Name: Fall with a big two-hander! Motorola Magic Moment
Channel: Euroleague Basketball

Fall flushes it down after an inch-perfect pass from Fournier!

Fall with a big two-hander! Motorola Magic Moment

 Fall flushes it down after an inch-perfect pass from Fournier!

Olympiacos Piraeus v ALBA Berlin (2024-12-20T19:15:00.000Z)

Nick Weiler-Babb to Johannes Voigtmann to Devin Booker for a wild alley-oop dunk!

Booker's alley-oop dunk! Motorola Magic Moment

 Nick Weiler-Babb to Johannes Voigtmann to Devin Booker for a wild alley-oop dunk!

EA7 Emporio Armani Milan v FC Bayern Munich (2024-12-20T20:00:00.000Z)

Anadolu Efes Istanbul-Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade | RS Round 17 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

Anadolu Efes Istanbul v Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (2024-12-20T17:30:00.000Z)

Isaia Cordinier wins the jump ball by tapping it ahead to Will Clyburn for the breakaway dunk.

Jump ball leads to Clyburn dunk! Motorola Magic Moment

Virtus Segafredo Bologna v FC Barcelona (2024-12-20T19:00:00.000Z)

Ercan Osmani was integral as Anadolu Efes beat KK Partizan in Round 17 to record its fourth straight home win in the EuroLeague.

Ercan Osmani's hard work paid off against Partizan

[Anadolu Efes Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/anadolu-efes-istanbul/ist/) completed a perfect double-round week with [an 86-77 home victory over Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/ercan-osmani-leads-efes-past-partizan-86-77/), with [Ercan Osmani](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/ercan-osmani/012710/) continuing his impressive form by having a career-best performance.

Osmani started strong, getting 10 points in the opening 12 minutes. He stepped up big early in the third quarter with a three-pointer from the right wing and a huge one-handed slam. The 26-year-old, however, was just getting started.

Anadolu Efes Istanbul forward Ercan Osmani had a career-high 25 points on 6 of 7 two-pointers, 4 of 7 three-pointers and 1 of 2 free throws, adding 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 assists and 5 fouls drawn for a personal-best PIR of 29.

Osmani's career night against Partizan

He finished the game with a career-high 25 points, 10 more than his previous record against Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv on March 20, 2024. Osmani hit 6-of-7 two-pointers, 4-of-7 three-pointers and 1-of-2 free throws, adding 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 assists and 5 fouls drawn for a personal-best PIR of 29.

Partizan led 58-61 at the end of the third quarter behind an unstoppable [Tyrique Jones](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/tyrique-jones/011981/), playing against Efes in Istanbul for the first time since leaving the club this past summer. Osmani had 10 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter, playing a big role in his team's victory.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">💪 Bu kutlamayı sonuna kadar hak ettin! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BenimYerimBuras%C4%B1?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BenimYerimBurası</a> <a href="https://t.co/DkQTLwfrf8">pic.twitter.com/DkQTLwfrf8</a></p>&mdash; Anadolu Efes SK (@AnadoluEfesSK) <a href="https://twitter.com/AnadoluEfesSK/status/1870194916254458303?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 20, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

[Rodrigue Beaubois](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/rodrigue-beaubois/006590/) was equally outstanding, scoring all 12 of his points in the final 10 minutes on 4 bombs from beyond the arc. Osmani and Beaubois combined for 22 of Efes's 28 fourth-quarter points, and the hosts' defense did the rest down the stretch.

After the game, Osmani felt nothing but thankful to everyone around him. He was the most talked-about player, too.

"I have to thank my teammates because they believe in me," Osmani told EuroLeague TV. "First of all, I have to thank them because if they were not here, I wouldn't do those \[career-high numbers\], so I am felling great because I have really great teammates and I am lucky about that. Of course, it is a double week and I am feeling tired, but I needed to play today. Tomi \[Tomislav Mijatovic\] believes in me, so thank you!"

