Cazoo Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz came into Round 27 on a six-game road losing streak with a game at WiZink Center against Real Madrid, which is in the mix for the best record in the EuroLeague. It seemed that Baskonia would need something special to happen to win on the road. And that something special on Tuesday night was named [Darius Thompson](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/darius-thompson/011078/).

Thompson was practically unstoppable in his team's [81-85](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2022-23/real-madrid-cazoo-baskonia-vitoria-gasteiz/E2022/240/) victory over Real. He posted 18 points, 5 rebounds, 14 assists, 3 assists and committed just 1 turnover in amassing a PIR of 32. He was there just about every time his team needed him. 

"We were not able to stop Thompson in the first or the second half," Real head coach Chus Mateo said after the game. "He generated a lot of options and played very well."

Real opened the game with a 9-2 run which Thompson neutralized pretty quickly with consecutive steals that led to a dunk and a fastbreak layup. In the first 5 minutes of the second quarter, Thompson buried a three-pointer, collected a steal and dished 3 assists to put his team ahead 30-32. 

Thompson dominated the game again after the break, burying a couple of shots from beyond the arc and finding [Matt Costello](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/matthew-costello/010444/) for a three-pointer on his ninth assist of the game, giving Baskonia a 50-59 advantage. Real bounced back to lead 78-71 with less than 4 minutes remaining. Some teams might have just given up, but Thompson had other ideas. 

Darius Thompson had 14 assists against Real Madrid, leading Cazoo Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz to an 81-85 road win against Los Blancos.

Thompson's assist festival at WiZink Center

He found Costello for a two-handed slam and soon connected with him again for a three-pointer that gave Baskonia hope at 79-76. Once Howard buried a three-pointer off a long offensive rebound, Gabriel Deck scored in the low post for an 81-79 Real edge with 1:15 remaining. Thompson, however, had saved his best for last. 

Baskonia got the ball back and called timeout with 36.9 seconds left. Thompson sent a bullet inbounds pass to Costello for an easy dunk that tied the game at 81-81. Baskonia needed a stop and a bucket to win the game and that is exactly what happened. First, [Daulton Hommes](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/daulton-hommes/011949/) had a big block on Walter Tavares's dunk attempt. With the game on the line, Thompson forced a switch against Tavares and once again connected with Costello for the game-winning shot at the buzzer. The Thompson-to-Costello connection came alive four times in 3 minutes in several different ways. 

"We could have easily given up when they made a big run, but we stayed together and fought until the last second, like Coach told us before the game, and we came out with the win," Thompson said after the game. "It is hard to suck it all in right now, but we came out with a win and Matt \[Costello\] hit a big shot. I am glad that he shot it with confidence."

Costello had 10 of his 20 points in the final 4 minutes but confessed something after the game. "I couldn't see the rim \[on the last shot\]. I just saw Rudy \[Fernandez\] running at me, they flipped me the ball, so I just tried to get it up there as quickly as I could," he said. "But it went in, so we got the win. It feels really good."

It was Baskonia's first EuroLeague road win in 2023. Baskonia also completed the regular season undefeated against *Los Blancos*. Most importantly, the win ensured that Baskonia will remain in the playoff zone through the end of the round.

Game Videos

Game News

Darius Thompson sparked Baskonia to key win in Madrid

Real Madrid v Cazoo Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (2023-03-07T19:45:00.000Z)

FC Bayern Munich won consecutive games on its home floor for the first time in two months following a 76-72 triumph against LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne at Audi Dome on Tuesday night. Andrea Trinchieri's side was able to grab the victory despite having a night to forget on offense, shooting 43.6% on two-pointers and making 11 threes but doing so on 32.4% shooting.

"The game did not look good, but the taste of the win is very good," Coach Trinchieri said afterward.

The key was Bayern's rebounding, as the hosts grabbed 20 offensive rebounds, tying an all-time club record.

"When Bayern takes 20 offensive rebounds, it is difficult to win on the road," stated ASVEL acting head coach Morgan Belnou.

