After getting back on track with a pair of victories in the double-round week, Valencia Basket (7-6) has the tough task of going for three in a row with a trip to Olympiacos BC (7-6) in a showdown between two of the five teams tied for sixth place.

Valencia, out to ambush Reds in Piraeus again

[Rosters](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2023-24/olympiacos-piraeus-valencia-basket/E2023/126/#roster) | [Facts](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/tae2324-rs14-game-facts-oly-val) | [Notes](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/tae2324-rs14-game-notes-oly-val) | [Quotes](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/tae2324-rs14-prequotes-oly-val) |[ TV](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/tv-listings-el/) | [Fantasy](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/fantasy-tips-building-blocks-to-consider/)

[Thomas Walkup](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/thomas-walkup/008855/) has stepped up as the Reds' leader in recent weeks, scoring at least 14 points in four games straight and also dishing 7 assists to orchestrate the Round 13 victory over Bayern. Valencia's return to winning ways was propelled by [Semi Ojeleye](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/semi-ojeleye/011982/), who scored 17 and 16 points in respective wins over Zvezda and ASVEL, the latter of which saw the Spanish team's defense in synch to allow just 55 points. The Reds are 11-3 all-time against Valencia, but home teams have won this matchup the last five times, which means Valencia is aiming for its third straight victory in Piraeus, too.

[Olympiacos Stats](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/olympiacos-piraeus/statistics/oly/?season=2023-24&phase=All%20phases) | [Valencia Stats](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/valencia-basket/statistics/pam/?season=2023-24&phase=All%20phases)

Alec Peters vs Semi Ojeleye: Their teams' top two performers this season will see a whole lot of each other in this matchup between stylistically different forwards.

Last Game: 2022-23, Round 25, Valencia vs. Olympiacos

Chris Jones of Valencia Basket goes against Thomas Walkup of Olympiacos Piraeus

After getting back on track with a pair of victories in the double-round week, Valencia Basket (7-6) has the tough task of going for three in a row with a trip to Olympiacos Piraeus (7-6) in a showdown between two of the five teams tied for sixth place.

Olympiacos Piraeus v Valencia Basket (2023-12-15T19:15:00.000Z)

A pair of Real Madrid stars lit up the airwaves with a sublime play late last month. Here's how they explain it.

November's No. 1 play explained

It looked for all the world like something that had been worked on and synchronized countless times on an empty court.

When the Real Madrid tandem of [Vincent Poirier](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/vincent-poirier/004887/) and [Sergio "Chacho" Rodriguez](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/sergio-rodriguez/cvm/) turned two great split-second passes into a resounding alley-oop dunk late in a November victory over Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv, everybody noticed. 

So exquisite was the result that everybody wanted to know: How long did it take to get that timing down pat?

"We didn't practice," said Poirier, who initiated the sequence.

"The play against Maccabi was the first time that we did it," Rodriguez confirmed.

In fact, Poirier reveals that he had seen another backwards, between-the-legs pass on-line a couple of days earlier, and when he saw Rodriquez slipping behind the Maccabi defense over his shoulder, eh spontaneously recreated what he had seen.

 "It was the easiest way to pass him the ball," said Poirier, and as soon as he did so, he knew what was coming next from Rodriguez, who ranks second all-time in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague with 1,781 assists.

"I know Chacho, he knows me, so I knew he was going to throw the alley-oop." 

And Chacho knew what Poirier would do with it.

"For me, it's just throwing the ball close to the hoop and he had to dunk," he said. "It's a play that has a great percentage."

The rest was viral history, except to hear the two protagonists tell it and say who had the better pass.

They were in synch on that, too.

"It was mine," said Poirier, whose career assist total of 134 is a little more modest. But "I think that both passes make the action better."

Chacho was more than happy to credit his big man.

"My pass was bad," he said. "I threw the ball \[behind him\] but he had amazing timing to catch it, good hands to catch it, and to finish.

"The play speaks for itself."

This season the EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge introduced a new wrinkle in which at certain points during the season, unlimited traded would be permitted. This week, entering Round 14, is one of them and accordingly, Fantasy Challenge Podcast co-hosts Javier Gancedo and Frankie Sachs are ready to help you with burning fantasy questions. 