"Tonight, Ercan Osmani had a career game and carried us in the fourth quarter, making big shot after big shot, rebounds, getting to the basket," Efes star guard Shane Larkin said. "We have that kind of talent in this team, it's not going to be the same guy every night but that's what makes us dangerous."

"We were fully aware of Ercan's potential. We are very fortunate and very lucky that he fits superbly in our team. He is following the lead, playing with the system and his individual potential, which is huge, comes to play," Coach Mijatovic said. "Today, he really carried us in his shoulders in some parts of the game but he was an important piece of the whole puzzle."

Game News

He enjoyed a starring role in an Efes win in Round 17


A great move by the home team as Moustapha Fall feeds Shaq McKissic with a no-look pass and the latter slams it down!


McKissic with a huge dunk! Motorola Magic Moment

A great move by the home team as Moustapha Fall feeds Shaq McKissic with a no-look pass and the latter slams it down!

Juan Nunez gets some space but Momo Diouf says not in my house.

Diouf swats Nunez! Motorola Magic Moment

Ercan Osmani had a career-high 25 points to lead Anadolu Efes past KK Partizan 86-77 and notch the Turkish side's 10th win in the EuroLeague this season.

Ercan Osmani leads Efes past Partizan, 86-77

Anadolu Efes Istanbul grabbed its third consecutive victory, and fourth straight at home, by topping Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade 86-77 at the Basketball Development Center in Round 17 on Thursday. Efes improved to 10-7 in the standings while Partizan dropped to 7-10. 

Ercan Osmani paced the winners with a career-high 25 points. Rodrigue Beaubois scored 12 while Shane Larkin, Jordan Nwora and Darius Thompson each had 11 for the Efes. Thompson added 10 assists for a double-double. Tyrique Jones led Partizan with 23 points. Sterling Brown netted 15 while Duane Washington had 10 for the guests.

Game Videos

Tyrique Jones got Partizan going with a two-handed slam and Isaac Bonga bettered Vincent Poirier's layup with a three-point play. Tyrique Jones dunked again, banked in a close shot and added a jump hook that boosted Partizan's lead to 2-11. Osmani struck from downtown and Poirier erased Carlik Jones's layup with an alley-oop slam. Brown followed a driving layup with a mid-range jumper, but Osmani banked in a close shot and Thompson's three-pointer kept Efes within 12-17. Carlik Jones scored again and Brown hit a triple. Efes found a go-to guy in Nwora, who struck from beyond the arc and added a two-handed slam for a 20-22 Efes lead. Marko Nakic hit a jump hook and Bonga added a buzzer-beating three-pointer for a 20-27 Partizan lead after 10 minutes. 

Tyrique Jones buried a jump hook early in the second quarter. Osmani struck from downtown and added a huge one-handed dunk that got Efes as close as 25-29. Dan Oturu hit a fadeaway jumper in a 9-0 run that Larkin capped with a driving layup. Washington rescued Partizan with a three-pointer, Larkin hit a jumper and Rolands Smits added a layup to complete Efes's comeback, 33-32. Washington scored in penetration and Aleksej Pokusevski dunked to give Partizan fresh air at 33-36. Brandon Davies buried an amazing fadeaway jumper that boosted the guests' lead to 33-38 at halftime.

Washington scored around the basket soon after the break. Nwora insisted from beyond the arc and Thompson added a triple in transition to make Partizan stop the game at 39-40. Brown joined the three-point shootout and Pokusevski took over with a driving layup. Poirier hit a mid-range jumper, Thompson struck from downtown and Osmani's alley-oop layup put Efes back in charge, 46-45. Washington scored twice in penetration, getting help from Tyrique Jones to restore a 46-51 Partizan lead. Larkin and Osmani both nailed triples either side of a Brown three-pointer for a 52-54 score. Tyrique Jones bettered Larkin's jumper with a layup-plus-foul, but Oturu dunked and Elijah Bryant's floater gave Efes a 58-57 lead. Tyrique Jones single-handedly made Partizan regain a 58-61 edge after 30 minutes.