Bayern outrebounded ASVEL 43-32 on the night, but that margin was even larger going into the final 10 minutes, with Bayern having pulled down 18 rebounds through the first three quarters.

Interestingly, Niels Giffey had 9 rebounds, including 5 on the offensive glass, both of which are new career-high marks.

If not for that, ASVEL might have been in control of the game. But rebounding helped Bayern hold an advantage, albeit small, for the majority of the game before Andreas Obst, Giffey and Corey Walden hit crucial fourth-quarter three-pointers to help Bayern grab its 11th win of the season.

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Bayern's work on the glass led to victory over ASVEL

FC Bayern Munich v LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne (2023-03-07T19:45:00.000Z)

Virtus Segafredo Bologna did a lot of things very well in Tuesday night’s exciting tussle with Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade, which resulted in a 79-88 road win in front of a fabulously noisy crowd. But ultimately, Sergio Scariolo’s team were undone by one aspect of the game they did not execute well: taking care of the basketball.

In the face of Partizan’s hard-nosed defense, Virtus committed no less than 21 turnovers. Tellingly, 9 of those were committed in the final quarter alone as Partizan found extra energy to power its way to victory. Notably, Marco Bellinelli started the trend by coughing up the ball 3 times in two minutes, finally succumbing to the relentless pressure that saw him fail to score any points after missing all 5 of his field goal attempts.

But the chief culprit was Milos Teodosic, whose performance veered from delightful to disastrous as he recorded a double-double of 11 points and 12 assists but also committed 8 turnovers, his highest tally of the season.

Those 21 lost balls were accompanied by just 12 from Partizan, which played a major part in accounting for the fact that the Serbian team was able to attempt 15 extra field goal shots – 65, compared to 50 for Virtus. In a tight game that was only decided in the last couple of minutes, those extra possessions were clearly decisive, and Virtus will regret its inability to look after the basketball as its playoff hopes took a big blow.

Turnovers proved costly for Virtus against Partizan

Virtus Segafredo Bologna v Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (2023-03-07T19:30:00.000Z)

Zalgiris Kaunas’s chances of staying alive in the playoff race almost went up in flames at ALBA Berlin on Tuesday night, as the Lithuanian side was failing at the one thing it excelled at on offense: free throws. But, just as hope was fading, Edgaras Ulanovas saved the day.

The Zalgiris captain made 2 foul shots with 6.6 seconds left for a 60-64 lead, which calmed the nerves as the visitors came away with a 63-66 win at Mercedes-Benz Arena. And it shouldn’t be a suprise that Ulanovas buried the 2 pressure-filled free throws, as he has gone 82.1% from the charity stripe this season.

Despite the team struggling to score, ranking 16th with 75.5 points per game, Zalgiris came into the game as the fourth-best free-throw shooting team in the league at 81.8%. And everything seemed to be going as normal against ALBA, with the Lithuanian side making 8-of-9 attempts through the first 30 minutes.

Then came the fourth quarter. Kevarrius Hayes twice split 2 free throws. Lukas Lekavicius followed, as did Isaiah Taylor and Achille Polonara. Even Ulanovas missed 2 free throws after failing to convert a three-point play and splitting 2 shots. And Taylor went 1-of-2 again with 18 seconds left.

Add those up and Zalgiris's 7-of-15 free-throw night gave ALBA a chance to stay in the game. But Ulanovas had seen enough and was able to ice the game from the foul line, keeping his cool to ensure that his team remains firmly in the hunt.

Edgaras Ulanovas stayed ice cool to save Zalgiris at ALBA

ALBA Berlin v Zalgiris Kaunas (2023-03-07T19:00:00.000Z)

Cazoo Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz had to wait until the very last second to celebrate an 81-85 road win against Real Madrid in Round 27 of the 2022-23 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season. Turnovers and offensive rebounds made the difference in this instant classic.

Baskonia limited its turnovers to just 6, which was the biggest key to the game. As such, Joan Penarroya's side were able to tie its second-best mark this season; its most efficient game regarding turnovers came in Round 5, as it committed 5 in a 92-75 home victory against Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade. 