Fantasy Challenge Podcast: The perfect time for a restart

This season the [EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge](https://euroleaguefantasy.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/home) introduced a new wrinkle in which at certain points during the season, unlimited traded would be permitted. This week, entering Round 14, is one of them and accordingly, Fantasy Challenge Podcast co-hosts Javier Gancedo and Frankie Sachs are ready to help you with burning fantasy questions. 

Which of the hottest players in the league are overpriced? Which players are about to take a step forward? How to handle the dilemmas at center? These are among the many topics that Javi and Frankie address in Episode 13 of the EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge Podcast. Listen now before you make your fantasy picks for Round 14.

Fantasy Challenge Podcast: The perfect time for a restart 

Valencia Basket guard Jared Harper is set to miss some games due to a hamstring injury in his right leg. 


Valencia: Harper out with thigh injury 

Harper got injured during his team's Turkish Airlines EuroLeague game against LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne, leaving the game midway through the fourth quarter. He underwent medical tests in Valencia which revealed that Harper has a tear in the hamstring muscle of his right leg. As such, he is set to miss several games, starting by Valencia's Round 14 EuroLeague showdown against Olympiacos Piraeus. Harper is averaging 8.8 points and 2.1 rebounds in 8 EuroLeague games this season, mostly coming off the bench. 

Forward Xabi Lopez-Arostegui had an ankle injury in his team's Spanish League home game this weekend and is questionable for Friday's game at the Peace and Friendship Stadium. 

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">🏥 0️⃣&amp;6️⃣<br>¡Ánimo <a href="https://twitter.com/Therealvinoo?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@therealvinoo</a>!<br>¡Ánimo <a href="https://twitter.com/Xabi6lopez?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Xabi6lopez</a>!<br><br>Cas 👉 Parte médico Jared Harper y Xabi López-Arostegui<a href="https://t.co/ofaRJxAxPP">https://t.co/ofaRJxAxPP</a><br><br>Val 👉 Comunicat mèdic Jared Harper i Xabi López-Arostegui<a href="https://t.co/oBRgKDJNrz">https://t.co/oBRgKDJNrz</a><br><br>Eng 👉 Medical Report: Jared Harper &amp; Xabi López-Arostegui… <a href="https://t.co/bDS8rkJ3FP">pic.twitter.com/bDS8rkJ3FP</a></p>&mdash; Valencia Basket Club (@valenciabasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/valenciabasket/status/1734266194796920912?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 11, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center>

Valencia: Harper out with hamstring injury 

Thanks to Synergy Sports's tracking data, we can learn which EuroLeague teams are excelling on offense this season by making more shots than expected. 

Stats review: Examining the best-shooting teams

As has been the case throughout the early part of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season, gaining separation from the pack remained elusive for most teams in the last double-round week as only five of them won both of their games. Though Real Madrid and FC Barcelona were two of those teams and now have sole possession of first and second place, respectively, many of the results this week only made the fray in the middle of the standings more tangled—10 teams now have six, seven or eight victories.  

Finding a sustainable competitive advantage is an uphill battle every season, but several EuroLeague teams so far this season have found a recipe on offense that is working well. Even if some of the teams below have some work to do defensively, they are searching for fewer answers than most.

Synergy Shot Quality (SSQ) is a metric that calculates the expected value of any given shot attempt based on a data-driven model that considers all the advanced tracking data Synergy Sports has collected on every field goal attempted in EuroLeague games over the last decade. Synergy Shot Making compares SSQ to a team's actual points-per-shot to show, in this case, how many more points per attempt a team scored relative to what could have been expected.

This leaderboard is sorted by actual points per shot scored with the SSQ and SSM included to help illustrate the different routes these teams took to achieve those results. 

Through Round 13, Real Madrid and Partizan Mozzart have stood out as this season's most potent shooting teams. The comparison ends there, however. While Real's placement here tracks with its league-best shot quality, Partizan has been just as effective despite ranking just 12th in SSQ.  

That difference can be traced to their approach to shooting in the midrange.  

Real has taken fewer jump shots in the midrange area than any team in the EuroLeague while Partizan has taken the third most, with that number set to climb following the return of [Kevin Punter](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/kevin-punter/009862/). While Partizan has scored a respectable 0.92 points per mid-range shot, that still ranks well below its overall averages for SSQ and PPS. It has closed the gap by shooting a league-best 74% in finishing situations. That is no small feat as no team has shot over 70% for a season in modern EuroLeague history.

