Name: Papapetrou beats the buzzer! Motorola Magic Moment
Channel: Euroleague Basketball

Papapetrou beats the buzzer! Motorola Magic Moment

Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens v ALBA Berlin (2025-03-21T19:15:00.000Z)

The Jones duo do their thing as Carlik feeds Tyrique for a monster slam dunk!

A vicious windmill dunk by Jones! Motorola Magic Moment

Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade v Anadolu Efes Istanbul (2025-03-21T19:45:00.000Z)

Dovydas Giedraitis sets up Bryant Dunston for a one-handed slam.

Dunston’s dunk! Motorola Magic Moment

FC Barcelona v Zalgiris Kaunas (2025-03-21T19:30:00.000Z)

Martin Herrmannsson inbounds the ball for a nice dunk by Robert Baker!

Baker dunks off the inbounds pass! Motorola Magic Moment

## Friday, March 21, 2025

### [Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens 91-81 ALBA Berlin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/panathinaikos-aktor-athens-alba-berlin/E2024/268/)

Panathinaikos bounced back from its defeat in the Greek derby with a hard-fought 91-81 win over the visiting ALBA at OAKA on Friday night. The Greens led by double digits at halftime, 46-35, but a strong run early in the fourth period boosted ALBA to a 69-77 advantage with just 6 minutes remaining. The Greens didn’t step back, though, as Jerian Grant and Lorenzo Brown sparked a 21-0 run to inspire the comeback and seal the victory. Panathinaikos, which improved to 19-11, was led by Grant, who scored 19 points on 10-of-10 free throws. Kendrick Nunn followed with 18 and Wenyen Gabriel and Brown had 13 apiece for the winners. Matt Thomas paced ALBA with 14 points, Gabriele Procida chipped in 13 and Yanni Wetzell netted 11 for the visitors, which slipped to 5-25.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Home W secured by <a href="https://twitter.com/Paobcgr?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Paobcgr</a> after an exciting fourth quarter! ✅<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EveryGameMatters?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EveryGameMatters</a> <a href="https://t.co/3Z4txohKWu">pic.twitter.com/3Z4txohKWu</a></p>&mdash; Turkish Airlines EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague/status/1903194622605791305?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 21, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [FC Barcelona 82-70 Zalgiris Kaunas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/fc-barcelona-zalgiris-kaunas/E2024/269/)

Barcelona continued its climb up the standings by downing the visiting Zalgiris 82-70 on Friday night. It was Barcelona’s third consecutive win, which improved it to a 17-13 record, tied for the fifth best in the league. Zalgiris, meanwhile, dropped to 14-16 on the season. Barcelona grabbed the lead for good in the second quarter and extended it to double digits late in the third, then never allowed the visitors to get close again. Dario Brizuela led the way with 20 points. Justin Anderson had 16 points, Kevin Punter netted 14 and Chimezie Metu finished with 12 points and 8 rebounds in the win. Three Zalgiris players scored 13 points: Sylvain Francisco, Ignas Brazdeikis and Deividas Sirvydis.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Third W in a row for <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBbasket?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FCBbasket</a>! ✅<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EveryGameMatters?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EveryGameMatters</a> <a href="https://t.co/R8zp4EOdzL">pic.twitter.com/R8zp4EOdzL</a></p>&mdash; Turkish Airlines EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague/status/1903198323214782632?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 21, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade 65-97 Anadolu Efes Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/partizan-mozzart-bet-belgrade-anadolu-efes-istanbul/E2024/270/)

Efes boosted its hopes of making the EuroLeague postseason with a crushing 65-97 road win over Partizan. Luca Banchi's men improved to 16-14, while Zeljko Obradovic's squad dropped to 15-15 after a third successive defeat. Darius Thompson paced Efes on 19 points and Elijah Bryant added 18 for the visitors, who shot an impressive 25 of 33 (75.8 percent) from inside and 11 of 24 from downtown. Former Partizan player PJ Dozier chipped in with 13 points, Shane Larkin added 11 and Dan Oturu netted 10 for the visiting team. Tyrique Jones, Frank Ntilikina and Isaac Bonga scored 11 points each for a disjointed Partizan, which has seriously derailed its postseason hopes after its heaviest home defeat in EuroLeague history, surpassing its 31-point loss to CSKA Moscow (55-86) in 2007.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">✊ Mode: ON<br>Partizan 65 - 97 Anadolu Efes | Maç Sonucu<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BenimYerimBuras%C4%B1?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BenimYerimBurası</a> <a href="https://t.co/LwYDHDysWU">pic.twitter.com/LwYDHDysWU</a></p>&mdash; Anadolu Efes SK (@AnadoluEfesSK) <a href="https://twitter.com/AnadoluEfesSK/status/1903200501711134962?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 21, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

## Thursday, March 20, 2025

### [Olympiacos Piraeus 73-81 Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/olympiacos-piraeus-crvena-zvezda-meridianbet-belgrade/E2024/264/#boxscore)

