Check out what the coaches and players are saying ahead of Round 30 of the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.
Pregame quotes hub: 'Now we are facing our first big final'
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Friday, March 21
Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens vs. ALBA Berlin (20:15 CET)
Ergin Ataman, Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens head coach
"All teams in the EuroLeague have competitive rosters. ALBA Berlin may not be in a favorable position in the standings, but they have experienced players such as [Martin] Hermannsson, [Matt] Thomas, [Gabriele] Procida, and [Matteo] Spagnolo. They won their last game, scoring 97 points, which demonstrates their strong offensive capabilities. They play at a fast pace and excel in transition. It is crucial for us to protect our home court and secure the victory. The most important thing for us – regardless of our opponents – is to win all of our home games. If we aim to secure home-court advantage in the playoffs and reach the Final Four, it is essential to be dominant at home. If we also manage to win one away game, we will surely finish in the top four or even the top three. In any case, every game is crucial. Some teams, like ALBA Berlin, have no pressure, so they will play freely. Every game is different. After this, we face Paris Basketball at OAKA – a team that defeated us in France – and then Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade, a highly competitive team fighting for home-court advantage and a top-four finish. Every game is significant, and we must remain focused from the first minute to the last in order to win. A single mistake could cost us the season."
Jerian Grant, Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens guard
"We watched film, we know what they can do. We've got to be prepared. We're excited to be back in this building and play for the [fans]. [Myself and my teammates] been together for a year now, so it really feels like family."
Pedro Calles, ALBA Berlin head coach
"After the two wins last week, our focus is now on the future. Panathinaikos is a great team, but we're mainly looking at ourselves right now. We want to get better day by day in practice so that we can perform as well as possible in the remaining EuroLeague games."
Matt Thomas, ALBA Berlin guard
"Panathinaikos has a lot of talented players and proved that last season. In addition, the Panathinaikos fan base is huge and very passionate. After winning the EuroLeague title last year, the atmosphere inside OAKA and the support is even greater. Basketball is almost like a religion in Greece – it's really unique to experience."
FC Barcelona vs. Zalgiris Kaunas (20:30 CET)
Joan Penarroya, FC Barcelona head coach
"It is a game against a team that is right now fighting to make it to the play-in showdown, which comes off a home victory over Paris. It will be a tough game because all teams coached by Trinchieri are tough and hard to play against. Zalgiris is one of the best defensive teams in the competitions, numbers-wise, and just like all games from now until the end of the season, it is a very difficult game. The standings are really tight and everyone is playing for big goals. We are focused on a game against a tough team tomorrow. It was our first game of the season and now both teams have different players: we have some injured players and they made some roster changes. We hope a great atmosphere at Palau Blaugrana which helps us compete the best way possible and get the victory."
Dario Brizuela, FC Barcelona guard
"It is obvious that we want to make it to the playoffs and skip the Play-In Showdown, which is very dangerous. We feel like even if we go to the play-in, we will have a lot of chances [to reach the playoffs] because I don't believe anyone wants to play against us, now that we are bringing players back and playing better, with more confidence. The goal is to make it to the playoffs against a good opponent and make the most out of the extra week we would have [if Barca goes straight to the playoffs] to try to rest a little bit, which is not a bad thing, of course. We are not quiet or anxious. The fact that we are playing well and things went well in the last few weeks doesn't mean we are in a quiet situation in both competitions, but we are not anxious. We understand we are in a good moment but there is a lot at stake. There were a lot of jokes in the locker room [when I had to play point guard] because they say I don't pass the ball a lot, which is true, it is my playing style. I am trying to adjust to this new role and make everyone involved on offense. They tell me they are happy, the feedback I am getting is that when I play point guard, we play very fast and that's good for us in some moments of the game. Lately, we have been playing against a lot of past-paced teams, so I don't know if Zalgiris will be a good fit for us, I hope it is. We play with a lot of physicality, want to run and play hard. We will try to play that way, which is what interests us, especially here at Palau. We always raise our physicality at home, rebounding and running. Zalgiris plays really well and is really well coached. Sylvain Francisco is having a great season and right, he arguably is in the best moment of his career. The game will depend on us playing the way we want and try to make Francisco uncomfortable, which is what costed us the win over there."
Andrea Trinchieri, Zalgiris Kaunas head coach
"It's the last sprint of the EuroLeague regular season. Every game is more than important, every team is doubling their efforts, and we expect a very tough game in Barcelona. They are playing with a lot of energy, big alignments, running the court like crazy. It's like seeing the Olympic final of the 100 meters. It's a speed that is rare to be seen in late March, so we know that they are the favorite. We know that we are playing solid, consistent, we are playing team basketball on both ends of the court. We want to play one possession at a time and put together our best effort in order to compete, knowing that it will be very difficult, but we respect everybody. We also respect our hard work in the last few weeks. I am very confident that we are going to put together the best possible game. The Zalgiris that we have now is very similar to the Zalgiris from the first part of the regular season: a defensive-minded team, team-orientated. We're trying to improve some things, to have very good chemistry, and very clear hierarchies. Looking at Barça, they are full of talent. Losing [Juan] Nunez and [Nico] Laprovittola, they've just switched to a big alignment with [Alex] Abrines at the 2, [Tomas] Satoransky is a big point guard, [Justin] Anderson, [Joel] Parra... But at the end of the day, I believe it's a team that plays around the talent of [Kevin] Punter and [Jabari] Parker."
Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade vs. Anadolu Efes Istanbul (20:45 CET)
Zeljko Obradovic, Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade head coach
"We are preparing at a good pace after a very difficult period behind us. We had demanding trips to Barcelona and then to Dubai. Now we are facing our first big final, considering the situation both teams are in. Efes is playing exceptionally well, and their roster is among the best in Europe. We carefully analyzed their game against Bayern, which, in my opinion, was one of the best games of the season. They have outstanding quality, play at full speed with frequent rhythm changes, and punish every defensive help. A very challenging game awaits us, but we believe in our own abilities."
Brandon Davies, Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade center
"We’ve had two good practices so far, and we have one more tomorrow before the game. We’re prepared, and we understand how important this game is, so we’re going to go out there and give our best. The most important thing for tomorrow’s game is our mindset because when we played there last time, we had too many lapses that cost us the game. I hope we’ve learned from our past losses and that we’ll perform better this time."
Luca Banchi, Anadolu Efes Istanbul head coach
"The game in Belgrade against Partizan will be very challenging. They actually have the same record as us. And we know how that team traditionally is capable, especially in a home games, to show all their potential and their capacity to fire the crowd and make the atmosphere special around the game. We are very excited to be in such a stage, because it's time for us to prove our team personality and show all the character you need to play such a kind of game."
PJ Dozier, Anadolu Efes Istanbul forward
"I am excited to have the opportunity to go back and play in Belgrade in front of those amazing fans. It will always have a special place in my heart because of the love and support they showed me in my short time there. Our team is really looking forward to coming in and playing a great game to come out victorious in a very important game for both teams."
Thursday, March 20
Olympiacos Piraeus vs. Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade (19:00 CET)
Georgios Bartzokas, Olympiacos Piraeus head coach
"Our players are high-quality players, and they do not need extra motivation for this kind of game. We are in the homestretch for the EuroLeague regular season. That’s important not only for us but for all teams. We will play in a full gym, in front of our fans, in a great atmosphere, and we want to win. It is that simple. The absences that our opponent has in the front line will not affect our game style. I am sure that no matter what, they will fight till the end, like they do in every game. They have potential, talent, and experience in their perimeter."
Luca Vildoza, Olympiacos Piraeus guard
"It is going to be a tough game. They really need the win. They are facing many problems in their frontcourt, but I am sure that they will fight for the win. We lost against them in Belgrade, and the goal for us is to show a completely different face tomorrow. The fact that we have already secured our place in the playoffs does not affect us. We want to win and remain in first place. We are here to win no matter what. We do not relax. Playoffs are coming, and we must be ready."
Ioannis Sfairopoulos, Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade head coach
"Olympiacos is a very good team. Everyone knows what kind of team it is. They are first in the standings and have stability in the game throughout the season. The great quality and experience they possess make them one of the main favorites to win the EuroLeague. Our job is not easy at all, because we don't have centers and we will try to do the best with the team we have. This is a challenge for all of us to show character and make up for the lack of centers. I expect everyone to give their maximum effort."
Branko Lazic, Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade guard
"Even with the injury issues we have at the five, we're going to have to make some adjustments in the rotation and go there prepared. We will play as hard as possible, you all know what Olympiacos is like, the position in the standings shows that they have already secured the playoffs. We mustn't relax, no matter what lineup we go with in Piraeus."
AS Monaco vs. Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (19:00 CET)
Vassilis Spanoulis, AS Monaco head coach
"Fener suffered a little at the start of the season, but then they found the solutions to connect better and establish themselves as one of the best teams in the EuroLeague. They play very good basketball, they play together offensively and defensively. It's a very important game for us. We've trained very well, and I expect my players to approach this game in the best possible way and show what kind of team we are. It's a must-win game. Being third, fourth or fifth isn't the most important thing today. The most important thing is to find your best form, and that's why we train, why we talk to each other, why we make videos, so that we can progress, secure big wins and reach new mental heights each time."
Mike James, AS Monaco guard
"We're approaching the end of the regular season, and every result counts. Objectively, we need to win, and I think they also want to win to keep their position (second), so it's a big game. We're not going to change what happened before. We just need to concentrate on tomorrow's game. My message is still the same: play hard to stay on course. We have to have our own way of playing and apply it to every game, whether it's a league game or a EuroLeague game. There are certain basics to respect. We need to play better defense and move forward."