Kevin Punter, Tornike Shengelia and Nicolas Laprovittola top plays

Virtus Segafredo Bologna has been the only team to score more points around the rim than Real and Partizan, a big reason they have four more wins now than at this point last year. Virtus's turnaround has been driven by its consistency on the interior, where the scoring and passing of [Tornike Shengelia](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/tornike-shengelia/001133/) has set the team on a very promising trajectory.   

EA7 Emporio Armani Milan and Zalgiris Kaunas have taken the opposite route to Real, Partizan and Virtus. While Zalgiris has been this season's most accurate three-point shooting team overall, Milan has struck perhaps the best balance between accuracy and aggressiveness; no team has scored more points from the perimeter than the Italians.

FC Barcelona's three-point shooting has had a similarly important impact on its placement here, albeit with a twist.  Barcelona has made three-pointers at a high level overall but has made them off the dribble at such a high rate that it has compensated for the team's sometimes lackluster spot-up shooting. [Nicolas Laprovittola](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nicolas-laprovittola/006435/) is largely responsible for those efforts.

Whether through multiple routes to elite three-point accuracy, consistently smart shot selection, or striking a balance between aggression and efficiency inside, there's more than one recipe for offensive success in the EuroLeague. This group has proven as much in the early going, and in a league where parity tends to rule, that cannot be taken for granted.  

The AS Monaco guard chats with Joe Arlauckas about growing up in New York, starring in the NBA and playing in the EuroLeague.

Kemba Walker visits The Crossover

The Crossover with Joe Arlauckas has the biggest stars in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague as its guests every season and no player with a richer resume stepped into Europe’s premier basketball competition over the summer than [Kemba Walker](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/kemba-walker/012709/) of AS Monaco.

The former NCAA champion spent 12 seasons in the NBA, where he was selected to the All-Star team four times and remains the all-time leading scorer in Charlotte Hornets franchise history. Before his rise to stardom, Walker was a New York City kid who loved basketball and honed his skills at the playgrounds. One of the asphalt courts where he started to shine was the famed Rucker Park, which Walker continued to visit even after heading off to college.

11:15 “Streetball, that’s where I started. So I wanted to continue to go out there as much as I could,” Walker reflected on his days playing at Rucker. “It was some good times.”

After starring at Rice High School, where he was a teammate of future EuroLeague player Edgar Sosa, Walker played college basketball at the University of Connecticut. It was there that Walker earned the nickname “Cardiac Kemba” for his buzzer-beating jumper in the quarterfinals of the Big East Tournament.

Walker and UConn continued to make history all the way to winning the 2011 NCAA championship. A few months later, he was drafted by his father’s idol, Michael Jordan, and the Hornets into the NBA.

While he achieved levels of fame and riches that Walker could not have dreamed of as a boy in New York, that was not what drove him to success.

36:15 “My love for the game is what keeps me going. I love to play basketball. It’s what brings me joy. It’s what takes my mind off every single thing that goes on in my life,” Walker told Arlauckas. “It’s what keeps me going, every single day, no matter how hard it is.”

Walker had many European teammates, particularly from France, during his time in the NBA. And when the offer to play for Monaco in the EuroLeague came, Walker was ready for the challenge. 

45:30 “I wanted to have a new experience. I wanted to try to experience the world. And it’s really been an easy adjustment,” he explained. “These guys welcomed me with open arms, treated me with a lot of respect. Just really made my transition super easy.

“As someone coming from the States to be here for the first time for quite some time, all you can ask for is to be welcomed in the right way. And that is something that I appreciate a lot from my teammates. These guys are some of the best teammates I’ve ever had. These guys are amazing, I love being around these guys every day. I appreciate every morning knowing that I am coming to practice with these guys… They make it fun.”

More than a third of the way through the regular season, Walker and Monaco are flying high and in the thick of the battle for a top-four finish and home-court advantage in the playoffs. Watching their assault on the EuroLeague crown promises to be one of the most exciting stories to follow in 2024.

