Name: Top 10 Dunks | December | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
Channel: Euroleague Basketball

The first action of 2025 will see the race for the playoffs intensifying with Round 19 of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague. Here’s your guide to the action, including a high-octane Istanbul derby.

At a glance: Round 19 opens 2025 in style! 

The first action of 2025 will see the race for the playoffs intensifying with Round 19 of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague. Here’s your guide to the action, including a high-octane Istanbul derby.

## Thursday, January 2

### Zalgiris Kaunas vs. Olympiacos Piraeus (19:00 CET)

The New Year tips off in style as faltering Zalgiris (10-8) looks to snap a two-game losing slide against in-form Olympiacos (12-6) searching for a fourth straight win. Olympiacos, which has won the last seven games between the teams, could bolster its frontcourt by giving a debut to recent signing [Nathan Mensah](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nathan-mensah/013514/). One key will be whether the home team can slow down the Reds' ball movement: Olympiacos leads the league in assists with 20.6 per game, while Zalgiris has held opponents to a league low 16 helpers per night. The Greens’ offense has faltered in recent weeks despite strong performances from [Sylvain Francisco](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/sylvain-francisco/007975/), who has averaged 3.3 triples over the last four games, and needs more inside presence after attempting only 22 two-pointers in last week’s loss at Maccabi.

### LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne vs. EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (19:00 CET)

A big battle between direct rivals on the fringes of the playoff places will see ASVEL (8-10) and Milan (9-9) desperate to get back into winning ways. Milan, which has lost three in a row, is attempting to complete a season sweep over the French team after winning 92-84 at home less than a month ago, when experienced guard [Fabien Causeur](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/fabien-causeur/001392/) set the tone by snaring 6 steals. That game did not feature another veteran, [Nando De Colo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nando-de-colo/002100/), who will look to make the difference and maintain his strong form by guiding ASVEL to the 9-point win it needs for head-to-head advantage. The game features the league’s top two players in PIR, as [Theo Maledon](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/theo-maledon/007027/) (23.5) and [Nikola Mirotic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nikola-mirotic/000796/) (23.2) attempt to dominate their respective areas of the court.

Round 19 Head-to-Head: Sirvydis vs. Fournier

### ALBA Berlin vs. AS Monaco (20:00 CET)

Confident co-leader Monaco (12-6) will look to strengthen its position in the all-important top four by downing rock bottom ALBA (3-15). Monaco has won the last six meetings between the teams, most recently handing out a 100-80 thrashing a month ago behind 17 points from [Vitto Brown](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/vitto-brown/013365/). ALBA’s porous defense – which has allowed a league-high 90.8 points per game – must somehow slow down a multi-faceted Monaco offense led by backcourt stars [Mike James](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/mike-james/005985/) (14.1 points and 5.6 assists per game) and [Jordan Loyd](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/jordan-loyd/009754/), who is looking for a fifth straight game of double-digit scoring. To limit their effectiveness, the German team will need Icelandic point guard [Martin Hermannsson](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/martin-hermannsson/008780/) to continue his strong season (11.5 points, 5.2 assists) and control the tempo in the quest for an upset win.

### Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz vs. Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade (20:30 CET)

Baskonia (8-10) will look to take the confidence of last week's remarkable comeback against Paris to stop the run of a Zvezda (10-8) team which has won four of its last five games. The Serbian team, which has claimed five road wins already, will be led in the frontcourt by [Joel Bolomboy](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/joel-bolomboy/009035/), who has recorded double digit PIRs in six consecutive games and could receive energetic support from newcomer [John Brown](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/john-brown-iii/010588/) if the former Monaco forward makes his debut. Baskonia will counter that through the tireless [Chima Moneke](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/chima-moneke/012201/), who combined with backcourt star [Markus Howard](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/markus-howard/011948/) for 57 points in the confidence-building Round 18 triumph. Baskonia needs an 8-point winning margin to claim the head-to-head advantage, after losing 78-71 in Belgrade in October. 

Round 19 Head-to-Head: Moneke vs. Davidovac

## Friday, December 27

### Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul vs. Anadolu Efes Istanbul (18:45 CET)

In Friday’s opening tip-off, a crucial Istanbul derby will see Fenerbahce (10-7) attempt to emerge from a worrying slump by overcoming Efes (10-8). [Saras Jasikevicius](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/fenerbahce-beko-istanbul/ulk/jasikevicius-saras/?season=E2024)'s team has lost three in a row and needs to fix a defense which has allowed an average of 93.3 points in that run. Efes also needs to bounce back after losing by 19 at Monaco last week despite another strong performance from big man [Dan Oturu](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/dan-oturu/012788/) (10 points, 4.6 boards per game). The visitor has added motivation after being beaten by Fenerbahce, 78-83, at home in Round 2 behind 16 points from [Bonzie Colson](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/bonzie-colson/009783/). Strangely, eight of the last ten meetings between these local rivals have been won by the away team, so Efes will aim to maintain that sequence by making Fenerbahce’s homecourt advantage count for nothing again.

Round 19 Head-to-Head: Guduric vs. Thompson

### Paris Basketball vs. FC Barcelona (20:15 CET)

Two former league leaders struggling for form will look to start 2025 in the right way as Paris (11-6) hosts Barcelona (9-9) in a must-win game for both teams. Barca big man [Chimizie Metu](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/chimezie-metu/013379/) made a strong return from injury in last week's loss to Zvezda, netting 16 points on 6-of-7 field goal shooting, and he will enjoy a good matchup with [Collin Malcom](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/collin-malcolm/012609/), who averages 10.5 points and 5.5 rebounds over the last two games. Paris, which is on a three-game losing streak, needs to show mental strength to recover from last week’s collapse at Baskonia, while Barca have a major score to settle with the host after [TJ Shorts](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/tj-shorts/012608/) (24 points, 9 assists) inspired a stunning 87-103 victory at Palau Blaugrana earlier in the season.

Round 19 Head-to-Head: Lo vs. Punter

### Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens vs. Virtus Segafredo Bologna (20:15 CET)

Much-improved Virtus (5-15) will look for a third straight win with the tough mission of triumphing at reigning champ Panathinaikos (11-7). Veteran visiting coach [Dusko Ivanovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/virtus-segafredo-bologna/vir/ivanovic-dusko/?season=E2024) will look to damage one of his former clubs through the power of rejuvenated forward [Achille Polonara](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/achille-polonara/002084/), whose 17 points and 9 rebounds played a major role in last week’s convincing win over ASVEL. But the reigning champ is on a three-game winning roll after closing out 2024 with a strong road win at Bayern, featuring a solid debut from new big man [Wenyen Gabriel](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/wenyen-gabriel/013383/). The Greens will also again lean on league-leading scorer [Kendrick Nunn](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/kendrick-nunn/012774/), who netted 27 points in Munich and will resist the Italian visitor’s attempts to claim a shock road victory.

### Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade vs. Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv (20:30 CET)

Two of last week's winners will look to build momentum as Partizan (8-10) hosts Maccabi (5-13). Round 18 MVP [Jaylen Hoard](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/jaylen-hoard/006835/) will look to maintain the form which has seen him score at least 12 points in ten consecutive games, but the Maccabi forward faces stuff competition from [Isiaha Mike](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/isiaha-mike/011836/), who produced his best performance of the season with 9 points and 7 rebounds to power last week’s win over Fenerbahce. That game also saw another strong performance from guard [Duane Washington](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/duane-washington/013370/), who is now looking truly comfortable in the EuroLeague after averaging 18 points in the last four games. Elsewhere in the backcourt, league-leading assister [Tamir Blatt](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/tamir-blatt/011193/) (8.4 per game) faces an intriguing matchup with Partizan leader [Carlik Jones](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/carlik-jones/013369/), who bounced back to form with 14 points and 5 assists last week.

### Real Madrid vs. FC Bayern Munich (20:30 CET)

Fast-rising Real (9-9) aims for a fourth straight win with a visit from high-flying Bayern (11-7). The Spanish side will be looking for revenge – and a 9-point victory for head-to-head advantage – after losing a thriller, 97-89, in Round 1 in Munich. That game saw Bayern show its finishing power by netting 33 points in the final quarter, powered by [Johannes Voigtmann](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/johannes-voigtmann/007201/) grabbing a double-double of 19 points and 10 rebounds. The German big man’s ability to take [Walter Tavares](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/walter-tavares/005791/) out of his comfort zone in the paint could again be crucial. [Sergio Llull](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/sergio-llull/tgb/) will take center stage as he breaks the all-time EuroLeague appearance record, and he will look to continue the long-range shooting form which saw him score a season-high 20 points in last week's win at ALBA.

Round 19 Head-to-Head: Llull vs. Edwards

Four games take place on January 2 and five on January 3

Real Madrid v FC Bayern Munich (2025-01-03T20:00:00.000Z)

Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade v Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv (2025-01-03T19:30:00.000Z)

Paris Basketball v FC Barcelona (2025-01-03T19:15:00.000Z)

Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens v Virtus Segafredo Bologna (2025-01-03T19:15:00.000Z)

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul v Anadolu Efes Istanbul (2025-01-03T17:45:00.000Z)

Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz v Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade (2025-01-02T19:30:00.000Z)

LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne v EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (2025-01-02T19:00:00.000Z)

ALBA Berlin v AS Monaco (2025-01-02T19:00:00.000Z)

Zalgiris Kaunas v Olympiacos Piraeus (2025-01-02T18:00:00.000Z)

Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv will travel to take on Dreamland Gran Canaria this week without the services of Marcus Bingham. The big man has been diagnosed with pericarditis

Hapoel's Marcus Bingham to miss time

Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv will travel to take on Dreamland Gran Canaria this week without the services of Marcus Bingham. The big man has been diagnosed with pericarditis, which is the inflammation of the tissue around the heart, often caused by a viral illness. Hapoel's medical staff will reevaluate the player in 10 days.

Bingham joined the club in late November and has averaged 8.7 points on 61.1% two-point shooting, 3.0 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 1.7 blocks over 16:15 minutes in three games.  

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="iw" dir="rtl">מרקוס בינגהאם סובל מדלקת במעטפת שריר הלב, הנגרמת בדרך כלל כתגובה למחלה ויראלית. בשלב זה הוא מושבת מפעילות. <br>ההערכה נוספת תתבצע בעוד עשרה ימים. <a href="https://t.co/wcFSjcHIXO">pic.twitter.com/wcFSjcHIXO</a></p>&mdash; Hapoel Tel Aviv BC (@HapoelTLVBC) <a href="https://twitter.com/HapoelTLVBC/status/1874006059377160313?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 31, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

More news from Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv

The big man is suffering from pericarditis and will be reevaluated in 10 days

Aris Midea Thessaloniki announced on Monday that it has signed small forward L.J. Figueroa for the remainder of the season

Aris signs small forward L.J. Figueroa

Aris Midea Thessaloniki announced on Monday that it has signed small forward [L.J. Figueroa](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/lj-figueroa/012603/) for the remainder of the season. Figueroa (1.98 meters, 26 years old) last played for Leyma Coruña for which he averaged 6.2 points and 2.6 rebounds in 11 Spanish League games. He made his EuroCup debut with ratiopharm Ulm last season and was worth 12.3 points and 3.4 rebounds in 19 games in the competition.  

Figueroa played college basketball for St. John’s University in New York and for the University of Oregon before beginning his professional career. He has also played for Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic, Santa Cruz Warriors and the South Bay Lakers in the G League and Grises de Humacao in Puerto Rico.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="ro" dir="ltr">‼️ O LJ FIGUEROA ΣΤΟΝ ΑΡΗ Midea <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Welcome?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Welcome</a> to<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TheEmperor?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TheEmperor</a><br>@l_comeup <br><br>Read more 👉 <a href="https://t.co/LiuTA00d6p">https://t.co/LiuTA00d6p</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ARISBC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ARISBC</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ARISFAMILY?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ARISFAMILY</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ARISBCTRANSFERS?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ARISBCTRANSFERS</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ARISBC2425?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ARISBC2425</a> <a href="https://t.co/FngkMfiWCM">pic.twitter.com/FngkMfiWCM</a></p>&mdash; ARIS B.C. (@ARISBCgr) <a href="https://twitter.com/ARISBCgr/status/1873779782032515586?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 30, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

More Aris news

The Dominican Republic national team player helped Ulm reach the EuroCup Eighthfinals last season

Bahcesehir College Istanbul announced on Monday that it has signed veteran shooting guard Furkan Korkmaz for the remained of the season. 

Bahcesehir brings Furkan Korkmaz home to Istanbul 

Group A leader Bahcesehir College Istanbul announced on Monday that it has signed veteran shooting guard [Furkan Korkmaz](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/furkan-korkmaz/005763/) for the remained of the season. Korkmaz (2.02 meters, 27 years old) joined AS Monaco over the summer after seven seasons in the NBA with the Philadelphia 76ers, but he played sparingly with the Roca Team. Korkmaz appeared in only three Turkish Airlines EuroLeague games during which he averaged 4.7 points and 2.3 rebounds in 12 minutes.

