Feb 21, 2021 by Euroleague.net Print
Defenses are fighting an uphill battle in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague. Facing so many talented and well-prepared attacks, defenses cannot deny all shots and thus must make decisions which shots to put more of an emphasis on defending.
High-Gravity Matchup
The stretch run is here. With only 10 games remaining for most clubs, it is make-or-break time for teams in the middle of the pack. Interestingly, Round 25 was likely the last round of the season where no two teams in the playoff picture entering the week were set to go head-to-head. Every team in the top eight played a team on the outside looking in, but as has been the case throughout the 2020-21 regular season creating separation in the standings remains easier said than done as even with playoff contenders holding court, only four victories separate fifth and 13th place and only two games separate second and eighth place despite the schedu
Zenit holds off depleted Zvezda in a thriller
Kevin Pangos netted a career-high 25 points, including a game-winning three-pointer with 27 seconds to go, to give Zenit St Petersburg a hard-fought 75-76 win over Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade on Friday night in the Serbian capital. In a battle that went down to the wire, Zenit snapped a three-game losing streak and improved to 14-9, while Zvezda dropped to 7-17 on the season. Zenit led by as many as 15 points in the first half, and held a double-digit lead late in the third quarter, but Zvezda rallied behind Ognjen Dobric and Dejan Davidovac. The teams traded leads the rest of the way, before Pangos hit a second-chance triple after Mateusz Ponitka s offensive rebound, lifting Zenit to an important win. Pangos finished with 25 points on 5-for-6 three-point shooting and 7 assists, and was the only Zenit double-digit scorer. Zvezda s Jordan Loyd scored 17 of his 21 points in the first half, and Dobric netted all of his 13 points in the secon
Feb 16, 2021 by Euroleague.net Print
The FabFive Challenge returns after a week off in which many of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague teams played in domestic cup competitions. In particular, the teams that walked away victorious from those cups are riding high and the players who shined brightest in those games should all be considered as worthy selections for FabFive Challenge in Round 25.
Though basing players form off of domestic games can prove tricky – not all teams can use the same rotations in all competitions, what cannot be questioned is that confidence always carries. Below are five recommended players who should all come into this week s games feeling confident. And there are many more, so use this as a guide to choosing the FabFive that is closes to your heart… and gut!
Feb 16, 2021 by Euroleague.net Print
Valencia Basket comes off one of its most exciting wins of the season in which it defeated CSKA Moscow 105-103 in double overtime. It was the team s fifth win by less than 5 points in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague this season. Shooting guard Klemen Prepelic was at the center of it, coming off the bench to make the difference. He scored 22 points with a career-high 7 rebounds, 6 assists and 6 fouls drawn, amassing a PIR of 23 in over 32 minutes of the floor, another personal best.
Prepelic has stepped up when his team has needed him. Valencia was without three perimeter players - Fernando San Emeterio, Joan Sastre and Guillem Vives, but Prepelic was there to provide the fireworks. Over his last three games, Prepelic has averaged 20.0 points on 12-of-27 three-point shooting (44.4%) and 20-of-24 on free throws (83.3%), while drawing 6.3 fouls per night and reaching a PIR of at least 20 in all three gam
Feb 15, 2021 by Euroleague.net Print
After a one-week break, Europe’s elite basketball competition returns to action with the continent’s top talents getting ready for the final stretch of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season. Round 25 features several big showdowns in the race for the playoffs. Here is the pick of the bunch.
Saras seeks bounce-back against former club
The last round of games before the domestic cup break was notable for shock outcomes with all of the top four in the standings losing. That includes leader FC Barcelona (17-7), which was well beaten at home by Anadolu Efes Istanbul and will now attempt to bounce back by overcoming dangerous visiting Zalgiris Kaunas (13-10) on Thursday. Both teams come into this game on a high after winning their respective cup competitions on Sunday. Barcelona bounced archrival Real Madrid in the Spanish King s Cup final, while Zalgiris repeated at Lithuania s King Mindaugas