With a one-hour format of exclusive one-on-one interviews, The Crossover with Joe Arlauckas goes well beyond the playing court with each podcast to delve into the life experiences that have made his guests protagonists and legends of the EuroLeague. The Crossover debuted in 2018 and has featured such current stars as [Mike James](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/mike-james-opens-up-at-the-crossover/), [Lorenzo Brown](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/lorenzo-brown-hops-aboard-the-crossover/) and [Mario Hezonja](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/mario-hezonja-stops-by-the-crossover/); coaching greats such as [Georgios Bartzokas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/hear-from-coach-bartzokas-on-the-crossover/), [Dimitris Itoudis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/the-crossover-opens-its-season-with-dimitris-itoudis/), and Zeljko Obradovic, and legends like Theo Papaloukas, Nikola Vujcic and [Mike Batiste](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/panathinaikos-legend-mike-batiste-visits-the-crossover/), among others.

The Crossover with Joe Arlauckas is available on [Youtube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rYpAbSLlCc), [iTunes](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-crossover-with-joe-arlauckas/id1440034922), [Audioboom](https://audioboom.com/channel/the-crossover-with-joe-arlauckas), [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/6T1SYvGSpzyrYZpG9z2wjR), [Deezer](https://www.deezer.com/fr/show/65962), [RadioPublic](https://radiopublic.com/the-crossover-with-joe-arlauckas-6NkdjJ), [Google Podcasts](https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hdWRpb2Jvb20uY29tL2NoYW5uZWxzLzQ4ODM3OTkucnNz?sa=X&ved=0CAMQ4aUDahcKEwiYzr_b78XtAhUAAAAAHQAAAAAQAQ), [TuneIn](https://tunein.com/podcasts/Sports--Recreation-Podcasts/The-Crossover-with-Joe-Arlauckas-p1174586/), [Stitcher](https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-crossover-with-joe-arlauckas), [CastBox](https://castbox.fm/channel/The-Crossover-with-Joe-Arlauckas-id1467328?country=gb), [iVoox](https://www.ivoox.com/podcast-the-crossover-with-joe-arlauckas_sq_f1629856_1.html) and other platforms.

For the second time this season, unlimited trading is open in the EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge. That means that fantasy managers can completely re-tool their rosters. With that in mind, we bring you a list of players - no more than one per team - whom you should consider adding to your fantasy teams before Round 14.

Fantasy tips: Building blocks to consider

For the second time this season, unlimited trading is open in the [EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge](https://euroleaguefantasy.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/home). That means that fantasy managers can completely re-tool their rosters. With that in mind, we bring you a list of players - no more than one per team - whom you should consider adding to your fantasy teams before Round 14.

[10. Semi Ojeleye, Valencia Basket](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/semi-ojeleye/011982/) (11.9 credits) – Ojeleye has found form and consistency in recent weeks. Since Round 10, Ojeleye has averaged 16.3 points, 3.8 rebounds and 4.3 fouls drawn per game for a PIR of 19.0. Valencia has five of its next seven games on its home floor, and Ojeleye is affordable enough to find a place in your lineups.

[9. Mario Hezonja, Real Madrid](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mario-hezonja/003108/) (10.7 credits) – The hottest Real Madrid player right now is Hezonja. He averaged 18.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.5 steals in two games last week and has scored at least 16 points in four of his last five games, a span during which he has shot 47.8% from long range.

[8. PJ Dozier, Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/perry-dozier-jr/012742/) (11.2 credits) – Dozier has grown into his role and has played 30 or more minutes in three of his last four games. More importantly, he is averaging 20.4 fantasy points over that span, having posted 19 or more fantasy points in three of those contests.

[7. Nicolas Laprovittola, FC Barcelona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nicolas-laprovittola/006435/) (13.5 credits) – The veteran point guard has had his flashes, with 18.7 fantasy points or more in six of his 11 appearances this season. He is also averaging 18.5 FPT on the road this season. And after it hosts Milan this week, Barcelona has three consecutive road games coming up.

[6. Nigel Hayes-Davis, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nigel-hayes-davis/008962/) (13.3 credits) – No player averages more minutes this season (34:05) than Hayes-Davis. And he has produced, too, with 12.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists and an average PIR of 14.4. Hayes-Davis is by far the most consistent Fenerbahce player and he's averaged 20.7 fantasy points over the last three games.