Crvena Zvezda put an end to its three-game losing slide by defeating Olympiacos at Peace and Friendship Stadium. The visitors shared the ball well on offense and looked solid on the other end, leading from start to finish to get back to winning ways. Zvezda improved its record to 17-13, while Olympiacos remains atop the table despite dropping to 22-8. Rokas Giedraitis led all scorers with 20 points, having gone 6-for-7 from deep, and Codi Miller-McIntyre recorded a double-double of 15 points and 11 rebounds. Sasha Vezenkov paced Olympiacos with 19 points.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">HEROIC 🤯🤯🤯<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/kkcz?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#kkcz</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeAreTheTeam?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeAreTheTeam</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EveryGameMatters?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EveryGameMatters</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/sportmts?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@sportmts</a> <a href="https://t.co/EJW4DIFRza">pic.twitter.com/EJW4DIFRza</a></p>&mdash; KK Crvena zvezda Meridianbet (@kkcrvenazvezda) <a href="https://twitter.com/kkcrvenazvezda/status/1902808622511558763?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 20, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [AS Monaco 91-82 Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/as-monaco-fenerbahce-beko-istanbul/E2024/263/)

Monaco improved to 18-12 and boosted its hopes of a top-four finish after an impressive home win over Fenerbahce on the back of a season-high 29 points from pack leader Mike James. Elie Okobo chipped in with 16 points and Daniel Theis racked up 15 points and 7 boards for the home team, which prevailed despite losing the battle of the boards 32-41 as it forced 17 turnovers from Fenerbahce. The visitors, who only managed 12 assists, were paced by Errick McCollum on 24 points. The result also means that Fenerbahce dropped to 20-10 and still has work to do to secure an automatic playoff spot. 

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="fr" dir="ltr">‼️ 𝙌𝙐𝙀𝙇𝙇𝙀 𝙑𝙄𝘾𝙏𝙊𝙄𝙍𝙀 ! 🥵<br><br>🔒 Avec une défense de fer et un money time de feu, la <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RocaTeam?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RocaTeam</a> domine le Fenerbahçe à la maison ! 🔥<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DagheMunegu?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DagheMunegu</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EveryGameMatters?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EveryGameMatters</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RivalrySeries?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RivalrySeries</a> <a href="https://t.co/XTHNjN3QMc">pic.twitter.com/XTHNjN3QMc</a></p>&mdash; AS Monaco Basket 🇲🇨 (@ASMonaco_Basket) <a href="https://twitter.com/ASMonaco_Basket/status/1902816962712863116?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 20, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv 77-67 Virtus Segafredo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/maccabi-playtika-tel-aviv-virtus-segafredo-bologna/E2024/267/)

Maccabi now has the longest active winning streak in the EuroLeague after beating Virtus for its fourth straight victory. With Crvena Zvezda snapping table-topper Olympiacos's six-game roll, Maccabi is now the hottest team though the Israeli champion has already been eliminated from postseason contention with a 10-20 record. Maccabi took control of the game with a 32-8 run spanning the middle two quarters. Rokas Jokubaitis led the way with 19 points and Jimmy Clark scored 14. Virtus suffered an eighth straight loss for a 7-23 record. Achille Polonara was Virtus’s leading scorer with 15 points.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="und" dir="ltr">WWWW <a href="https://t.co/TksNZcQPtX">pic.twitter.com/TksNZcQPtX</a></p>&mdash; Maccabi Tel Aviv BC 🇮🇱​ (@MaccabiTLVBC) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaccabiTLVBC/status/1902830060769558837?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 20, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz 112-89 FC Bayern Munich](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/baskonia-vitoria-gasteiz-fc-bayern-munich/E2024/265/)

Baskonia produced an offensive whirlwind to thrash Bayern and keep the Spanish team’s top 10 hopes alive. Baskonia improved to 13-17, while Bayern dropped to 17-13. Baskonia led for most of a high-scoring first half, which ended 50-48, and accelerated its scoring pace after the break to seal a big win. Markus Howard led the way with 27 points, as Trent Forrest recorded a double-double of 14 points and 10 assists. 12. Shabazz Napier paced Bayern with 15 points.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">¡¡QUÉ TRIUNFO JUNTO A VOSOTROS, BASKONISTAS!! ✊✊✊<br><br>✅✅✅<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoazenBaskonia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GoazenBaskonia</a> <a href="https://t.co/F5KS2db4pg">pic.twitter.com/F5KS2db4pg</a></p>&mdash; Baskonia (@Baskonia) <a href="https://twitter.com/Baskonia/status/1902832615628919226?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 20, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Real Madrid 81-70 LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/real-madrid-ldlc-asvel-villeurbanne/E2024/266/)