Larkin took over with a wild driving layup early in the fourth quarter and Osmani added a floater for a 62-61 lead. Beaubois capped a 7-0 run with a triple, before Carlik Jones quickly answered with a jumper. Brown silenced the crowd with a coast-to-coast layup, but Beaubois buried another three-pointer for a 68-65 score. Osmani banked in a close shot and improved on Davies's dunk with a bomb from beyond the arc. Beaubois buried his third triple to boost the hosts' lead to 76-70 with 4 minutes left. Osmani scored around the basket and Beaubois struck from downtown. Davies joined the three-point shootout, and Tyrique Jones gave Partizan hope at 81-77. Thompson stepped up with a driving layup and Oturu's jumper sealed the outcome, 85-77, with 1:08 remaining.

He had a career-high 25 points to lead Efes to its 10th win


Tyrique Jones blocks Darius Thompson's shot and gets the ball back from Aleksej Pokusevski to throw it down with authority - and one!

Tyrique Jones shines at both ends! Motorola Magic Moment

Alen Smailagic drives for a monster dunk.


Smailagic with a big two-handed slam! Motorola Magic Moment

Alen Smailagic drives for a monster dunk.

Zalgiris Kaunas v LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne (2024-12-20T18:00:00.000Z)

David Lighty goes to the rim, but Dunston sends the ball into the stands.

Dunston's big swat! Motorola Magic Moment

Jordan Nwora comes out of nowhere to stop Isaac Bonga with a fantastic block!

Nwora stops Bonga! Motorola Magic Moment

Shane Larkin kicks the ball out and Ercan Osmani drives to detonate the dunk!

Osmani's huge dunk! Motorola Magic Moment

Dan Oturu blocks a shot and at the other end Shane Larkin feeds Jordan Nwora for a super slam!

Efes turns defense into offense! Motorola Magic Moment

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul has issued a statement confirming that Wade Baldwin suffered a hamstring injury during his team's Round 16 defeat to FC Barcelona on Tuesday night.

Wade Baldwin out with hamstring injury

[Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fenerbahce-beko-istanbul/ulk/) has issued a statement confirming that [Wade Baldwin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/wade-baldwin-iv/009863/) suffered a hamstring injury during his team's [Round 16 defeat to FC Barcelona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/kevin-punter-shines-as-barcelona-steamrolls-fenerbahce-90-63/) on Tuesday night.

This is the second hamstring injury that Baldwin has had to deal with this season, having [previously sustained this injury back in Round 8](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/wade-baldwin-sidelined-with-hamstring-injury/) against LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne. He missed Rounds 9 through 11 with this injury.

"Fenerbahce Beko Men's Basketball Team player Wade Baldwin IV suffered an injury in his hamstring area during the Barcelona game played on Tuesday, December 17," Fenerbahce said on Friday.

"Following our athlete's check-ups at Acıbadem Altunizade Hospital, a second-stage muscle injury was detected and treatment was started. We wish Wade Baldwin IV a speedy recovery and hope he joins our team as soon as possible."

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">Wade Baldwin IV’nin sağlık durumu hakkında bilgilendirme<br><br>🔗 <a href="https://t.co/e8Je4iNXO1">https://t.co/e8Je4iNXO1</a> <a href="https://t.co/fhcJlNwPnu">pic.twitter.com/fhcJlNwPnu</a></p>&mdash; Fenerbahçe Beko (@FBBasketbol) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBBasketbol/status/1870142000961360023?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 20, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

In his first season as a Fenerbahce player, and sixth Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season overall, Baldwin has averaged 10.5 points, 2.6 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 13 appearances in the 2024-25 campaign.

No timetable for his return has been stated by Fenerbahce.