Fantasy tips Round 14

[5. Joffrey Lauvergne, LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/joffrey-lauvergne/004194/) (11.4 credits) – Fully recovered from last season's serious knee injury, Lauvergne has averaged 28:16 minutes this season and has been especially productive over the last five games, a stretch during which he has been worth 18.0 points and 7.4 rebounds. There is no reason to believe Lauvergne will not continue on this path in the coming weeks.

[4. Serge Ibaka, FC Bayern Munich](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/serge-ibaka/003583/) (15.4 credits) – The big man has posted 13.4 points, 7.1 points and a PIR of 16.2 PIR. Over his last four appearances, he's averaged 26.4 fantasy points. Ibaka does get occasional veteran nights off, but when he plays, he is a virtual lock for high production.

[3. Shavon Shields, EA7 Emporio Armani Milan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/shavon-shields/007831/) (14.4 credits) - Shields is scoring 17.4 points on 46.5% long-range shooting this season, and has been especially hot lately, averaging 21.3 fantasy points since Round 8. What's more important is his consistency as his lowest output over the last six rounds has been 18.7 fantasy points. 

[2. Wade Baldwin, Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/wade-baldwin-iv/009863/) (15.5 credits) – It took Baldwin a bit to find his groove after missing the start of the season due to injury, but he has caught up to speed. In the last four fantasy rounds, he has averaged 19.5 points and 6.3 assists for a PIR of 22.8. Baldwin is a guard who can carry your team on a weekly basis.

[1. Tornike Shengelia, Virtus Segafredo Bologna](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/tornike-shengelia/001133/) (16.4 credits) – Shengelia is averaging the most fantasy points (24.0) through 13 rounds, with his lowest single-game output being 14.0 fantasy points. That says plenty about his production this season. The Virtus forward is a team-captain candidate in the EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge in every single round.

With unlimited trades allowed this week, here are 10 impact players you can build your EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge lineups around.

Round 14 of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague is highlighted by a crunch clash in the top four and an emotional homecoming for an iconic coach. Here's your quick guide to Thursday and Friday's games. 

Round 14: Tie-breakers highlight nine spicy showdowns

### Thursday, December 14

[Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade vs. ALBA Berlin ](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2023-24/crvena-zvezda-meridianbet-belgrade-alba-berlin/E2023/124/)

Zvezda (4-9) hopes that home comforts can provide a respite from two narrow road losses as it hosts ALBA (2-11), which will battle to escape the bottom of the standings. Having allowed at least 83 points in each of the last six games, Zvezda will look to significantly improve that stat against ALBA's next-to-last offense (76.7 points per game). There's a huge disparity in rebounding between the teams, too, with Zvezda ranked fourth (36.7 boards per game) and ALBA 15th (31.6), so the visitors will need somebody to help [Johannes Thiemann](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/johannes-thiemann/003958/) control the physical play of [Joel Bolomboy](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/joel-bolomboy/009035/) and [Luka Mitrovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/luka-mitrovic/002553/). 

[Zalgiris Kaunas vs. Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade ](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2023-24/zalgiris-kaunas-partizan-mozzart-bet-belgrade/E2023/121/)

After winning three straight at home, Partizan (7-6) is seeking a first road win since October as it travels to faltering Zalgiris (5-8) which fell twice in the double-round week. Struggling for offensive fluency, Zalgiris ranks 17th in assists with just 15.2 per game, a figure that won't be helped by the loss of point guard [Lukas Lekavicius](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/lukas-lekavicius/003210/) to injury – piling even more pressure on the shoulders of [Keenan Evans](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/keenan-evans/011218/). Partizan certainly has no problems of that nature, ranking second in scoring with 87.2 points per game. The Serbian team is particularly strong inside the paint, leading the league in two-point conversion rate (62.1%), helped by [Alen Smailagic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/alen-smailagic/011051/)'s 8.8 points per game on 68% shooting inside the arc.

[Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv vs. Anadolu Efes Istanbul ](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2023-24/maccabi-playtika-tel-aviv-anadolu-efes-istanbul/E2023/122/)

In a meeting of direct rivals on the edge of the playoffs places, Maccabi (7-6) hosts Efes (7-6) in Belgrade to break their part of a five-way tie for sixth place. Both teams have performed better offensively than defensively, with Efes ranked 15th for allowing 86.4 points per game and Maccabi 17th at 87.6. That could give plenty of scoring opportunities to a bunch of prolific shooters, with [Shane Larki](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/shane-larkin/007200/)n as the current third-highest scorer in the league (17.7 ppg.) and [Lorenzo Brown](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/lorenzo-brown/009622/) ranked second in assists (6.8 apg.). Efes has overcome injury problems to win three of its last four games with help from new signing [Mike Daum](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mike-daum/012786/), who drained 5 triples in a comeback victory at ALBA last time out.  