<center> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">🚨 𝐅𝐮𝐫𝐤𝐚𝐧 𝐊𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐦𝐚𝐳, 𝐁𝐚𝐡𝐜̧𝐞𝐬̧𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐫 𝐊𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐣𝐢&#39;𝐧𝐝𝐞!<br><br>🤝 Son olarak EuroLeague ekiplerinden Monaco forması giyen, 2017-2024 yılları arasında Philadelphia 76ers formasıyla NBA’de gururla izlediğimiz Milli oyuncumuz Furkan Korkmaz ile 2024-2025 sezonu sonuna… <a href="https://t.co/PX4gtZgisc">pic.twitter.com/PX4gtZgisc</a></p>&mdash; Bahçeşehir Koleji Spor Kulübü (@BKBasketbol) <a href="https://twitter.com/BKBasketbol/status/1873759654016127473?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 30, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

A product of the Anadolu Efes Istanbul youth system and native of Istanbul, Korkmaz played three seasons in the EuroLeague for the club. He appeared in 40 EuroLeague games between 2014 and 2016. Korkmaz won the Turkish Cup twice with Efes. He also spent time on loan at fellow Turkish clubs Pertevniyal and Banvit Bandirma early in his career. Korkmaz will make his EuroCup debut with Bahcesehir.

During the NBA part of his career, Korkmaz appeared in a total of 328 NBA games plus 33 playoff games. His best season was 2019-20, when he averaged 9.8 points on 40.2% three-point shooting and 2.3 rebounds per game. Last season Korkmaz was traded to the Indiana Pacers, but never suited up for that team.

More Bahcesehir news

The shooting guard will see his first EuroCup action with Bahcesehir 

Trefl Sopot announced on Monday that it has signed veteran forward Darious Moten for the remainder of the season

Trefl Sopot reunites with Darious Moten 

Trefl Sopot announced on Monday that it has signed veteran forward Darious Moten for the remainder of the season. The move came several hours after it parted ways with Andy Van Vliet. Moten Moten (2.02 meters, 32 years old) returns to the club he first joined in March 2020 and left in the summer of 2023. He most recently played for Reales De La Vega in the Dominican Republic.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="pl" dir="ltr">Darious Moten wraca do Trefla Sopot! Amerykański skrzydłowy, który w żółto-czarnych barwach rozegrał już 79 meczów, podpisał umowę do końca sezonu 2024/2025 ✍ <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/plkpl?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#plkpl</a> <br><br>🗨 &quot;Po rozmowach ze sztabem szkoleniowym doszliśmy do wniosku, że jedną ze zmian, które musimy przeprowadzić,… <a href="https://t.co/Keem7oX2EV">pic.twitter.com/Keem7oX2EV</a></p>&mdash; MISTRZ POLSKI 2024 🏆 (@treflsopot) <a href="https://twitter.com/treflsopot/status/1873742209582813669?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 30, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Moten has also played for the Svendborg Rabbits in Denmark, Espoo United and Ura Basket in Finland, Eisbaren Bremerhaven in Germany, Olomoucko in Czechia and Union Neuchatel Basket in Switzerland. He could be in uniform as soon as this week when Trefl takes on Buducnost VOLI Podgorica in Round 13 on Thursday.

"After talking with the coaching staff, we came to the conclusion that one of the changes we need to make is to sign a defensive player for the 3-4 position," club president Marek Wierzbicki said in a statement released by the club. "We considered various options. During the talks, Zan Tabak stated that he could use someone like Darious. He has good memories of working with him; he is a basketball player who knows his requirements, wants to work and, above all, looks after the good of the team. We contacted Darious and quickly reached an agreement. As I mentioned at the beginning, this is not the end of the changes at Trefl Sopot."

The forward previously spent three and a half seasons with Trefl

Euroleague Basketball is proud to announce that dynamic guard Theo Maledon of LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne has been named the MVP for December

Theo Maledon makes history as December MVP

Euroleague Basketball is proud to announce that dynamic guard Theo Maledon of LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne has been named the MVP for December. Maledon's outstanding performance over the past month has captured the attention of fans, coaches, and analysts alike, establishing him as one of the league’s brightest rising stars.

In December, Maledon delivered a series of dominant performances, leading his team to crucial victories with an impressive mix of scoring, playmaking, and leadership on both ends of the floor. His ability to impact the game consistently, particularly in high-pressure moments, has made him an indispensable asset for ASVEL.

Maledon authored an outstanding all-around month during which he averaged 21.2 points per game, 4.3 rebounds and 5.3 assists for a PIR of 26.8. He led all players in PIR in December and ranked third in scoring. Maledon knocked down an impressive 46 of 50 free throws in that time frame, too.

Perhaps most important to his candidacy was the fact that he led ASVEL to a winning month that saw it climb from the foot of the standings to the heart of the push for a postseason berth. Maledon was the MVP for Round 13 when ASVEL upended Real Madrid and continued to star as his team ended Paris Basketball’s 10-game winning streak and then recorded road wins at Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade and Zalgiris Kaunas, the last two of those coming in the same week.

The MVP of the Month is named by Euroleague Basketball based on his and his team's performances. The award for December covered the six games played by all teams between Rounds 13 and 18.

This marks the first time that a player from ASVEL has been chosen as the EuroLeague MVP of the month. Maledon becomes the fourth French player to earn the honor following his ASVEL teammate Nando De Colo (January 2015, February 2016, January 2018, all with CSKA Moscow), Thomas Heurtel (February 2017 with Anadolu Efes Istanbul) and Guerschon Yabusele (January 2022 with Real Madrid).

A rising star in European basketball, the 23-year-old Maledon is in his second EuroLeague season. Just 16 years old when he first signed with ASVEL, Maledon first played for the youth systems at SPO Rouen then the French national academy. He played his first EuroLeague campaign with ASVEL in 2019-20 and was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers in the second round of the 2020 NBA Draft. Maledon went on to play four seasons in the NBA for the Oklahoma City Thunder, Charlotte Hornets and Phoenix Suns before returning home to ASVEL, France and the EuroLeague this season.

More on Theo Maledon

The LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne guard is the club’s first-ever MVP of the month in the EuroLeague

There are some guys in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague who can simply fly! Check out some of their high-flying heroics with the 10 best dunks from the month of December! 

Top 10 Dunks | December | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

 There are some guys in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague who can simply fly! Check out some of their high-flying heroics with the 10 best dunks from the month of December! 

There are some guys in the BKT EuroCup who can simply fly! Check out some of their high-flying heroics with the 11 best dunks from the December! 

