The drama continues with Round 23 of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague concluding with a heavyweight matchup at the top of the standings. Here’s your guide to this week’s games.
Round 23 at a glance: A top-of-the-table clash awaits
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Wednesday, January 22
Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade vs. Paris Basketball
The action starts early with a Wednesday meeting between in-form playoffs chasers Partizan (11-11) and Paris (13-8). Both teams are coming off perfect double-round weeks with Partizan led to a couple of emphatic road wins by the scoring power of Sterling Brown, who has averaged 21.5 points over the last five games. Paris’s return to winning ways was underlined by another dominant display from star guard T.J. Shorts in Friday’s destruction of Maccabi when he paired 11 points with a season-high 14 assists. With head-to-head tiebreak advantage very much in play, the Serbian team needs to take a 4-point victory following Paris’s 74-71 home win in Round 8. Nadir Hifi netted 17 points that night and will be a big factor again on Wednesday, having netted multiple triples in 14 consecutive games.
Thursday, January 23
Anadolu Efes Istanbul vs. EA7 Emporio Armani Milan
Efes (10-12) will seek to end a five-game losing slide by overcoming a Milan team (12-10) also looking to recover winning ways. Luca Banchi’s men need to show much stiffer defensive resistance after allowing an average of 87.6 points over the last five games, while the offense would be boosted if Rodrigue Beaubois can return to form; the veteran shooter has averaged just 2.2 points during the losing run. Milan suffered a 20-point demolition at home by Partizan last time out, not helped by key man Shavon Shields committing 6 turnovers, and also has revenge on the agenda after losing 84-96 at home to Efes in November. Darius Thompson orchestrated that triumph with 17 points and 7 assists and Milan will look to slow him down on Thursday.
Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv vs. Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade
Zvezda (13-9) will attempt to maintain its push for the playoffs against a Maccabi team (5-17) which is fast fading from contention. The Serbian team is riding the feelgood factor of Friday’s overtime triumph over Monaco, when young forward Filip Petrusev continued his outstanding season with 29 points on 10-of-11 shooting from the field. Zvezda will also be encouraged by its defensive performance after holding Monaco to 76 points in regulation and will look to inflict more pain on a Maccabi team that has lost four in a row. Oded Kattash’s team can rely on the consistent backcourt skills of Rokas Jokubaitis (12.2 points and 5.2 assists per night), but must improve a defense which has allowed 90.6 points per game, second-most in the league.
Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens vs. Zalgiris Kaunas
An all-green battle between two teams eager to bounce back will see joint-third Panathinaikos (13-9) host a Zalgiris team (11-11) just outside the playoff zone. The Lithuanian team is coming off a defeat at Fenerbahce where 24 points from Alen Smailagic – including a club record quarter total of 19 in the second frame alone – was not enough to secure a prestigious road win. Most importantly, Zalgiris lost its usual defensive toughness as Fenerbahce scored 64 points in the second half and the visitor faces the tough task of offering more resistance against a hungry Panathinaikos. The reigning champ lost twice in Spain last week, at Barcelona and Baskonia, and will look to control the paint through in-form Omer Yurtseven who has recorded at least 11 points and 7 rebounds in four consecutive games.
Virtus Segafredo Bologna vs. AS Monaco
After damaging Bayern’s playoff push last time out, Virtus (7-15) will now look to do the same against struggling Monaco (13-9). The Roca Team has lost three in a row after Friday’s overtime loss at Zvezda, where big man Donatas Motiejunas delivered a season-high 16 points but didn’t receive enough support. Virtus’s win in Munich was powered by 20 points on 7-of-11 two-point shooting from veteran leader Toko Shengelia, who will relish his battle for inside dominance with Motiejunas. Monaco cruised to victory, 101-85, in this season’s first meeting between the teams, led by 20 points and 6 assists from Elie Okobo – who will be targeting a return to form after shooting just 1-of-8 from the field last time out.
Real Madrid vs. Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz
An all-Spanish affair will see Real Madrid (12-10) attempt to kickstart another winning run with a visit from former coach Pablo Laso’s Baskonia (9-13). Real needs to recover its efficiency and its discipline after a bad-tempered home loss to Olympiacos last time out and Facundo Campazzo – who could be joined in the backcourt by new signing Dennis Smith – will look to return to his usual form after being held to 7 points and 4 assists in that game. Baskonia boosted both its confidence and its playoff chances by downing Panathinaikos last time out, with Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot continuing his best form of the season with 20 points and 7 boards. Markus Howard also returned from injury – albeit scoring just 1 point – and his shooting skills will be required to take a huge road victory.
Friday, January 24
LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne vs. FC Barcelona
Inconsistent ASVEL (10-12) will attempt to narrow the gap to the top 10 by ending Barcelona’s (13-9) four-game winning streak. The Spanish team climbed to a share of third place by downing Panathinaikos and Efes at home last week, partly thanks to growing chemistry between bench-boosters Juan Nunez (11 points and 6 assists against Efes) and Chimizie Metu (10 points and 6 rebounds last time out). Barca has also greatly improved its defense in recent weeks, and will look to stifle an ASVEL side that needed overtime to overcome ALBA last time out. Former Barca sharpshooter Edwin Jackson was key with 18 points on 4-of-5 three-point shooting. The visiting team leads the league in steals (7.7 per game), so ASVEL star Theo Maledon’s tendency to lose possession (3 turnovers per game) will be tested.
ALBA Berlin vs. FC Bayern Munich
The German derby will see last-placed ALBA (3-19) attempt to salvage pride with a visit from up-and-down Bayern (12-10). History suggests a victory for Bayern, which has won nine of the 10 EuroLeague matchups with ALBA and cruised home 115-88 in Round 10 behind a double-double from Nick Weiler-Babb (12 points, 11 assists). Bayern’s leading scorer Carsen Edwards has been below par recently, making just 1 of his 8 three-pointers in last week’s home loss to Virtus, so he’ll seek a return to form against an ALBA defense that has allowed more points than any other team (92 per game). Bayern also has defensive struggles, allowing 88.2 points per night, so ALBA will look to take advantage through in-form shooter Matt Thomas, who has drained 13 triples in the last four games.
Olympiacos Piraeus vs. Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul
First hosts second in a mouthwatering matchup in Piraeus as Olympiacos (16-6) and Fenerbahce (14-7) put their winning runs on the line. The Reds have taken seven straight following last week's Spanish triumphs at Baskonia and Real, where Evan Fournier was unstoppable with 22 and 28 points on 13-of-16 three-pointers. Fenerbahce had to show character to come from behind and beat Zalgiris at home on Friday, inspired by proven leaders Nigel Hayes-Davis (21 points) and Marko Guduric (20) to make it four wins in a row. The Turkish team will hope for a repeat of the season-opening home win over the Reds, when the rebounding power of Bonzie Colson (10 points, 9 rebounds) helped seal an 82-71 outcome. But Olympiacos big men Moustapha Fall and Nikola Milutinov both missed that game, and their presence will make the Reds a different proposition this time around.