The stage is set for a crucial battle in the race for the playoffs. Efes hope to have Shane Larkin and Vasilije Micić available after they missed the loss at Zvezd, whilst Maccabi endeavour to expose any frailties via the presence of dynamic duo Lorenzo Brown and Wade Baldwin to help enhance their playoff-pursuit.

Anadolu Efes Istanbul vs Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv - Round 28 - Highlights

[Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz vs. Virtus Segafredo Bologna ](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2023-24/baskonia-vitoria-gasteiz-virtus-segafredo-bologna/E2023/120/)

Two in-form teams meet at Buesa Arena, where fourth-placed Baskonia (8-5) will look for a fourth straight win as it hosts third-placed Virtus (9-4). Baskonia will have to find a way of stopping its own former star, [Toko Shengelia](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/tornike-shengelia/001133/), who continued his magnificent season with 27 points in the Round 13 victory over Maccabi and leads the league with an average PIR of 22.3 per game. Fourth in that category is Baskonia's new hero, [Chima Moneke](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/chima-moneke/012201/) (20.1 PIR), while [Tadas Sedekerskis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/tadas-sedekerskis/007230/) has more rebounds than any other player (8.4 rpg.), which will make the battle for inside dominance potentially spectacular. Long-range fireworks will come from the league's most prolific three-point shooter [Markus Howard](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/markus-howard/011948/) (3.5 triples per game), while Virtus's [Marco Belinelli](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/marco-belinelli/bcn/) is also a major deep threat with 2.5 triples per night. 

[Real Madrid vs. FC Bayern Munich ](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2023-24/real-madrid-fc-bayern-munich/E2023/119/)

Reigning champ Real (12-1) will seek to maintain its two-game lead at the top of the standings with a visit from Bayern (6-7) and a coach who knows the hosts as well as anybody. The spotlight will fall on Bayern coach Pablo Laso, who will return to face his former club for the first time in an official game since his glorious 11-year reign – which delivered two EuroLeague crowns – came to an end 18 months ago. Expect a fierce battle inside the paint as Real giant [Walter Tavares](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/walter-tavares/005791/) is confronted by [Serge Ibaka](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/serge-ibaka/003583/) and [Devin Booker](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/devin-booker/007056/), who respectively rank second and third in the league in rebounding (7.1 and 6.5 rpg.). Real leads the competition in 10 different performance parameters, but there could be nobody better than Laso to devise the perfect game plan against the players he knows so well. 

[LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne vs. Panathinaikos Aktor Athens ](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2023-24/ldlc-asvel-villeurbanne-panathinaikos-aktor-athens/E2023/118/)

Two teams who lost both games in the double round week will look for a return to winning ways as ASVEL (2-11) hosts Panathinaikos (6-7) at spanking-new LDLC Arena to close Thursday's action. ASVEL playmaker [Paris Lee](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/paris-lee/011225/), who has averaged 6.8 assists in the last four games, will look to dominate the backcourt against the team he represented last season. The Greens will hope [Kendrick Nunn](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/kendrick-nunn/012774/) continues his excellent form after scoring 19, 13 and 24 points in the last three games, while [Mathias Lessort](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mathias-lessort/003842/) is also in a sweet moment after scoring in double digits in six straight games. He faces a big battle with ASVEL's [Joffrey Lauvergne](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/joffrey-lauvergne/004194/), who is enjoying his best form of the season with averages of 18 points and 7.6 rebounds over the last five games. 

ASVEL have already been eliminated from post-season contention after losing seven games in a row, but can inflict the same fate on Panathinaikos, who must emerge out on top to have any chance of reaching the top eight, despite being fresh from a morale-boosting win over Zvezda.

LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne vs Panathinaikos Athens - Round 29 - Highlights

### Friday, December 15

[Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul vs. AS Monaco](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2023-24/fenerbahce-beko-istanbul-as-monaco/E2023/123/)

A battle between two teams with title ambitions takes place in Istanbul as Fenerbahce (6-7) welcomes Monaco (8-5) in the first game with Sarunas Jasikevicius at the helm of the Yellow Canaries. Saras took over for Dimitris Itoudis on Thursday. Under Itoudis, Fenerbahce had a perfect record at Ulker Sports and Event Hall (5-0). The new boss will look for continued leadership from [Nigel Hayes-Davis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nigel-hayes-davis/008962/), who is the only Fenerbahce player to have started every game and played all but 100 seconds of the team's Round 13 loss at Barcelona. Monaco has won three of the last four including a hard-fought road triumph at Zalgiris last time out, when [Mike James](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mike-james/005985/) once again asserted his importance with 25 points, supported by 12 plus 4 assists from backcourt partner [Elie Okobo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/elie-okobo/011212/).

[Olympiacos Piraeus vs. Valencia Basket](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2023-24/olympiacos-piraeus-valencia-basket/E2023/126/)

After getting back on track with a pair of victories in the double-round week, Valencia (7-6) has the tough task of going for three in a row with a trip to Olympiacos (7-6) in a showdown between two of the five teams tied for sixth place. [Thomas Walkup](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/thomas-walkup/008855/) has stepped up as the Reds' leader in recent weeks, scoring at least 14 points in four games straight and also dishing 7 assists to orchestrate the Round 13 victory over Bayern. Valencia's return to winning ways was propelled by [Semi Ojeleye](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/semi-ojeleye/011982/), who scored 17 and 16 points in respective wins over Zvezda and ASVEL, the latter of which saw the Spanish team's defense in synch to allow just 55 points. The Reds are 11-3 all-time against Valencia, but home teams have won this matchup the last five times, which means Valencia is aiming for its third straight victory in Piraeus, too.

[FC Barcelona vs. EA7 Emporio Armani Milan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2023-24/fc-barcelona-ea7-emporio-armani-milan/E2023/125/)

Barcelona (10-3) will look to maintain its grip on second place – and make it eight wins out of eight at home – with a visit from struggling Milan (4-9). The Italian team has lost three games straight and is set to be without injured former Barca star [Nikola Mirotic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nikola-mirotic/000796/), placing pressure on [Johannes Voigtmann](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/johannes-voigtmann/007201/) (7.9 points and 3.7 rebounds) and [Nicolo Melli](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nicolo-melli/002849/) (6.2 points, 4.3 rebounds) to reproduce his repertoire of scoring and rebounding. Barca's most recent triumph, at home to Fenerbahce last week, was powered by 21 points and 9 rebounds from [Willy Hernangomez](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/willy-hernangomez/003196/), who has now scored at least 12 points in four straight games and provides a formidable tag-team big man pairing with the evergreen [Jan Vesely](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/jan-vesely/000925/).

In-form Barça search for a fifth successive victory while potentially guaranteeing second-place versus Milan, whose playoff charge has fallen short with two losses. The hosts are the best three-point shooters at a 40.4% conversion, but Milan boast the second-best defense in that respect, allowing only 34.4%.

EA7 Emporio Armani Milan vs FC Barcelona - Round 33 - Highlights

FC Barcelona v EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (2023-12-15T19:30:00.000Z)

Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade v ALBA Berlin (2023-12-14T18:00:00.000Z)

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul v AS Monaco (2023-12-15T17:45:00.000Z)

Real Madrid v FC Bayern Munich (2023-12-14T19:45:00.000Z)

Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz v Virtus Segafredo Bologna (2023-12-14T19:30:00.000Z)

LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne v Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens (2023-12-14T20:00:00.000Z)

Zalgiris Kaunas v Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (2023-12-14T18:00:00.000Z)

Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv v Anadolu Efes Istanbul (2023-12-14T19:05:00.000Z)

Have you ever wondered why people call the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague the most competitive basketball competition in the world?

The double round that launched a December full of consequential games serves as ample evidence.

Entering last week, 10 of the EuroLeague's 18 teams were separated in the standings by a single victory – all had either 6-5 or 5-6 records. Two more teams stood at 4-7, meaning that the 16th-place team had the potential to draw even with the fifth-place team by week's end.