Top 10 Dunks | December | 2024-25 BKT EuroCup 

Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz announced on Monday that it has signed Luka Samanic 

Luka Samanic arrives to bolster Baskonia frontline

Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz announced on Monday that it has signed [Luka Samanic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/ngt/players/luka-samanic/007579/) (2.08 meters, 24 years old). The big man arrives from Cibona Zagreb, where he returned to action and averaged 9.3 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.0 block in three games in the ABA League.

Samanic spent parts of four seasons in the NBA before returning to Europe this summer. He originally penned a two-year deal with Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul, but the sides agreed to void the deal in September due to personal reasons.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">✍️ OFICIAL | Luka Samanic, nueva pieza de valor para el juego interior de Baskonia<br><br>🗞️ <a href="https://t.co/X2zXdoE42L">https://t.co/X2zXdoE42L</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OngiEtorriLuka?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OngiEtorriLuka</a> <a href="https://t.co/AMgkxat42k">pic.twitter.com/AMgkxat42k</a></p>&mdash; Baskonia (@Baskonia) <a href="https://twitter.com/Baskonia/status/1873679072477528085?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 30, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Samanic spent last season with the Utah Jazz, where he averaged 4.1 points and 2.4 rebounds per night across 43 appearances in the NBA. That was his second campaign with the Jazz.

The Croatian power forward began his professional career with FC Barcelona B in the 2017-18 season and went on to play for Petrol Olimpija in 2018-19 before heading stateside. Samanic’s first two years in the NBA were with the San Antonio Spurs, having been selected by the five-time NBA champion with the 19th overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft.

Across those two seasons in San Antonio, he also played for the team’s G League affiliate, the Austin Spurs. The 24-year-old went on to feature in the G League for the Westchester Knicks in 2021-22 and the Maine Celtics in 2022-23.

Samanic had his best NBA statistics in the 2022-23 campaign, which was his first with the Jazz. He posted 9.9 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.1 assists in seven games. Then, he had one more season with Utah before opting to return to Europe.

The latest Baskonia news

Luka Samanic in action with Cibona Zagreb earlier this season

The big man joins the club after a spell with Cibona Zagreb in his native Croatia

Luka Samanic arrives to bolster Baskonia frontline 

Guarding possessions used by opposing ball handlers and screeners effectively is a game-changing ability in the BKT EuroCup of Euroleague Basketball

Stats review: Who has the best pick-and-roll defense?

Round 12 of the BKT EuroCup featured a key matchup in Group A as Bahcesehir College Istanbul scored an 8-point victory at home to move one game clear of second-place Dreamland Gran Canaria.  In a low-scoring affair, defense was the difference for the hosts.

Bahcesehir held Gran Canaria to just 15 points over 28 possessions created out of pick-and-rolls - one of the better single-game efforts in recent years in terms of efficiency. Allowing only 2 points to their pick-and-roll ball handlers - well below their 10.1 per game season average - they made things a struggle for the visitors in a game with obvious seeding implications.                 

They flipped the script on Gran Canaria who - even after conceding 41 points over 43 possessions in pick-and-rolls to Bahcesehir - remains far and away the best ball screen defense in the EuroCup on the year overall. Guarding possessions used by opposing ball handlers and screeners more effectively than anyone else by a comfortable margin, Gran Canaria has jammed up some of the better offenses in Group A. That held up against Bahcesehir who may not have gotten much scoring from their ball handlers or screeners, but found their shooters consistently out of two-man actions to the tune of 22 points over 21 spot-up possessions. 

The table above lists the top pick-and-roll defenses in the EuroCup so far in terms of points per possession allowed.  The main differentiator keeping Gran Canaria in a tier by itself to this point has been the way it has protected the paint without giving much back on the perimeter.  Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem and Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv have fallen in between Gran Canaria and the pack in terms of how well they contest shots inside the arc, but they have better-defined strengths and weaknesses with Jerusalem fairing better guarding screeners and Hapoel doing a relatively better job not just defending the ball, but forcing ball handlers to beat them.

The strategy that goes into how teams defend ball screens at this level is significant and there can be as much value in dictating the action as defending it some nights.  Aris Midea Thessaloniki embodies that with the pressure it brings to the ball and clogging up the passing lanes as it forces turnovers on around 20% of the pick-and-rolls they face, which is the top mark in the EuroCup. While Aris pays a price at times when passes get through, it forces enough mistakes to make up for it more often than not.

With the average possession created out of a pick-and-roll being converted for 0.96 points per possession this season due to Gran Canaria’s outlier performance, only six teams have been able to stay ahead of the curve, including the top two teams in both groups. With teams employing different strategies to stop pick-and-rolls against not just different teams, but individual players, that glances over a great deal of nuance, but with most teams creating over 40% of their total possessions out of those actions, the results certainly paint a picture.

Guarding possessions used by opposing ball handlers and screeners effectively is a game-changing ability

Increased aggression in transition, regardless of how subtle, has played a role in the rise in efficiency EuroLeague-wide this season

Stats review: Pace and efficiency are up this season 

Pace and efficiency are up in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague this season and one of the reasons why played a not-so-subtle role in one of Round 18’s most significant outcomes. Paris Basketball and Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz combined to score 38 points in transition as the latter managed a crucial home win at Buesa Arena to stay attached to the 15-team cluster jockeying for position entering the second half of the regular season. 

While 38 may not seem like a big number, it is worth noting that the average game featured only 21 points in transition per game a year ago. Historically, it is extremely hard to get in the open floor in the EuroLeague as the level of organization simply doesn’t allow for it; teams take care of the ball, which makes it hard to turn defense into offense and they change ends quickly to take away runouts after missed shots. As a result, seven teams generated less than 10% of their total opportunities in the open floor last season.  That is true for only one unit this season as, across the league, teams have been more decisive when looking to push in the early going.

That increased aggression, regardless of how subtle, has played a role in the rise in efficiency league-wide this season. Transition efficiency has been largely flat in recent seasons even as pace has ebbed and flowed and turnovers are not up on the year. With the average transition possession being roughly 20% more efficient than the average half-court possession, teams looking to be more opportunistic has been one of the small changes propelling the EuroLeague back up to its gaudy pre-pandemic offensive efficiency.

The table above lists the seven teams pushing the pace more often than anyone else this season.  Even as ALBA Berlin has had a hard time securing victories early on, their production in the open floor has been a bright spot and given them a puncher's chance against several playoff teams. FC Barcelona and Real Madrid have both found success pushing to score as they begin to get back on track in the half-court with Barcelona shooting the three opportunistically and Madrid finishing layups at a tremendous rate when they run.