Meanwhile, Baskonia forced Real to commit as many as 17 turnovers. Tuesday night's victors finished the game with 16 assists, three less than their opponent. Darius Thompson, however, had 14 of those 16 assists, finishing the game with 3 steals and just 1 turnover.

Offensive rebounds were also critical in this game, even though Real outrebounded Baskonia 34-30. The key is what happened on the offensive glass, as the guests finished this game with 10 offensive rebounds, only allowing *Los Blancos* to get 6 boards under their own rim. Maik Kotsar had 4 of his 6 rebounds on the offensive end, also adding 13 points. 

All of that allowed Baskonia to attempt more shots: the guests had 69 field goal and 11 free-throw attempts. Real took a similar number of foul shots, 13, but only attempted 54 shots in total. Those 15 extra possessions generated off forced turnovers and offensive rebounds made the difference in the game.

Baskonia won turnover battle, rebounded better to beat Real

Shabazz Napier produced by some way his most impressive performance in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague with a career high of 28 points in Europe’s premier club competition to inspire EA7 Emporio Armani Milan to an 84-88 win at Valencia Basket. The victory was made all the sweeter given the return of Kevin Pangos and Shavon Shields, who had been out of action with long-term injuries.

Pangos posted 13 points and 6 rebounds in his first game since November, but Napier stole the show in his fifth EuroLeague game for Milan, who are 5-0 since his arrival from the G League.

Having joined the Italian side from the Mexico City Capitanes late in January, Napier had averaged 10.0 points and 4.0 assists in his opening four games, adding steel at both ends of the court to a short-handed outfit that had several key players sidelined.

On Tuesday, he showed a vast array of offensive weapons as Milan’s backcourt steamrolled over its Valencia counterparts, mixing three-point shots with bedazzling drives to the basket, which resulted either in layups or helped contribute towards the 5 assists he racked up.

Napier, who shot 5-of-8 from three-point range, 2-of-3 from inside the arc and 9-of-10 from the foul line, was his usual humble self after the rip-roaring contest.

“I just go out there and try to do what I can do to provide for whatever is needed and get wins,” the 31-year old point guard said in a flash interview after the game. “We’ve got a big game on Thursday \[at home to Partizan\] and I am really excited about our next challenge. Credit to the guys, it was a hell of a game today. We were coming together at the right time.”

The best plays of EA7 Emporio Armani Milan duo Shabazz Napier and Kevin Pangos in the team's 84-88 win at Valencia Basket in the 2022-23 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season.

Napier and Pangos's best plays vs. Valencia

Pangos hit some clutch shots in quick succession and pulled the strings with his playmaking ability, providing much-needed support to Napier and Billy Baron, who netted 8 of his 10 points in the third quarter as Milan found another gear to turn the game on its head.

Shields, who had not played since Round 4 prior to Tuesday night's Round 27 contest, made more of an impact than his stats might suggest. In fact, his physicality made it difficult for Valencia to keep up its offensive momentum after the home side threw away an 11-point lead and trailed by as many as 12 before staging a late fightback which came up short.

Overall, Milan came out on top thanks to superior three-point shooting (15-of-32), with Valencia making only 8-of-30 shots from long range. The Italian side also edged its Spanish rival in rebounds (32-29) and assists (17-13), compensating for 14 turnovers – twice as many as the home side.

Milan will head into Thursday’s home game against Partizan, another in-form team who celebrated a 79-88 win at Virtus Segafredo Bologna, brimming with confidence. Given the team's current winning streak, it will feel confident about making it six in a row and keeping its playoff hopes alive.

Shabazz Napier, Kevin Pangos drove Milan to victory at Valencia

Valencia Basket v EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (2023-03-07T19:30:00.000Z)

It only takes a quick look at the stats sheet to see exactly how important Dante Exum was for Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade in its 79-88 victory at Virtus Segafredo Bologna on Tuesday night.

The Australian guard did a lot of everything by registering 17 points, 7 assists, 7 rebounds and 3 steals, which was enough for a PIR of 33. That’s the second-highest ranking of Exum’s two-season EuroLeague career, just trailing the PIR of 35 he recorded in a defeat at LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne earlier this season.