More Fenerbahce News

It occurred during Fenerbahce's Round 16 loss at Barcelona

Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens’s All-EuroLeague center Mathias Lessort was reportedly taken to the hospital during Thursday’s game against Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz after suffering an apparent ankle injury early in the third quarter

All-EuroLeague center Mathias Lessort leaves game with leg injury

[Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/panathinaikos-aktor-athens/pan/)’s All-EuroLeague center [Mathias Lessort](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/mathias-lessort/003842/) successfully underwent surgery on the fractured fibula he suffered during the team's game against Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz on Thursday, the club confirmed on Friday.

Lessort came down badly on his left ankle after tipping a steal away and could be heard screaming from pain immediately after. He later hopped on one leg as he made his way off the court.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Mathias Lessort IG story with his son on the way to the hospital. Ergin Ataman said the he has probably broken his leg. Pending evaluation. <a href="https://t.co/NI6beWKNO7">pic.twitter.com/NI6beWKNO7</a></p>&mdash; Vasiliki Karamouza (@karamouza_vas) <a href="https://twitter.com/karamouza_vas/status/1869831770348368223?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 19, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Immediately after the game, Baskonia guard [Markus Howard](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/markus-howard/011948/) huddled with players from both teams and led a prayer for Lessort.

Before the injury, Lessort was shining for the Greens with 10 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals in 16 minutes. For the season, his second in Athens, Lessort has averaged 13.6 points and 7.1 rebounds per game. He was second in the league in rebounds and sixth in average PIR (20.5).

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Bigger than Basketball ❤️ <a href="https://twitter.com/markushoward11?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@markushoward11</a> joins the <a href="https://twitter.com/Paobcgr?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Paobcgr</a> squad to pray and show support for Lessort 🙏 <a href="https://t.co/lsEYUywcP7">pic.twitter.com/lsEYUywcP7</a></p>&mdash; Turkish Airlines EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague/status/1869831289743810714?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 19, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

"We’re praying the injury is not as serious as it looks," Panathinaikos guard [Kendrick Nunn](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/kendrick-nunn/012774/) said after the game. "We just need everybody to keep him in our prayers. He’s our brother and we are going to have his back, that’s for sure."

Head coach Ergin Ataman added: "We have nothing to celebrate and it’s very bad luck for Mathias. It looks like he broke his leg and the whole team was in shock after that."

"That’s my brother, it’s bad to see him down like that and I am at a loss for words," Panathinaikos playmaker Lorenzo Brown said. "I hope he has a speedy recovery and it’s going to be tough for us to move on."

Over the past few seasons, Lessort has cemented himself as one of the best big men in Europe. He was an All-EuroCup First Team selection in 2021 as he helped AS Monaco win the EuroCup. Two years later he was an All-EuroLeague First Teamer with Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade and last season he helped Panathinaikos win the EuroLeague while retaining his spot among the competition’s top five players. He also captured a silver medal with the French national team last summer at the Olympic Games in Paris.

Several of his former teams had wished Lessort well long before the final buzzer sounded Thursday in Athens.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Sending best wishes to Mathias Lessort who left the court with an injury against Baskonia 🙏<br><br>Injuries are never easy to deal with, but we know you will return stronger than ever 🤍 <a href="https://t.co/o8giqnnkzw">pic.twitter.com/o8giqnnkzw</a></p>&mdash; AS Monaco Basket EN (@asmonaco_en) <a href="https://twitter.com/asmonaco_en/status/1869820334834323575?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 19, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Get well soon, Mathias! 🙏🏻 <a href="https://t.co/jNzmCzl7PW">pic.twitter.com/jNzmCzl7PW</a></p>&mdash; Maccabi Tel Aviv BC 🇮🇱​ (@MaccabiTLVBC) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaccabiTLVBC/status/1869824182617563581?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 19, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Your black-white Family loves you!🖤🤍 <a href="https://twitter.com/ThiasLsf?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ThiasLsf</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KKPartizan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KKPartizan</a> <a href="https://t.co/AvYwym7viX">pic.twitter.com/AvYwym7viX</a></p>&mdash; KK Partizan Mozzart Bet (@PartizanBC) <a href="https://twitter.com/PartizanBC/status/1869827635339243690?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 19, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="qme" dir="ltr">🙏🏻 <a href="https://twitter.com/ThiasLsf?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ThiasLsf</a></p>&mdash; LDLC ASVEL (@LDLCASVEL) <a href="https://twitter.com/LDLCASVEL/status/1869828225498743071?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 19, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The star big man went down in agony early in the third quarter