Paris Basketball and Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens are the enigmas on this list. No team has been more aggressive shooting transition three-pointers than Paris, who attempts nearly half of their shots from beyond the arc when they run. Panathinaikos, in contrast, has attempted a EuroLeague-low 15% of their shots in the open floor from beyond the arc as they are very aggressive putting pressure on the rim.  While Paris makes a concerted effort to look for shooters, they have shot 31% from beyond the arc in the open floor compared to 35% in the half-court.  The team missed their last 4 transition threes against Baskonia as their tempo and shooting did not provide much relief during a 23-point swing on the scoreboard in the second half.

One of the key contributors in that swing was Chima Moneke who scored 13 points in transition alone to help Baskonia secure victory.  The veteran forward currently ranks second among all players in transition points per game after leading the league last season.

The only player scoring more prolifically in transition is FC Bayern Munich guard Carsen Edwards.  Averaging 1.42 points per possession in transition, Edwards has been hugely effective this season and the main reason Bayern leads all teams in transition efficiency. 

EuroLeague offenses tend to be well-oiled machines, but there’s a chance that this season winds up being the most efficient season on record when the regular season comes to a close.  It will be interesting to see what subtle things, like transition play, push the league to new heights and what kind of staying power those things have in the coming seasons.

Increased aggression in transition, regardless of how subtle, has played a role in the rise in efficiency league-wide this season

The Spanish side will be looking for revenge – and a 9-point victory for head-to-head advantage – after losing a thriller, 97-89, in Round 1 in Munich. That game saw Bayern show its finishing power by netting 33 points in the final quarter, powered by [Johannes Voigtmann](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/johannes-voigtmann/007201/) grabbing a double-double of 19 points and 10 rebounds. The German big man’s ability to take [Walter Tavares](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/walter-tavares/005791/) out of his comfort zone in the paint could again be crucial. [Sergio Llull](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/sergio-llull/tgb/) will take center stage as he breaks the all-time EuroLeague appearance record, and he will look to continue the long-range shooting form which saw him score a season-high 20 points in last week's win at ALBA.

### Real Madrid

 

**Streaks**

Facundo Campazzo has PIRs of at least 19 in nine of his last 10 games.

Campazzo has made 23 consecutive free throws.

Campazzo has made at least 1 three-pointer in 17 of his last 18 games.

Campazzo has recorded at least 1 steal in eight straight games.

Mario Hezonja has made at least 1 triple in 28 straight games.

Hezonja has scored more than 10 points in 12 of his last 13 games.

Walter Tavares has had at least 5 rebounds in six of his last seven games.

Tavares has PIRs of 11 or more in 15 of his last 16 games.

Alberto Abalde has made at least 1 triple in six of his last seven games.

 

**Season rankings**

Facundo Campazzo ranks fifth in average index rating with 21.1 per game.

Campazzo ranks third in assists with 7.5 per game.

Walter Tavares leads the league in rebounding with 8.1 per game.

Tavares ranks second in offensive rebounding with 2.8 per game.

Tavares ranks second in blocks with 1.4 per game.

Tavares ranks second in two-point shooting at 76.0%.

Alberto Abalde is tied for third in three-point shooting at 50.0%.

Real leads the league in defensive rebounding with 26.9 per game.

Real leads the league in two-point accuracy at 60.3%.

Real ranks second in blocks with 3.1 per game.

Real has held opponents to a league-low 50.9% two-point shooting.

Real allows 9.8 offensive rebounds, which are the third-fewest in the league.

 

**Records/Milestones**

Walter Tavares blocked 88 shots in the 2022-23 season to set the all-time single-season record.

Tavares is the competition's all-time leader in blocks with 450.

Tavares is fourth all-time in two-point accuracy at 68.3%.

Tavares ranks fifth all-time with 1,759 rebounds. Jan Vesely of FC Barcelona is fourth with 1,765 rebounds and counting.

Tavares ranks third all-time with 660 offensive rebounds. Felipe Reyes is second with 705.

Sergio Llull is the all-time leader in three-point shots made with 661.

Llull ranks fifth all-time in scoring with 4,068 points. Juan Carlos Navarro is fourth with 4,152.

Llull is sixth all-time with 1,428 assists. Milos Teodosic of Crvena Zvezda is fifth with 1,468 and counting.

Facundo Campazzo is in 13th place all-time with 1,019 assists. Shane Larkin of Anadolu Efes Istanbul is 12th with 1,062 and counting.

Llull ranks 12th all-time with 711 free throws made. Tornike Shengelia of Virtus Bologna is 11th with 736 and counting.

Llull ranks fifth all-time with a 2.7-to-1 career assist-to-turnover ratio.

Facundo Campazzo ranks ninth all-time with a 2.6-to-1 career assist-to-turnover ratio.

Dzanan Musa made 178 free throws during the 2022-23 season to set the all-time single-season EuroLeague record.

Llull has made 425 EuroLeague appearances, which is tied for the most all-time with Kyle Hines. The next time Llull enters the game he will set a new EuroLeague record for games played.

Game Videos

### FC Bayern Munich

**Streaks**

Devin Booker has scored in double figures in 17 of his last 18 games.

Booker has had a PIR of 11 or more in six of his last seven games.

Booker has pulled down at least 5 rebounds in seven straight games.

Carsen Edwards has scored 11 or more points in six straight and 10 of his last 11 games.

Edwards has PIRs of 12 or more in five of his last six games.

Edwards has made at least 1 three-pointer in 15 of his last 16 games.

Nick Weiler-Babb has made at least 1 three-pointer in eight of his last nine games.

Weiler-Babb has posted double-digit PIRs in five of his last six games.

Weiler-Babb has at least 1 steal in six straight games.

Andreas Obst has made at least 1 three-point shot in 11 straight games.

Johannes Voigtmann has accumulated double-digit PIRs in six straight games.

Kevin Yebo has made 11 consecutive free throws.

 

**Season rankings**

Carsen Edwards ranks second in scoring with 20.2 points per game.

Devin Booker ranks 10th in scoring with 15.6 points per game.

Nick Weiler-Babb leads the league in steals with 1.6 per game.

Weiler-Babb is tied for ninth in assists with 4.9 per game.

Andreas Obst ranks second in three-pointers made with 2.7 per game.

Edwards ranks third in three-pointers made with 2.7 per game.

Johannes Voigtmann ranks 10th in rebounding with 5.8 per game.

Bayern leads the league in scoring with 87.1 points per game.

Bayern leads the league in free-throw shooting at 84.5%.

Bayern ranks third in two-point accuracy at 59.0%.