Real Madrid grabbed its third consecutive home victory by downing ASVEL in the Spanish capital. Real improved to 16-14 in the standings while ASVEL dropped to 11-19 with its seventh straight loss. Walter Tavares led the winners with 23 points. Sergio Llull added 12 while Dzanan Musa had 10 for Real. Theo Maledon paced ASVEL with 25 points, 5 rebounds and 4 steals. Paris Less added 15 points for the visitors.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="und" dir="ltr">🏁 FP: <a href="https://twitter.com/RMBaloncesto?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RMBaloncesto</a> 81 - 70 <a href="https://twitter.com/LDLCASVEL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LDLCASVEL</a><a href="https://twitter.com/UnicajaBanco?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@UnicajaBanco</a> <a href="https://t.co/RUmoDeHYtm">pic.twitter.com/RUmoDeHYtm</a></p>&mdash; Real Madrid Basket (@RMBaloncesto) <a href="https://twitter.com/RMBaloncesto/status/1902836786516148389?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 20, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

## Tuesday, March 18, 2025

### [Paris Basketball 92-79 EA7 Emporio Armani Milan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/paris-basketball-ea7-emporio-armani-milan/E2024/262/)

Paris downed Milan 92-79 in Round 30 to grab the tiebreaker between these two, which could be crucial come playoff time. Both Paris and Milan entered this clash with an identical 16-13 record, but Paris now improves to 17-13 while Milan drops to 16-14. TJ Shorts was outstanding for the hosts, posting a 24-point, 10-assist double-double in addition to 6 rebounds, 2 steals and 1 block. Sebastian Herrera and Maodo Lo both added 13 points, and Tyson Ward poured in 11. Milan's leading scorer was Fabien Causeur with 18 points, followed by Nico Mannion with 17, Zach LeDay with 14 and Shavon Shields with 10.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Paris Basketball with a dominating win at home!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EveryGameMatters?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EveryGameMatters</a> <a href="https://t.co/1C0mNzhGiY">pic.twitter.com/1C0mNzhGiY</a></p>&mdash; Turkish Airlines EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague/status/1902110269695729747?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 18, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

With the playoff race starting to take shape, how will things look after Round 30?

Game Center: Efes blows out Partizan by 32 points; PAO, Barça grab victories

Check out what the coaches and players are saying ahead of Round 30 of the 2024-25 EuroLeague season.

Pregame quotes hub: Round 30

## 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."

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'

All the latest injury news surrounding all registered players ahead of Round 30 of the 2024-25 EuroLeague season.

EuroLeague injury report: Round 30

Follow all the latest injury information for registered players in the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season, as reported by the clubs, and get your [EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge](https://euroleaguefantasy.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/home?_ga=2.101462721.1199459303.1696273873-903329349.1669636775) teams up to date!

### ALBA Berlin

David McCormack is ruled out and Justin Bean is questionable for ALBA's game at Maccabi on Thursday, the club has confirmed.

- Justin Bean missed Round 29.
- Jonas Mattisseck last played in Round 27.

### Anadolu Efes Istanbul

All of Efes's players are available for its game at Partizan on Friday, the club has confirmed.

- Ridvan Oncel last played in Round 14.
- Dogus Ozdemiroglu last played in Round 25.

### AS Monaco

Nick Calathes is out while Daniel Theis is questionable for Monaco's game against Fenerbahce on Thursday, according to the club's website.

- Daniel Theis suffered an injury during Round 29 and did not feature in domestic action last weekend.
- Nick Calathes last played in Round 26.
- Vitto Brown has last played in Round 22 but is back practicing again.

### Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz

Baskonia has not yet sent an injury report for its game against Bayern on Thursday.

- Kamar Baldwin, who returned to action in Round 29, suffered a hand fracture last weekend and will undergo surgery, [the club announced on March 17](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/kamar-baldwin-to-undergo-surgery-for-hand-fracture/).
- Chima Moneke did not play in domestic action last weekend.
- Ousmane Ndiaye has been loaned out to Granada, [the club announced on February 27](https://x.com/Baskonia/status/1895050149593764178).

### Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade

Joel Bolomboy, Luka Mitrovic, Filip Petrusev and Mike Daum are ruled out for Crvena Zvezda's game at Olympiacos on Thursday, the club has confirmed.

- Filip Petrusev cannot play against Olympiacos, his parent club, as part of the loan agreement.
- Joel Bolomboy is out for 3-6 weeks after spraining his ankle, [the club announced on March 14](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/joel-bolomboy-out-3-6-weeks-with-ankle-sprain/).
- Luka Mitrovic, who last played in Round 26 due to a knee problem, and has underwent an arthroscopic knee surgery on March 19, and is expected to return to practicing in two weeks time.
- Branko Lazic last played in Round 15 but has recovered from injury.
- Mike Daum, who last played in Round 18, has undergone knee surgery, the club announced on January 9.

### EA7 Emporio Armani Milan

Nikola Mirotic is on the 12-man roster for Milan's game at Paris on Tuesday but Freddie Gillespie, who was a game-time decision, has missed out. Josh Nebo is ruled out.

- Nikola Mirotic left Milan's Round 28 game with a coccyx injury but was able to play in Round 29.
- Freddie Gillespie also left Milan's Round 28 game after a scary fall.
- [Josh Nebo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/josh-nebo-to-be-reevaluated-in-3-4-weeks/) suffered another injury in Round 17 and is expected to miss extended time, according to coach Ettore Messina.