All-EuroLeague center Mathias Lessort diagnosed with fibula fracture

Look back at all the action in Round 12 of the 2024-25 BKT EuroCup season by checking out the best photos of the week! 

Top 10 photos from Round 12

Look back at all the action from Round 12 of the 2024-25 BKT EuroCup season by checking out the best photos of the week! 

Check out what the coaches and players are saying ahead of Round 17 of the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.

EuroLeague pregame quotes hub: Round 17

## Friday, December 20

### Anadolu Efes Istanbul vs. Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (18:30 CET)

**Tomislav Mijatovic, Anadolu Efes Istanbul head coach**

"We are entering the preparations for the second part of our double game week of course against one of the teams that's playing in a high form in this part of the EuroLeague and their domestic league. We understand that a team that's coached by Mr. Obradovic who is super well-prepared for all possible tactical options, and we understand that we need to be at our absolute best physically, mentally, discipline wise and tactically in order to reach our goal which is to win the game. We will count as always on the wonderful support of our fans and in the synergy between our players, our bench and our wonderful fans, we are hoping to produce one more very important victory at home."

**Dan Oturu, Anadolu Efes Istanbul center**

"Partizan is a very good team. I think they've won the last five games in a row before this double game week. They just lost to LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne in their last game. We know they are going to be hungry to come and they are gonna fight hard and play very hard. We just have to come out with the right mindset of mentality to be able to come out with the victory tomorrow."

**Zeljko Obradovic, Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade head coach**

"Efes is a team with the phenomenal quality and they are well-covered in all positions. The fact that a player like Larkin can endure to play practically without points until the very end of the game, fully submit to the team and distribute 12 assists speaks volumes about their strength. Yesterday we had individual training with several players who were ill and are recovering from injuries. We travel to Istanbul without Lundberg, Nilikina and Marinković, who are currently unable to help the team and will remain in Belgrade for therapy. Regardless, that doesn't mean we go there thinking we can't win and have no chance. On the contrary, we believe in our abilities and will prepare for the game in the best possible way."

**Mitar Bosnjakovic, Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade forward**

"Expectations are always high. After this tough loss, I think we need to rise up and come out of it as strong as possible. Our team spirit is always good and at a high level — that's what defines us. Whether we lose or win, we remain a team."

### Zalgiris Kaunas vs. LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne (19:00 CET)

**Andrea Trinchieri, Zalgiris Kaunas head coach**

"ASVEL just won playing amazing in Belgrade, and we know very well how difficult it is to beat Partizan. ASVEL is killing all streaks. They won against Paris, they won against Partizan... They are playing with a lot of confidence, size, athleticism. Lauvergne, Maledon, De Colo... all players who can be starters or have a big role on any team in the EuroLeague. It's another game where we need to have mental discipline, tactical discipline; we need to execute, we need to know what to do. It's a game where we need once again to raise the bar of what we are doing."

### Virtus Segafredo Bologna vs. FC Barcelona (20:00 CET)

**Dusko Ivanovic, Virtus Segafredo Bologna head coach**

"Barcelona is one of the best teams in the EuroLeague, definitely a candidate for the Final Four, but we have the goal of improving game after game. Every game we have to show more, especially in terms of energy and character."

**Marco Belinelli, Virtus Segafredo Bologna guard**

"Important game against a strong team like Barcelona, ​​a team that comes from good performances like the last one it won at home against Fenerbahce. We know how tough it will be both from a tactical and physical point of view: it will be important to fight like we did in the last game, trying to limit our mistakes. We will have to play team basketball, both on offense and defense, ready to help each other until the end."