 

**Records/Milestones**

Johannes Voigtmann needs 10 assists to reach 500 for his career.

Carsen Edwards ranks third all-time in free-throw accuracy at 91.5%.

Game News

Fast-rising Real (9-9) aims for a fourth straight win with a visit from high-flying Bayern (11-7). 

Game Facts: Madrid vs. Bayern

\- When Bayern beat Real 97-89 in the season opener, it snapped a four-game losing streak in all games against Real and a four-game losing streak at home against *Los Blancos*.

\- Last season in Munich, Real cruised to a 71-92 win. In that game, Facundo Campazzo tied his career high with 7 rebounds.

\- In December 2022 in Munich, Real beat Bayern 64-68 with Walter Tavares collecting 14 points, 8 rebounds and tying a club record and career high with 6 blocks.

\- In January 2021, when Real pulled out a 76-81 overtime win in Munich, it was behind a career-high 26 points from Walter Tavares on a career-best 11 made two-point shots.

\- In their lone meeting in the 2019-20 season, a 95-86 Bayern victory in Munich, Bayern made a club-record 32 two-pointers.

\- Real's single-game record for steals by a player is 6, which Gustavo Ayon tied against FC Bayern Munich on December 11, 2015.

\- Real center Serge Ibaka spent last season with Bayern.

\- Bayern's Johannes Voigtmann collected a career-high 7 offensive rebounds for Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz against Real Madrid in February 2017.

\- Voigtmann collected a career-high 11 defensive rebounds while playing for Baskonia against Real in March 2019.

\- Bayern guard Shabazz Napier dished a career-high 8 assists while playing for EA7 Emporio Armani Milan against Real Madrid in March 2023.

Fast-rising Real (9-9) aims for a fourth straight win with a visit from high-flying Bayern (11-7).

Game Notes: Madrid vs. Bayern

Round 18 MVP [Jaylen Hoard](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/jaylen-hoard/006835/) will look to maintain the form which has seen him score at least 12 points in ten consecutive games, but the Maccabi forward faces stuff competition from [Isiaha Mike](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/isiaha-mike/011836/), who produced his best performance of the season with 9 points and 7 rebounds to power last week’s win over Fenerbahce. That game also saw another strong performance from guard [Duane Washington](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/duane-washington/013370/), who is now looking truly comfortable in the EuroLeague after averaging 18 points in the last four games. Elsewhere in the backcourt, league-leading assister [Tamir Blatt](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/tamir-blatt/011193/) (8.4 per game) faces an intriguing matchup with Partizan leader [Carlik Jones](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/carlik-jones/013369/), who bounced back to form with 14 points and 5 assists last week.

### Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade

 

**Streaks**

Tyrique Jones has pulled down at least 5 rebounds in five of his last six games.

Tyrique Jones has had multiple offensive rebounds in five of his last six games.

Tyrique Jones has scored at least 12 points in six straight games.

Tyrique Jones has PIRs at least 14 in six straight games.

Sterling Brown has made at least 1 three-point shot in six straight and nine of his last 10 games.

Brown has made at least 3 three-pointers in five of his last six games.

Brown has scored in double figures in five of his last six games.

Isaac Bonga has made at least 1 three-point shot in eight of his last nine games.

 

**Season rankings**

Tyrique Jones ranks ninth in rebounding with 6.0 per game.

Tyrique Jones ranks fourth in offensive rebounding with 2.7 per game.

Carlik Jones is tied for ninth in assists with 4.9 per game.

Aleksej Pokusevski ranks fourth in blocks with 1.3 per game.

Partizan commits the third-fewest turnovers with 11.2 per game.

 

**Records/Milestones**

Brandon Davies needs 2 blocks to reach 100 for his career.

Davies needs 4 steals to reach 200 for his career.

Davies needs 22 rebounds to reach 1,000 for his career.

Iffe Lundberg needs 11 steals to reach 100 for his career.

### Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv

 

**Streaks**

John DiBartolomeo has made 70 consecutive free throws, which is the longest streak in competition history.

Jake Cohen has made 19 consecutive free throws.

Tamir Blatt has dished 6 assists or more in nine straight games.

Blatt has dished at least 5 assists in each of his 13 games this season.

Jasiel Rivero has PIRs of at least 10 in 10 of his last 11 games.

Jaylen Hoard has PIRs of at least 10 in all 18 of his EuroLeague appearances.

Hoard has scored 14 points or more in eight of his last nine games.

Levi Randolph has scored at least 10 points and had double-digit PIRs in five of his last six games.

 

**Season rankings**

Jaylen Hoard ranks ninth in scoring with 15.7 points per game.

Hoard ranks 10th in average index rating with 18.6 per game.

Hoard is tied for ninth in steals with 1.2 per game.

Trevion Williams ranks fourth in rebounding with 6.7 per game.

Jasiel Rivero ranks sixth in offensive rebounding with 2.4 per game.

Williams ranks eighth in offensive rebounding with 2.3 per game.

Tamir Blatt leads the league in assists with 8.4 per game.

Rokas Jokubaitis ranks seventh in assists with 5.2 per game.

Blatt ranks ninth in three-pointers made with 2.3 per game.

Maccabi ranks second in the league in offensive rebounding with 12.6 per game.

Maccabi has allowed a league-high 60.5% on two-point shooting.

 

**Records/Milestones**

John DiBartolomeo is 12th all-time with a 2.6-to-1 career assist-to-turnover ratio.

Rokas Jokubaitis needs 23 assists to reach 500 for his career.

Tamis Blatt needs 8 three-pointers to reach 200 for his career.

Jokubaitis needs 9 three-point shots made to reach 100 for his career.

Two of last week's winners will look to build momentum as Partizan (8-10) hosts Maccabi (5-13). 

Game Facts: Partizan vs. Maccabi

\- Partizan beat Maccabi 79-91 in Round 4, behind five double-digit scorers, led by Sterling Brown's 20 points.

\- Last season when Partizan hosted Maccabi, it rallied from a 24-point second-quarter deficit to secure an 88-79 win.

\- Partizan beat Maccabi 3-1 in their best-of-five EuroLeague playoff series in 2010. In Game 1, Partizan topped Maccabi 77-85 in Tel Aviv behind a club-record 7 three-pointers from Dusan Kecman. That is still Partizan’s lone win against Maccabi in Tel Aviv.

\- The only time Maccabi beat Partizan in Belgrade was a 54-67 victory in November 2010.

\- Maccabi and Partizan clashed in the 1988 Final Four semifinal at the first EuroLeague modern-era Final Four, a game Maccabi won 87-82.