Such was the already-dramatic backdrop when nine games on Tuesday and Wednesday delivered fans the closest round of scores in the EuroLeague's 23-season history. The average margin of victory in Round 12 was a EuroLeague-record 3.9 points, with six games decided by 4 or fewer points.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">2023-24 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EuroLeague?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EuroLeague</a> Round 12 winning margin was just 3.89 points on average - all-time EuroLeague record.😱🔥 <a href="https://t.co/4cLjsD0F0K">pic.twitter.com/4cLjsD0F0K</a></p>&mdash; Darius Garuolis (@DariusGaruolis) <a href="https://twitter.com/DariusGaruolis/status/1732686387504410936?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 7, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

But the average difference only hints at how dramatic those nights played out.

Over barely 28 hours from the first Tuesday tipoff until the last of Wednesday's final buzzers, five of the nine games featured a shot to win or force overtime in the final second of regulation time. 

Game-winners came in the final 7 seconds in Berlin, where ALBA overcame a 16-point deficit to defeat Zalgiris Kaunas as [Jonas Mattisseck](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/jonas-mattisseck/007025/) stole that victory from downtown, and in Vitoria-Gasteiz, where Baskonia rallied from 15 down to defeat Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul on [Markus Howard](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/markus-howard/011948/)'s miraculous three-pointer.

Game-tying shots by [Serge Ibaka](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/serge-ibaka/003583/) of FC Bayern Munich on the fourth-quarter buzzer and [Mike James](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mike-james/005985/) of AS Monaco with 2 seconds left sent their games to overtime. Bayern would go on to defeat EA7 Emporio Armani Milan despite having trailed by 6 points with 45 seconds left in regulation. But James and Monaco would lose to Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade after four lead changes in overtime.

When the dust settled on Round 12, seven teams were tied with 6-6 records. 

Round 12's biggest plays

### A rain of milestones

If Round 12 overflowed with drama, Round 13 continued delivering tradition in the form of EuroLeague icons making their imprint with new milestones and moves up in all-time rankings.

Already on Tuesday and Wednesday, Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens boss [Ergin Ataman coached his 400th EuroLeague game](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/ergin-ataman-becomes-third-to-coach-400-games/), just the third person to do so, while [Kyle Hines](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/kyle-hines/002812/) of Milan and [Jan Vesely](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/jan-vesely/000925/) of FC Barcelona became the eighth and ninth players to haul in [at least 1,000 defensive rebounds](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/stats/expanded/?size=25&viewType=traditional&seasonCode=E2023&statisticMode=accumulated&seasonMode=Single&sortDirection=descending&statistic=defensiveRebounds).

In Round 12, [Milos Teodosic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/milos-teodosic/jdr/) of Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade had jumped to sixth place on [the all-time assists charts](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/stats/expanded/?size=25&viewType=traditional&statisticMode=accumulated&seasonMode=All&sortDirection=descending&statistic=assistances), and on Friday he moved up one more to fifth place, passing [Sergio Llull](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/sergio-llull/tgb/) of Real Madrid.

At the same time, James of Monaco made the biggest move of all, overtaking the great Juan Carlos Navarro [by moving into third-place all-time in scoring](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/mike-james-euroleague-scoring-list-pir-third-place/) – not to mention doing so in record time in terms of the fewest games needed to pour in his 4,171 points! James scored 25 of them on Friday as Monaco won in Kaunas against Zalgiris to help take the sting out of the overtime loss at Partizan three nights earlier.

Not to be outdone, [Scottie Wilbekin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/scottie-wilbekin/006661/) of Fenerbahce [surpassed the great Vassilis Spanouls with the 519th three-pointer made](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/scottie-wilbekin-is-now-sixth-all-time-in-euroleague-made-three-pointers/) in his career.

And when the dust settled on Round 13, again 10 teams were within two victories of each other between fourth and 13th place in the standings, guaranteeing that the drama will continue, as always, in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, because as they say – and it's true again this winter – every game matters.

The first week of December will be remembered as one of the most exciting in Turkish Airlines EuroLeague history.

Valencia, out to ambush Reds in Piraeus again

November's No. 1 play explained

Fantasy Challenge Podcast: The perfect time for a restart

Valencia: Harper out with hamstring injury

Stats review: Examining the best-shooting teams

Kemba Walker visits The Crossover

Fantasy tips: Building blocks to consider

Round 14: Tie-breakers highlight nine spicy showdowns

Drama, milestones filled December's first double-round week