### Olympiacos Piraeus vs. ALBA Berlin (20:15 CET)

**Georgios Bartzokas, Olympiacos Piraeus head coach**

"It is always tough to play back-to-back games. It will be a huge mistake if we underestimate our opponent just because of their place on the standings. We need to adjust our game, because ALBA plays faster even than Paris. That is proven by the numbers. We must play well on both ends. We have to follow our game plan, shoot the ball well, and establish our pace in order to get the win. We play harder than ALBA, and that’s something we should take advantage of. We must prove on the court that we have a better team than them. I have to repeat, though, that nothing is a foregone conclusion in the EuroLeague. It needs big effort to get the win, no matter who your opponent is."

**Sasha Vezenkov, Olympiacos Piraeus forward**

"I do not really care so much about the MVP of the Round title. I only want the team to win. That’s the most important. To win, to improve ourselves, and to be ready at the right time. ALBA has had a certain basketball style all these years. Maybe they had a better roster in the previous years, but they still are a tough opponent. It’s forbidden for us to make the mistake of underestimating them. In my opinion, if we stay focused and follow the plan, we will get the win."

**Israel Gonzalez, ALBA Berlin head coach**

"Olympiacos is a team that has great EuroLeague championship potential. They have a lot of new players and needed a bit of time to find their rhythm and get into their rotation. But they have a very deep roster, identify themselves through an intense defense and have a great ball movement in offense. With Vezenkov, Olympiacos has one of the best players in the EuroLeague, who can make the difference at any time. When Olympiacos go on a run, it's super tough to stop them at home."

**Louis Olinde, ALBA Berlin forward**

"We are in a tough EuroLeague double week. We had the privilege of playing at home on Tuesday, but now we have to play away at Olympiacos. The most important thing for us will be to keep our focus 100 percent the whole game."

### Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade vs. Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv (20:30 CET)

**Ioannis Sfairopoulos, Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade head coach**

"Maccabi is an important game, we have to show a reaction after the game against Efes. A very dangerous team, which is offensively oriented and plays in a special way on offense and can easily score points. We have to be concentrated, to follow the defensive structure and plan, and on offense to be smart and use the advantages, find their weaknesses and attack them in the right way."

**Joel Bolomboy, Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade center**

"The standings show that they are at the bottom, but that doesn't matter in the EuroLeague; anyone can lose. They are a good team, they have quality players, they shoot well, they play pick and roll... When you hear and when you see on paper \[that Rivero is out and Gabriel is a game-time decision\], it seems good, it seems we have an advantage, but at the end of the day, it gives an opportunity for the Maccabi players to make a breakthrough, which usually happens. Whatever it is, we will see. We will be ready, focused on ourselves whoever plays for them. They lack players, so we have to be even more ready."

**Oded Kattash, Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv head coach**

"We are looking forward to a great atmosphere, one of the best atmospheres in Europe. They are a great team. We are coming off a loss and we need to respond. We are missing some players, it's not easy for us, but we need to be really focused and keep our good body language, which we lost a little bit in the last game. But we need to react, mentally first of all; we need to be ready for a really aggressive game, controlling the boards. They have a few scorers, but their forwards are really dominant, so a lot of post-up situations. They have a lot of smart players and a great coach."

**John DiBartolomeo, Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv guard**

"They have built a really strong team this year. We are familiar with Ioannis and Vasileios and the type of basketball they play. We expect to fight, they're a really defensively-orientated team, a very structured team, and they have a great roster from top to bottom with a lot of talent. It'll be a tough challenge for us in this environment, but we're looking forward to it."

**Levi Randolph, Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv forward**

"For us, just to continue to get better. We want to hit first, withstand the runs, and build a full game. There are a lot of ups and downs in the game, and our goal is just to withstand those runs and do our best to come out with the win."