\- During his playing career, Maccabi head coach Oded Kattash played under Partizan head coach Zeljko Obradovic at Panathinaikos Athens. They won the 2000 EuroLeague crown together.

\- Partizan center Brandon Davies was a teammate of Maccabi's Rokas Jokubaitis at Zalgiris Kaunas during the 2018-19 season.

\- Partizan playmaker Carlik Jones and Maccabi's Marial Shayok have been teammates on the South Sudan national team.

\- Partizan center Tyrique Jones set personal highs with 16 rebounds and 8 offensive rebounds while playing for Anadolu Efes Istanbul against Maccabi in December of last season in a game played at Aleksandar Nikolic Hall.

\- Maccabi center Jasiel Rivero set his personal bests with 22 points, 9 two-pointers made and 6 offensive rebounds while playing for Valencia Basket against Partizan in a 96-100 overtime win in December 2022.

\- Jasiel Rivero tied his career high with 6 offensive rebounds in Round 4 loss.

\- Maccabi guard Tamir Blatt set his career high with 9 rebounds in Round 4 against Partizan.

Game Notes: Partizan vs. Maccabi

Veteran visiting coach [Dusko Ivanovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/virtus-segafredo-bologna/vir/ivanovic-dusko/?season=E2024) will look to damage one of his former clubs through the power of rejuvenated forward [Achille Polonara](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/achille-polonara/002084/), whose 17 points and 9 rebounds played a major role in last week’s convincing win over ASVEL. But the reigning champ is on a three-game winning roll after closing out 2024 with a strong road win at Bayern, featuring a solid debut from new big man [Wenyen Gabriel](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/wenyen-gabriel/013383/). The Greens will also again lean on league-leading scorer [Kendrick Nunn](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/kendrick-nunn/012774/), who netted 27 points in Munich and will resist the Italian visitor’s attempts to claim a shock road victory.

### Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens

**Streaks**

Kendrick Nunn has scored at least 10 points in 23 straight and 38 of his last 39 games.

Nunn has made at least 1 three-point shot in 23 straight games.

Nunn has had a double-digit PIR in 22 of his last 23 games.

Kostas Sloukas had at least 1 steal in 10 straight games.

Sloukas has made 33 consecutive free throws.

Jerian Grant has made 17 consecutive free throws.

Lorenzo Brown has made 12 consecutive free throws.

Mathias Lessort has pulled down at least 5 rebounds in 11 straight and 23 of his last 24 games.

Lessort has had a PIR of 10 or more in 25 of his last 26 games.

**Season rankings**

Kendrick Nunn leads the league in scoring with 20.6 points per game.

Mathias Lessort ranks sixth in average index rating with 20.5 per game.

Nunn ranks ninth in average index rating with 19.1 per game.

Nunn leads the league in three-pointers made with 3.1 per game.

Lessort ranks fourth in two-point shooting at 74.1%.

Lessort ranks second in rebounding with 7.1 per game.

Lessort ranks third in offensive rebounding with 2.8 per game.

Wenyen Gabriel ranks seventh in offensive rebounding with 2.3 per game.

Gabriel leads the league in blocks with 1.5 per game.

Panathinaikos leads the league in average PIR with 103.5 per game.

Panathinaikos ranks second in three-point shooting at 38.5%.

 

**Records/Milestones**

Kostas Sloukas ranks third all-time with 1,782 assists. Sergio Rodriguez is second with 1,874.

Sloukas is in fifth place all-time with 946 free throws made. Felipe Reyes is fourth with 967.

Sloukas is eighth all-time with 3,843 career points. Nikola Mirotic of EA7 Emporio Armani Milan is seventh with 3,868 and counting. Jan Vesely of FC Barcelona is sixth with 4,008 and counting.

Sloukas is ranked fourth all-time with 4,791 index rating points. Mike James of AS Monaco is third with 5,018 and counting.

Sloukas ranks 16th all-time in free-throw accuracy at 89.0%.

With his next steal, Sloukas will tie James Gist and Adam Hanga for 20th place on the all-time charts with 252 career steals.

Marius Grigonis ranks eighth all-time in free-throw accuracy at 90.6%.

Grigonis needs 4 steals to reach 100 for his career.

Jerian Grant is the all-time leader with a 3.0-to-1 career assist-to-turnover ratio.

### Virtus Segafredo Bologna

**Streaks**

Will Clyburn has had a PIR of 10 or more in 10 of his last 11 games.

Clyburn has made at least 1 three-point shot in six of his last seven games.

Clyburn had at least 1 steal in six of his last seven games.

Isaia Cordinier has made at least 1 three-point shot in 10 of his last 11 games.

Tornike Shengelia has pulled down 5 or more rebounds in seven of his last eight games.

Rayjon Tucker has made all 8 of his free throws in his EuroLeague career.

 

**Season rankings**

Ante Zizic ranks 10th in offensive rebounding with  2.1 per game.

Virtus ranks third in free-throw shooting at 79.0%.

Virtus has allowed a league-worst 12.8 offensive rebounds per game.

 

**Records/Milestones**

Ante Zizic ranks 16th all-time in two-point accuracy at 64.5%.

Tornike Shengelia ranks 14th all-time in scoring with 3,301 points. Kyle Hines is 13th with 3,339.

Will Clyburn is in 15th place all-time in scoring with 3,254 points.

Shengelia ranks 11th all-time with 736 free throws made. Paulius Jankunas is 10th with 748.

Daniel Hackett ranks 16th all-time in assists with 931. Theo Papaloukas ranks 15th with 977 assists.

Achille Polonara needs 19 points to reach 1,000 for his career.

Polonara needs 2 offensive rebounds to reach 200 for his career.

Polonara needs 6 blocks to reach 100 for his career.

Alessandro Pajola ranks second all-time with a 2.9-to-1 career assist-to-turnover ratio.

Much-improved Virtus (5-15) will look for a third straight win with the tough mission of triumphing at reigning champ Panathinaikos (11-7). 

Game Facts: Panathinaikos vs. Virtus

\- In Round 10, Panathinaikos pulled out a 77-82 win in Bologna with Kendrick Nunn scoring 20 points. Last season in Bologna, Panathinaikos pulled out a 79-81 win on a buzzer-beater by Nunn.

\- Panathinaikos and Virtus first met in 1984. Panathinaikos shocked Virtus 83-89 to win the 2002 EuroLeague championship as the only champion this century to lift the trophy on the losing team's home floor.

\- Panathinaikos guard Marius Grigonis was a teammate of the Virtus trio of Daniel Hackett, Tornike Shengelia and Will Clyburn at CSKA Moscow during the 2021-22 season.