### FC Barcelona

Jan Vesely, Juan Nunez and Nico Laprovittola are ruled out for Barcelona's game against Zalgiris on Friday, the club has confirmed.

- Juan Nunez is out for the rest of the season [after undergoing knee surgery](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/barcelona-juan-nunez-done-for-season-after-knee-surgery/).
- Kevin Punter, who had been out since mid-February with a shoulder injury, returned to action in Round 29.
- [Jan Vesely is expected to be sidelined for 8-10 weeks](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/barcelona-jan-vesely-out-8-10-weeks/) due to a knee injury, the club announced in early February.
- [Nico Laprovittola](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/nico-laprovittola-to-undergo-knee-surgery/) was ruled out for the season due to an ACL and meniscus injury.

### FC Bayern Munich

Devin Booker and Oscar da Silva remain out and will miss Bayern's game at Baskonia on Thursday, the club has confirmed.

- Devin Booker last played in Round 24 as he has been out with a minor knee injury, but he has rejoined team practices.
- Oscar da Silva, who last played in Round 27, is out for 'the coming weeks', the club announced on March 6.

### Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul

Khem Birch is a game-day scratch, meaning both he and Scottie Wilbekin will miss Fenerbahce's game at Monaco on Thursday, the club has confirmed.

- Khem Birch will miss Round 30 due to injury.
- Arturs Zagars did not play in Round 28 nor Round 29.
- [Scottie Wilbekin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/fenerbahce-confirms-the-worst-scottie-wilbekin-has-torn-his-acl/) tore his ACL in Round 1 and is out long term.

### LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne

ASVEL has not yet sent an injury report for its game at Real Madrid on Thursday.

- Theo Maledon exited ASVEL's Round 28 game with a finger injury and did not play in Round 29.
- [Mbaye Ndiaye ](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/mbaye-ndiaye-ldlc-asvel-out-for-several-months-with-knee-injury/)has ruptured the cruciate ligaments in his right knee and is likely out for the season.

### Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv

Levi Randolph is being rested while Jaylen Hoard and Jasiel Rivero are out due to injury for Maccabi’s game against Virtus on Thursday, the club has confirmed.

- Levi Randolph has not travelled with the team to Italy.
- Jasiel Rivero has suffered a broken ankle, [Maccabi announced on March 11](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/maccabi-loses-jasiel-rivero-to-broken-ankle/).
- Jaylen Hoard has been out with a hamstring injury since [the club announced it on January 29](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/maccabis-jaylen-hoard-suffers-another-torn-hamstring/).

### Olympiacos Piraeus

Nigel Williams-Goss, Keenan Evans, Moses Wright and Thomas Walkup will miss Olympiacos's game against Crvena Zvezda on Thursday while Tyler Dorsey is questionable, the club has confirmed.

- Nigel Williams-Goss exited Olympiacos's Round 29 game with a leg injury.
- Keenan Evans has been registered. He has not played this season after undergoing knee surgery last May.
- Thomas Walkup (back) last played in Round 20.
- [Moses Wright](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/moses-wright-out-for-the-season-with-health-issue/) is out for the season with a health issue.

### Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens

Panathinaikos has not yet sent an injury report for its game against ALBA on Friday.

- [Omer Yurtseven](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/panathinaikos-loses-center-yurtseven/) suffered a leg injury on January 20, which will sideline him for six to eight weeks.
- [Mathias Lessort](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/all-euroleague-center-mathias-lessort-leaves-game-with-leg-injury/) suffered a broken fibula in Round 17 and will miss several months.
- Marius Grigonis (lower back surgery) has not played since Round 4.

### Paris Basketball

Paris has not yet sent an injury report for its game against Milan on Tuesday.

- Enzo Shahrvin last played in Round 23.

### Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade

Mario Nakic is the only likely Partizan's absence for its game against Efes on Friday.

- Isaac Bonga, who last played in Round 26 after suffering a hand injury while playing for the German national team, is available for this game.
- Mario Nakic "90% out due to illness", according to the club
- Mitar Bosnjakovic last played in Round 16.

### Real Madrid

Real Madrid has not yet sent an injury report for its game against ASVEL on Thursday.

- Dzanan Musa suffered an ankle injury in domestic action last weekend.
- [Gaby Deck](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/real-madrid-loses-gabriel-deck-to-torn-hamstring/) last played in Round 18 after tearing his hamstring, but he did return to the floor in the domestic action last weekend.
- Xavier Rathan-Mayes last played in Round 27.

### Virtus Segafredo Bologna

Momo Diouf is Virtus's only absentee for its game at Maccabi on Thursday, the club has confirmed.

- [Will Clyburn has been out since early January](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/will-clyburn-virtus-bologna-out-at-least-10-weeks-with-foot-injury/) due to a foot injury, but he is available once again.
- Alessandro Pajola did not play in Round 29, but he returned to action in the domestic league last weekend.
- Marco Belinelli last played in Round 27, but he returned to action in the domestic league last weekend.

