games tip off simultaneously in Berlin and Monaco. Good luck fantasy fans!

Javi, Frankie and Vasiliki share some advice and their teams ahead of Round 18.