Exum, who first appeared in the competition last season with FC Barcelona, also reached a career milestone by surpassing 500 EuroLeague points, which came on his 51st appearance as he continued a fine run of form which has seen him reach double digits in scoring in 14 of the last 15 games.

The best plays of Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade guard Dante Exum during his team's 79-88 win at Virtus Segafredo Bologna in the 2022-23 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season.

Dante Exum's best plays vs. Virtus

This particular evening certainly did not start well for Exum, who picked up an unsportsmanlike foul for crashing down on Daniel Hackett only five seconds after he entered the game off the bench midway through the first quarter.

But that was quickly forgotten as the 27-year-old launched into a typically all-action display, and he was particularly decisive during a key phase of the game.

Midway through the fourth quarter Exum exploded back-to-back dunks and then added a spinning layup, scoring those three baskets in just over two minutes as he extended Partizan’s lead from a slender 65-67 to a commanding 65-75. That was enough to seal a hard-fought road win, which keeps the Serbian team’s playoff hopes very much alive.

Dante Exum's all-round performance powered Partizan past Virtus

Zalgiris Kaunas had struggled to score points recently, so the Lithuanian side made sure that ALBA Berlin couldn’t easily put points on the board. And it worked to perfection, as it went to Mercedes-Benz Arena and grabbed a vital win in the fight for the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Playoffs.

Zalgiris failed to score 80 points in its last eight games, so it used its defense to get a 63-66 win at ALBA. The guests did not allow ALBA, a team that likes to run to get easy points, to score a single point on the fast break.

Zalgiris also helped itself by outscoring ALBA 6-15 from points off turnovers. Lukas Lekavicius and Achille Polonara both picked up 3 steals to lead the team's efforts on defense.

Zalgiris slowed down ALBA to secure important win

FC Bayern Munich held its nerve to defeat LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne 76-72 at Audi Dome on Tuesday night, a win that keeps its slim playoff hopes alive. Bayern looked in trouble offensively for much of the game, but Andreas Obst and Niels Giffey hit three-pointers to give the hosts the lead for good, before Corey Walden scored 8 of his 10 points in the final 3 minutes of the game to help seal it. Bayern improved its record to 11-16, three games behind eight place in the standings. ASVEL dropped to 8-19.

Obst paced Bayern after shooting 5-for-8 from long range and finishing with a team-high 15 points. D.J. Seeley scored 12 in just 16 minutes on the floor for Bayern, who pulled down 20 offensive rebounds. ASVEL's Dee Bost scored 12 of his game-high 18 points in the first half, making 5-of-10 triples. David Lighty had 13 points, Youssoupha Fall paired 12 points with 7 rebounds, and Jonah Mathews had 10 in a losing effort.

The two teams traded blows in the first quarter. Isaac Bonga nailed a three-pointer for the hosts, but Antoine Diot hit one before Bost hit back-to-back triples to give ASVEL a 12-16 edge. A triple from Obst helped Bayern take a 21-19 lead into the second quarter, when two more threes from Obst opened a 31-21 margin. However, ASVEL stepped up defensively, while on the offensive end, Fall did the damage inside and Bost made another triple during a 0-10 run to tie the game at 33-33. Bayern held 38-36 at halftime.

Nick Weiler-Babb gave Bayern an offensive spark at the start of the third quarter, helping it to a 44-36 lead, before Lighty and Seeley traded triples. An alley-oop dunk from Bost to Alex Tyus put the visitors in front, 49-50, but Othello Hunter and Niels Giffey made sure the hosts held a 53-50 advantage after 30 minutes. 

Retin Obasohan and Mathews restored ASVEL's lead in the fourth, 56-59, but 3 three-pointers – 2 from Obst and 1 from Giffey – on consecutive trips down the floor restored Bayern's advantage, 65-62. Lighty got ASVEL within 1 point before Walden stepped up, drawing fouls to get to the free-throw line but also nailing a shot from way downtown to help Bayern open a 6-point margin before the hosts closed out the game.