### EA7 Emporio Armani Milan vs. FC Bayern Munich (21:00 CET)

**Ettore Messina, EA7 Emporio Armani Milan head coach**

“We had one more day than usual to recover energy and understand if Leandro Bolmaro and Josh Nebo can help us in this game against Bayern. We were very happy after the Barcelona win and obviously we are not happy with what happened in Athens. But this is a very long, demanding and complex season, so we only have to look at this game in which we will face a team that has an excellent offense, balanced and well organized by Coach Herbert. We are also glad to see two special players again, Shabazz Napier and Johannes Voigtmann, who helped us win of two Italian championships."

## Thursday, December 19

### Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens vs. Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (18:45 CET)

**Ergin Ataman, Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens head coach**

"Every time, the second game in the double week is more dangerous and difficult. After the first game, we have some players with injury problems, so we won't have much of a chance to prepare special tactics for this game. We found our confidence, we played aggressive against Baskonia. It will be important to forget what happened in that game because Baskonia is a very dangerous team. They have incredible players on offense like Howard and Moneke, so we need to be ready to fight for one more victory that will be important to finish the first half of the regular season with 10 wins."

**Omer Yurtseven, Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens center**

"We need to come out aggressive, I think that's what it's going to take. I hope Kendrick starts off hot again, I think we all do, and then things will take care of themselves. Just being aggressive on defense and offense. We didn't let them score in the first five minutes \[against Milan\] so hopefully we can do that again."

### Real Madrid vs. AS Monaco (20:45 CET)

**Chus Mateo, Real Madrid head coach**

“AS Monaco are coming from playing very well against Bayern Munich and last week they beat Fenerbahce convincingly. They are in great form, they are playing really well and we know the quality of their players. Tomorrow's game is still a EuroLeague game that is always very demanding regardless of who the opponent is, but if we think about Monaco's form and the dynamic they are in, the game is very difficult. Monaco has a lot of points, but they also play at a good pace, they play very well as a team, they have many mechanisms acquired from previous years and, in addition, Spanoulis has given them a new look. In any case, we face this game with enthusiasm, trying to find the continuity that we have been lacking since the beginning of the season, but that we are looking hard for. Hopefully these two high-level games against Paris and Monaco will help us find the continuity we need."

**Alberto Abalde, Real Madrid forward**

“AS Monaco is a great team that has had a major change on the bench with the arrival of Spanoulis. They are a very difficult opponent to beat at all levels: in terms of players, talent, physique, style and level of play, which is very high... and we will have to do a great job to get a victory in front of our fans, which would be very important. We will try to make sure that their playmakers, especially the outside players, are not comfortable and that will require a good team effort to lower their averages, although we also have to focus on our own. I think that when we are strong and consistent in what we do we are a difficult team to beat and I think that is key to our growth."

**Vassilis Spanoulis, AS Monaco head coach**

"All I'm concerned about is training on Thursday and how we approach the game against Real. Everyone can dream, you can have big goals, which is our case, but we have to remain very humble and try to impose our identity as I would like. I've got a very good group of boys, who are always working harder and know what it means to aim high. We don't have time to train a lot, but we do a lot of tactical and video training. I've got a very receptive group, we want to progress and we have discussions about the way we want to play. All EuroLeague matches are tough, so that's obviously the case when we travel to Madrid."

**Terry Tarpey, AS Monaco guard**

"It all starts with the defense. We're confident, but we know that Real are a big team and we're going to give it everything we've got as a team, as we're doing so well at the moment. We're going to try and pass the ball around as much as we can. The fact that I'm playing again? It's thanks to my family, my teammates, they've always supported me, they used to tell me to play basketball and not think too much, so I'm happy to be able to give them a bit of happiness."

Pregame quotes hub: 'ASVEL is killing all streaks'

Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade v Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv (2024-12-20T19:30:00.000Z)

Real Madrid v AS Monaco (2024-12-19T19:45:00.000Z)

Paris Basketball v Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (2024-12-19T19:30:00.000Z)

Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens v Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (2024-12-19T17:45:00.000Z)