\- Virtus head coach Dusko Ivanovic coached Panathinaikos during the 2014-15 season and led the team to the 2015 Greek Cup.

\- Clyburn had 24 points and 7 rebounds for a PIR of 32, earning MVP of the Round honors, while playing for Anadolu Efes Istanbul in a road win over Panathinaikos in March 2023.

\- Clyburn made a career-high 11 two-point shots while playing for Darussafaka Istanbul against Panathinaikos in November 2016.

\- Virtus forward Achille Polonara played under current Panathinaikos head coach Ergin Ataman at Anadolu Efes Istanbul in the first part of the 2022-23 season.

\- Polonara posted his career highs in PIR (36), three-pointers made (5) and defensive rebounds (11) while playing for Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz against Panathinaikos in March 2021.

\- Panathinaikos forward Ioannis Papapetrou was a teammate of Virtus guard Daniel Hackett at Olympiacos for two seasons, from 2015 to 2017. They reached the EuroLeague championship game together in 2017.

\- Panathinaikos center Mathias Lessort has been a teammate of Virtus forward Isaia Cordinier on the French national team. They won silver medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

\- Panathinaikos center Mathias Lessort and Virtus center Ante Zizic were teammates at Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv for the first part of the 2021-22 season.

\- Jerian Grant had a career-best 5 steals in Panathinaikos's 90-76 home win over Virtus 90-76 last season.

\- Virtus forward Tornike Shengelia tied his career high with 7 assists when Virtus beat Panathinaikos 74-64 in January 2023.

\- Shengelia had originally set that career high of 7 assists while playing for Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz in an 86-77 home win over Panathinaikos during the 2018-19 season.

Game Notes: Panathinaikos vs. Virtus

Barca big man [Chimizie Metu](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/chimezie-metu/013379/) made a strong return from injury in last week's loss to Zvezda, netting 16 points on 6-of-7 field goal shooting, and he will enjoy a good matchup with [Collin Malcom](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/collin-malcolm/012609/), who averages 10.5 points and 5.5 rebounds over the last two games. Paris, which is on a three-game losing streak, needs to show mental strength to recover from last week’s collapse at Baskonia, while Barca have a major score to settle with the host after [TJ Shorts](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/tj-shorts/012608/) (24 points, 9 assists) inspired a stunning 87-103 victory at Palau Blaugrana earlier in the season.

### Paris Basketball

 

**Streaks**

TJ Shorts has scored in double figures in nine straight and 15 of his 16 EuroLeague appearances.

Shorts has PIRs of at least 10 in nine straight and 15 of his 16 EuroLeague appearances.

Shorts has PIRs of 22 or more in seven of his last eight games.

Shorts has made at least 1 three-point shot in eight straight games.

Shorts has dished 5 or more assists in 14 of his last 15 games.

Nadir Hifi has made at least 1 three-pointer in 16 of his 17 EuroLeague appearances.

Hifi has made multiple three-pointers in 10 straight games.

Hifi has scored 10 or more points in nine of his last 10 games.

Daulton Hommes has made at least 1 three-point shot in six of his last seven games.

Tyson Ward has made at least 1 three-pointer in seven of his last eight games.

 

**Season rankings**

TJ Shorts is tied for third in average index rating with 22.8 per game.

Shorts ranks third in scoring with 18.9 points per game.

Shorts ranks second in assists with 7.6 per game.

Kevarrius Hayes ranks seventh in blocks with 1.1 per game.

Nadir Hifi ranks seventh in three-pointers made with 2.5 per game.

Bandja Sy ranks eighth in three-point shooting at 48%.

Paris ranks fourth in scoring with 86.5 points per game.

Paris ranks second in rebounding with 36.4 rebounds per game.

Paris ranks first in offensive rebounding with 12.7 per game.

Paris has committed 10.4 turnovers per game, the second-fewest in the league.

Paris has forced 13.0 turnovers per game, the third most this season.

Paris has held opponents to 32.4% three-point shooting, the second lowest in the league.

 

**Records/Milestones**

Kevarrius Hayes needs 3 blocks to reach 100 for his career.

Hayes needs 3 offensive rebounds to reach 200 for his career.

### FC Barcelona

 

**Streaks**

Jabari Parker has made at least 1 three-point shot in 17 of his last 18 games.

Parker has grabbed 5 rebounds or more in six of his last seven games.

Kevin Punter has made at least 1 three-point shot in eight straight and 17 of his last 18 games. He has made multiple threes in seven straight games.

Punter has scored in double figures in five straight games.

Jan Vesely has at least 1 steal in 13 of his last 14 games.

Justin Anderson has made at least 1 three-point shot in six of his last seven games.

Nico Laprovittola has made at least 1 three-point shot in 19 straight games.

 

**Season rankings**

Kevin Punter ranks eighth in scoring with 16.7 points per game.

Punter ranks 10th in three-pointers made with 2.2 per game.

Punter is tied for sixth in steals with 1.3 per game.

Jan Vesely is tied for ninth in steals with 1.2 per game.

Willy Hernangomez ranks ninth in two-point shooting at 68.1%.

Barcelona leads the league in assists with 20.6 per game.

Barcelona leads the league in steals with 8.3 per game.

Barcelona's defense has forced 13.4 turnovers per game, the second most in the league.

 

**Records/Milestones**

Tomas Satoransky ranks fourth all-time with a 2.8-to-1 career assist-to-turnover ratio.

Jan Vesely is the all-time leader in two-pointers made with 1,555.

Vesely is in fourth place all-time with 651 offensive rebounds. Walter Tavares of Real Madrid is third with 660 and counting.

Vesely ranks fourth all-time with 1,765 rebounds. Felipe Reyes is third with 1,799.

Vesely ranks eighth all-time with 216 blocks. Tibor Pleiss is seventh with 228.

Vesely is sixth all-time with 4,008 points scored. Sergio Llull of Real Madrid is fifth with 4,068 and counting.

Vesely ranks second all-time with 5,077 index rating points. Nando De Colo of LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne is the all-time leader with 5,233 and counting.

Vesely ranks fourth all-time with 363 steals. Rudy Fernandez is third with 367 steals.

Vesely ranks eighth all-time with 787 free throws made. Juan Carlos Navarro is seventh with 853.

Kevin Punter ranks 11th all-time in free-throw accuracy at 89.8%.

Youssoupha Fall ranks 14th all-time in two-point accuracy at 64.7%.

Nico Laprovittola needs 3 three-point shots made to reach 300 for his career.

Two former league leaders struggling for form will look to start 2025 in the right way as Paris (11-6) hosts Barcelona (9-9) in a must-win game for both teams. 