### Zalgiris Kaunas

Zalgiris has not yet sent an injury report for its game at Barcelona on Friday.

- Lukas Lekavicius (groin) last played in Round 26.

Stay up to date with the latest information provided by the EuroLeague clubs

Injury report, Round 30: McCormack ruled out, Bonga returns, Efes at full strength

AS Monaco got the better of Fenerbahce Beko in a rip-roaring Rivalry Series matchup on Thursday, claiming a 91-82 victory after the home team’s talismanic playmaker Mike James served up a vintage performance worthy of the EuroLeague’s all-time top scorer.

Mike James shined to lift Monaco over Fenerbahce

[AS Monaco](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/as-monaco/mco/) got the better of [Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fenerbahce-beko-istanbul/ulk/) in a rip-roaring Rivalry Series matchup on Thursday, claiming [a 91-82 victory](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/monaco-sinks-fenerbahce-91-82-powered-by-mike-james/) after the home team’s talismanic playmaker [Mike James](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/mike-james/005985/) served up a vintage performance worthy of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague’s [all-time top scorer](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/stats/expanded/?size=200&viewType=traditional&statisticMode=accumulated&seasonMode=All&sortDirection=descending&statistic=score).

James poured a season-high 29 points plus 6 assists as Monaco forced the competition’s in-form team into submission. Fenerbahce had arrived at the principality with a 10-2 record in its previous 12 games, aspiring to edge closer to a top-six finish.

Instead, the race for playoff spots is now wide open as fourth-placed Monaco improved to 18-12 while second-placed Fenerbahce dropped to 20-10 in a fiercely competitive home straight of the regular season.

Monaco has been in patchy form over the last 10 games, winning five and losing as many, but coach Vassilis Spanoulis's charges produced one of their best performances of the season when the chips were down after a fired-up James led the charge against Fenerbahce.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">👑 Mike took care of business 👔🐐<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RocaTeam?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RocaTeam</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DagheMunegu?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DagheMunegu</a> <a href="https://t.co/1x4U5LgeQY">pic.twitter.com/1x4U5LgeQY</a></p>&mdash; AS Monaco Basket 🇲🇨 (@ASMonaco_Basket) <a href="https://twitter.com/ASMonaco_Basket/status/1902823173969613213?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 20, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

“We played with a bit more energy than we have been recently,” the 34-year-old point guard said. “It’s getting down to the tough part of the season as every game matters now even more and we’re fighting for our playoff lives.

“Fenerbahce is a team with Final Four ambitions and they’ve been one of the best teams in the league so far this season, so that was a very good win,” he added.

Coach Spanoulis heaped praise on the entire roster, singling out forward [Alpha Diallo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/alpha-diallo/011226/) who came up with big plays in crunch time as he racked up a crucial offensive board which in turn facilitated a clutch three from James. 

Spanoulis also stressed that ramping up on defense was the key after Fenerbahce won the opening quarter 26-28, when the Turkish team took advantage of a somewhat lazy approach by Monaco.  

“We didn’t start well and our defense was not on the required level in the first quarter, but we hustled and fought and Alpha made some big plays in the end,” Spanoulis said. 

“All the guys contributed and that’s the only way to beat a great team like Fenerbahce. Today it was Mike, next time it’s going to be somebody else. Everyone played great defense after the first quarter and it’s not just about the points. We have had lots of ups and downs and we just have to be more consistent,” the Greek tactician highlighted.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Sorry, we&#39;re closed 🏠🚫<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RocaTeam?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RocaTeam</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EveryGameMatters?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EveryGameMatters</a> <a href="https://t.co/dNVCrrZzfQ">pic.twitter.com/dNVCrrZzfQ</a></p>&mdash; AS Monaco Basket 🇲🇨 (@ASMonaco_Basket) <a href="https://twitter.com/ASMonaco_Basket/status/1902836403798454496?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 20, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

German big man [Daniel Theis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/daniel-theis/004132/) has turned out to be a valuable addition since he joined Monaco last month after an eight-year stint in the NBA, playing an immense part against Fenerbahce as he registered 15 points and 7 boards. 

“We never stopped playing as a team,” said Theis. “We played physical defense and we got big stops in the end. We’ve got to play every game like this from the first minute, as we made a slow start tonight and conceded 28 points in the first quarter.”

Fenerbahce head coach Sarunas Jasikevicius conceded that his team was below par in a game he saw as an acid test for what the Turkish side might face in the business end of the competition.

“Our attention to detail and the game plan was not good,” Jasikevicius conceded. “This was a good test of our credentials for the playoffs, hopefully because we’re not there yet. We fought until the end, but we made way too many mistakes for this type of game.”

In [Round 31](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/?round=31&season=E2024), Fenerbahce is at home to [Paris Basketball](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/fenerbahce-beko-istanbul-paris-basketball/E2024/271/) while Monaco entertains [Zalgiris Kaunas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/as-monaco-zalgiris-kaunas/E2024/272/).