Saras Jasikevicius, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul head coach
"Monaco is one of the top teams in the EuroLeague. For us, it is one of the most difficult games of the season. Like always the big games, this also will be decided by the easy points. They have a lot of talented guards and other position players. We have to make it as difficult as possible for them, especially for the guards. So, let’s hope we can do it."
Errick McCollum, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul guard
"It’s always tough playing on the road in the EuroLeague, especially against a team that is fighting for a playoff position. We know it is going to be tough. They have good guard play. It’s going to be important that we try to contain that. We have to be aggressive, try to make it tough for them, force them into difficult shots and take away easy transition buckets."
Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv vs. Virtus Segafredo Bologna (20:15 CET)
Oded Kattash, Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv head coach
"We're going to miss some key players, so we are not in a perfect situation. Still, we want to play better, like we have done the last three or four weeks and we want to keep winning."
Rokas Jokubaitis, Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv guard
"It's nice to start winning, finally, in the EuroLeague and not to be in the last two positions. These remaining games that are left are for our pride. This season was bad in the EuroLeague, but it's coming to an end so I think we need to step it up, like we are doing now, and to show our pride. I think we can go up even more, so we will try to finish as high as possible in the standings."
Dusko Ivanovic, Virtus Segafredo Bologna head coach
"We need to improve from the game against Maccabi. They changed so much during the season and now they are really an athletic team, probably the best in transition and offensive rebounds. We know we have a tough game ahead of us."
Rayjon Tucker, Virtus Segafredo Bologna guard
"Obviously we want to win. We've had a little losing streak on the road and every game is important to improve and grow as a team. What we will have to do is go out on the court hard."
Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz vs. FC Bayern Munich (20:30 CET)
Pablo Laso, Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz
"I am sure it will be a tough game. Bayern is the German League champion and is playing very well. It is clearly an offensive-oriented team. I think that having Shabazz Napier and Johannes Voigtmann, plus playing Nick [Weiler-Babb] at point guard makes them play a very open-court offense. Having Andreas Obst and Carsen Edwards together on court also helps them have this open-court offense feeling. They have frontcourt problems because they had injuries, but Voigtmann's signings made them really solid. We will need to make a very good defensive work if we want to have some sort of control of the game against a team that, in the end, if you watched the game we played in Munich, you have the feeling that you played well and they did better, hitting a lot of shots. A lot of the shots they made were contested, so we congratulated them and that's it. What do we have to do to avoid this? We have to increase our defensive intensity, slow them down and keep our playing rhythm. With that in mind, we have to be aware we play against a team that is in that group fighting for playoffs and play-in. If we don't want to lose track, we must get the win."
Gordon Herbert, FC Bayern Munich head coach
"Rebounds will be the key in Vitoria. They are big, physical, and athletic, so we need to secure the boards. Offensively, we need pace and ball movement. It’s not just about playing freely but about delivering a strong team performance."
Niels Giffey, FC Bayern Munich forward
"The pressure is high for many teams, and every game is extremely important. We definitely have a chance to win on the road at Baskonia, but we need to be ready from the start."
Real Madrid vs. LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne (20:45 CET)
Chus Mateo, Real Madrid head coach
"Regardless of their trajectory in recent weeks, ASVEL Villeurbanne has players of enormous quality. [Theo] Maledon, [Paris] Lee, [Nando] De Colo, [Joffey] Lauvergne are top-level players and that's not to mention the rest, who also have a lot of quality and are showing a lot of talent. ASVEL has three superb playmakers, very good rebounders, people with tremendous athleticism and physicality, players who at the 5 can open up and at the 4 can play in the low post, outside players who can also play in the low post, shooters... ASVEL has so many resources that we have to be attentive to everything. We can't give ourselves any breathing space or take any confidence with them and we have to be at our best from the first moment. It will also be very important to try to get something positive out of every play, lose few balls, score in situations of numerical superiority on counterattack, circulate the ball well and not forget to touch the paint on offense."
Gaby Deck, Real Madrid forward
"Tomorrow we have a tough game ahead of us against a great opponent like ASVEL Villeurbanne and we will try to give our best at home with the support of our people to get another victory. We know it won't be easy as we have a final ahead of us, the first of the ones we have ahead of us in this EuroLeague. I would highlight ASVEL's toughness. It is a team that plays with a lot of intensity during the 40 minutes and we will have to match that toughness and fight for every ball, every minute, always looking for the best options in attack. We must focus on what we do, on trying to do our job well and, surely, with the support of our fans, we will have a plus."
Tuesday, March 18
Paris Basketball vs. EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (20:30 CET)
Ettore Messina, EA7 Emporio Armani Milan head coach
"We face one of the surprise teams of the competition, well coached and organized by coach Tiago Splitter, a team capable to play very uptempo especially at home. For us, it will be crucial to produce a good shot selection in order to have a better transition defense. We are happy that Freddie Gillespie, regardless of his ability to play in Paris, has been recovered with no further consequences after his terrifying fall during the Fenerbahce game."