Game News

The home team took a big step toward sealing a playoff berth and home-court advantage

AS Monaco v Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (2025-03-20T18:00:00.000Z)

Real Madrid center Walter Tavares spoke to EuroLeague TV after his team beat LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne in Round 30 of the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.  

Walter Tavares: 'Real Madrid means winning' 

Real Madrid v LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne (2025-03-20T19:45:00.000Z)

Markus Howard's performance in Thursday’s 112-89 victory over FC Bayern Munich suggested that last season’s Alphonso Ford Top Scorer Trophy winner could still find a way to fire Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz into the postseason.

Markus Howard’s revival is giving Baskonia postseason hope

It has been a tough season for [Markus Howard](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/markus-howard/011948/), with [Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/baskonia-vitoria-gasteiz/roster/bas/?season=2024-25)’s sharpshooter enduring long periods of struggle when his usual deadly accuracy from long range has deserted him.

But Howard is finally finding consistency, and his performance in Thursday’s [112-89 victory](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/baskonia-blasts-bayern-112-89/) over [FC Bayern Munich](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fc-bayern-munich/roster/mun/?season=2024-25) suggested that last season’s [Alphonso Ford Top Scorer Trophy winner](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/baskonias-markus-howard-wins-the-2023-24-alphonso-ford-top-scorer-trophy/) could still find a way to fire his team into the postseason.

Despite starting the night by missing his first three shots, Howard soon found his range in the middle of the first quarter by netting 10 points in just over 3 minutes, including all the scoring in an 8-0 run that gave Baskonia its first significant lead of the night.

Markus Howard scored 27 points against Bayern

He continued to pour in the points on a regular basis, finishing with 27 points on 4-of-5 shooting from two-point range plus 6 triples on 11 attempts, also dishing 3 of Baskonia’s 32 assists – just 1 short of the club record.

“I think Baskonia needed a night like this,” the free-scoring American said after the game. “It’s been a tough year, but we’ve been resilient and stuck together. Tonight, I thought we played the right way, we had a great energy, and we treated it as professionals today. With the help of our home fans we took care of business and I’m very happy with this win.”

Game Videos

Howard has now scored in double digits for three consecutive games, giving fresh hope that Baskonia could still mount a late challenge for the top 10. With a very testing double-round trip to Istanbul to visit both Anadolu Efes and Fenerbahce Beko coming up next, that might seem like a distant ambition, but Howard’s scoring skills at least make it seem plausible.

Realistically, Baskonia will also need to win its other two games – at home to LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne and on the road at EA7 Emporio Armani Milan – to have any chance of making the Play-In Showdown, but Howard certainly hasn’t given up yet.

“Hopefully we can get all four,” he said. “But we’re going to take it a day at a time, and be grateful for the opportunity.”

The American found his best form in Thursday’s thrashing of Bayern

Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz v FC Bayern Munich (2025-03-20T19:30:00.000Z)

Real Madrid-LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne | RS Round 30 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz guard Markus Howard spoke to EuroLeague TV after his team beat FC Bayern Munich in Round 30 of the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.  

Markus Howard: 'Baskonia needed a night like this'

Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz-FC Bayern Munich | RS Round 30 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

ASVEL won three quarters against Real but lost the game: what happened?


Real's strong first quarter makes the difference 

Real Madrid downed LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne 81-70 at home in Round 30. It managed to get a quick lead, threatening several club records in the process, and keep a safe margin all the way until the final buzzer.

Real found an early advantage in the paint and went for it right away. [Walter Tavares](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/walter-tavares/005791/) dunked twice, drew a couple of shooting fouls and made all 4 attempts, and added a left-handed jump hook and a floater for 12 points in a 15-0 opening run. It was Real's second-best start ever in a EuroLeague game. Los Blancos had a 17-0 run against Anadolu Efes Istanbul to start Game 4 of the 2021 playoffs, which turned into an 82-76 victory.

Tavares had a PIR of 19 when he went to the bench with more than 3 minutes left in the first quarter. Only two players this season have had a higher first-quarter PIR: [Kendrick Nunn](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/kendrick-nunn/012774/) of Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens with 24 against EA7 Emporio Armani Milan in Round 16 and Olympiacos Piraeus forward [Sasha Vezenkov](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/sasha-vezenkov/003469/) with 20 against Paris Basketball in Round 25.

Real Madrid center Walter Tavares had 14 points in the opening seven minutes of his team's Round 30 game against LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne.

Tavares's strong start against ASVEL

Real was far from done, as many players kept contributing in the opening 10 minutes. [Andres Feliz](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/andres-feliz/011247/) buried a three-pointer and [Sergio Llull](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/sergio-llull/tgb/) struck twice from downtown. At the end of the first quarter, Real led ASVEL 32-10. That 22-point first-quarter difference is the second-biggest in club history. The record came on January 10, 2002, when Real built a 37-11 lead against Zadar after 10 minutes. Olympiacos Piraeus holds the EuroLeague record with a 35-8 first quarter against Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv on November 19, 2021.

*Los Blancos* made 6 of 9 two-pointers, 4 of 7 three-pointers and 8 of 11 free throws, outrebounded ASVEL 10-6 and forced the visitors into 8 turnovers. Real only had 1 turnover and dished 7 assists. The teams' PIR at that moment said it all: Real had a first-quarter PIR of 49 and ASVEL a PIR of -3.

ASVEL went on to win the next three quarters (20-24, 16-19, 13-17) but Real did a good job to stay away from trouble until the final buzzer. In less than 19 minutes, Tavares had 23 points on 9-of-12 two-point shooting and 5-of-5 on free throws, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 block and 4 fouls drawn for a PIR of 28. Llull had 12 points and finished the game in style with a buzzer-beating, 10-meter three-pointers in the next-to-last minute.

"We have to win every game and now we have four finals \[ahead of us\]. We are going to try to play our best to try to win all the games in front of us. That's the main goal for us: to be in the playoffs and reach the Final Four," Tavares said after the game. "All Real players have the pressure of being on the big stage every year. We are super motivated to reach that level and have a responsibility to win, because Real Madrid means winning."

"We had a very good first quarter and got a very big lead. And then, of course, they tried to come back. They are a very good team, especially their backcourt players, shooting from outside. We lost some rebounds and were a little bit confused with their alternative defenses," Real head coach [Chus Mateo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/real-madrid/mad/mateo-chus?season=E2024) said. "We stopped our offense a little bit but anyway, we are happy because we needed to win this game, and we have four more games to go."

Half of those four games will be played in Serbia, as Real faces Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade in Round 32 and Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade in Round 34. It also has games against EA7 Emporio Armani Milan in Round 31 and Paris Basketball in Round 33.

Real Madrid's strong first quarter made the difference against ASVEL

Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz produced an offensive whirlwind to thrash FC Bayern Munich, 112-89, keeping the Spanish team’s top ten hopes alive

Baskonia blasts Bayern, 112-89

Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz produced an offensive whirlwind to thrash FC Bayern Munich, 112-89, keeping the Spanish team’s top ten hopes alive. Baskonia improves to 13-17, while Bayern drops to 17-13.

Baskonia led for most of a high-scoring first half, which ended 50-48, and accelerated its scoring pace after the break to seal a big win. Markus Howard led the way with 27 points, as Trent Forrest recorded a double-double of 14 points and 10 assists. Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot and Donta Hall also scored 14, Nikos Rogkavopoulos scored 13 and Luka Samanic had 12. Shabazz Napier paced Bayern with 15 points, while Carsen Edwards and Johannes Voigtmann both scored 13.

The early scoring was evenly exchanged as Elias Harris netted 4 points while Luwawu-Cabarrot and Vladimir Lucic traded mid-range jumpers. Harris stayed hot with another inside score for a 9-10 lead, but Luwawu-Cabarrot hit from deep and Howard took over with 8 consecutive points including a triple and a three-point play. Forrest completed a 12-0 run with a pair of baskets, before Napier ended Bayern’s three-minute scoring drought. Niels Giffey continued pulling the visitors back with a triple, making it 25-21 after ten minutes.

The second quarter started with Baskonia hitting a flurry of three-pointers as Luwawu-Cabarrot, Howard and Ognjen Jaramaz struck for a 37-27 lead. But Bayern soon responded with a pair of triples from Giffey, before Rogkavopoulos and Voigtmann jointed the three-point party. The long-range fun continued through Weiler-Babb and Edwards to briefly put Bayern ahead, but Samanic scored the last 5 points of the half to make it 50-48.

Voigtmann hit a triple early in the third, but Baskonia took over as Tadas Sedekerskis scored twice and Luwawu-Cabarrot and Howard struck from long-range. Sedekerskis completed a 14-0 run for a 66-51 lead, before Weiler-Babb rescued Bayern from deep. Luwawu-Cabarrot continued the evening’s theme with his fourth triple, which was repeated by Napier and Howard. Edwards and Weiler-Babb pulled Bayern closer with threes but 4 points from Hall and Forrest’s layup kept the host comfortable, before Andreas Obst and Forrest traded threes to make it 83-71.

Rogkavopoulos and Obst added more deep strikes to start the fourth, before Hall, Rogkavopoulos and Samanic all struck inside for a 92-76 lead. Two more scores from Hall completed a 10-0 run to further deflate Bayern, and Howard’s fifth triple took Baskonia into triple figures. Howard and Rogkavopoulos again scored from long-range, and the host rounded off a perfect night by giving Joseba Querejeta – son of the club president – his EuroLeague debut.

The Spanish side stayed in the hunt for postseason action with an offensive exhibition

Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv may not make the postseason but the league’s hottest team at the moment will have an impact on which teams finish where in the fight for the EuroLeague Playoffs and the Play-In Showdown

Maccabi's sad good run came late, but team will impact playoff races

Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv may not make the postseason but the league’s hottest team at the moment will have an impact on which teams finish where in the fight for the EuroLeague Playoffs and the Play-In Showdown.

Maccabi has not lost since the national team break last month as it played some tough defense in beating Virtus Segafredo Bologna 77-67 to extend its winning streak to a league-high four games.

“It’s a little sad that we started to play like this at the end of the regular season. But everybody is enjoying themselves, everybody is happy. This is most important,” said Maccabi point guard Rokas Jokubaitis, who poured in a game-high 19 points against Virtus.

Maccabi lost seven of its last eight games before the FIBA window to fall to 6-20. But since the time off, Coach Oded Kattash’s team has also picked up home wins over Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul and AS Monaco and won at LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne.

“We are beating good teams. And four in a row is a big number in the EuroLeague. Now we are playing for pride and I think we are doing an amazing job. All the credit to the team,” added Jokubaitis, referring to wins over Fenerbahce and Monaco - both of whom are fighting for spots for home-court advantage in the playoffs.

And Maccabi’s tough stretch continues over its final four games: hosting Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens, playing at Anadolu Efes Istanbul; welcoming FC Bayern Munich and finishing the season at standings leader Olympiacos Piraeus. Panathinaikos is third in the standings, Bayern is ranked sixth and Efes is right on the edge of the play-in race.

All the more impressive about Maccabi’s run is the team is doing it without some major inside players. Jaylen Hoard has been out since Round 23, Jasiel Rivero has missed the last two games and Levi Randolph was out against Virtus after averaging 17.3 points in the last three wins.

Maccabi did a good job taking advantage of the extra time without games during the break to work on getting the team on the same page. There has been quite a lot of movement on the roster, with Wenyen Gabriel,  Alpha Kaba, Jordan Loyd, Saben Lee and David DeJulius all spending short amounts of time with the club before leaving. Kattash also has had to work into the team new additions Marial Shayok, Trevion Williams and most recently Jimmy Clark during the break.

“We have a new team. We missed a lot of important pieces at the beginning. We are happy that we are making progress and playing better each game. We want to keep doing it,” added Roman Sorkin, who chipped in 12 points and 7 rebounds in the game.

With only pride to play for and no pressure, Maccabi is playing its best basketball of the season - exactly the wrong time for its final four opponents.

Maccabi’s final four games come against teams fighting for the postseason 

Maccabi's sad good run came late, but team will impact playoff race

Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv v Virtus Segafredo Bologna (2025-03-20T19:15:00.000Z)

Don’t look now but Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv has the longest active winning streak in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague after beating Virtus Segafredo Bologna 77-67 for its fourth straight victory

Maccabi remains hot, downs Virtus for 4th straight win

Don’t look now but Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv has the longest active winning streak in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague after beating Virtus Segafredo Bologna 77-67 for its fourth straight victory. With Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade snapping table-topper Olympiacos Piraeus’ six-game roll, Maccabi is now the hottest team though the Israeli champion has already been eliminated from postseason contention with a 10-20 record.

Despite missing Levi Randolph, Jaylen Hoard and Jasiel Rivero, Maccabi took control of the game with a 32-8 run spanning the middle two quarters. Rokas Jokubaitis led the way with 19 points, Jimmy Clark scored 14 points, Roman Sorkin had 12 and Trevion Williams finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

Virtus continued its freefall with an eighth straight loss for a 7-23 record. Achille Polonara was Virtus’s leading scorer with 15 points, Will Clyburn scored 13 points with 8 rebounds and 5 steals in his return and Ante Zizic added 11 points and 12 rebounds.

Virtus head coach Dusko Ivanovic had a welcome return to his starting line-up as Clyburn was playing his first game since Round 19 at the start of January. Maccabi had its troubles offensively to start the game, hitting just 1 of 5 shots and committing 2 turnovers in the first 4 minutes as Virtus jumped ahead to a 2-12 lead with Zizic scoring twice. Maccabi picked up its defense and got back into the game with Jokubaitis and John DiBartolomeo making triples in an 11-2 run over 4 minutes to get within 13-14. Still, Virtus was up 15-17 after 10 minutes.

Two Matt Morgan scores extended the Virtus cushion to 17-25 early in the second frame. Maccabi once again mounted a comeback and this time with 3 triples and Jokubaitis scoring 7 points in a 19-6 run to move ahead 36-31. And the hosts went into the break ahead 42-33.

Maccabi scored the first 7 points of the second half as the advantage grew to 49-33. Virtus needed more than 3 minutes to finally score and temporarily cut the gap to 10 points at 51-41. But Maccabi put the game out of reach with an 11-0 run for a 65-43 advantage, which was 65-45 after 30 minutes.

Maccabi remained in control and pushed the lead to 71-47 with less than 7 minutes to play. Virtus was not ready to give up the game and put together multiple stops for a 2-14 run to make it 73-61 with just more than 2 minutes left. A Jokubaitis jumper and Clark reverse layup finished off the game.

Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv has not lost since the national team break

Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv guard Rokas Jokubaitis spoke to EuroLeague TV after his team beat Virtus Segafredo Bologna in Round 30 of the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.  

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