Andy West previews Round 14 of the 2025-26 EuroLeague season
At a glance: Coaching changes, French League derby highlight Round 14's action
Game Preview
8 Mins read
Round 14 of the EuroLeague Regular Season delivers another set of high-quality games, including the three co-leaders all trying to win at home. Here’s your overview of this week’s games.
Thursday, December 4
Anadolu Efes Istanbul vs. Real Madrid (18:15 CET)
Efes (5-8) will look for a return to winning ways under interim coach Radovan Trifunovic with a visit from Real (7-6). The Spanish team has won its last two games by exactly 1 point, and will hope that Mario Hezonja can continue his return to form which yielded 19 points at Hapoel last week. Efes will want to show its fans some pride after a 36-point battering against Monaco in Round 13, and must show much better discipline after committing 23 turnovers in that defeat. Jordan Loyd will attempt to continue carrying more of the scoring load after netting double digits in three of the last four games, while Real’s leading scorer Trey Lyles (14.2 points per game) is targeting a return to form after going scoreless from the field last week.
Zalgiris Kaunas vs. Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv (19:00 CET)
Zalgiris (8-5) will attempt to maintain its excellent form in Kaunas against a Maccabi team (3-10) aiming to climb away from last place. Maccabi is the third-best offensive rebounding team in the league over the course of the season, but the absence of both TJ Leaf and Jaylen Hoard has diminished that threat in the last couple of games. The backcourt features an exciting matchup between two explosive scorers as former Zalgiris shooter Lonnie Walker (14.3 points per game) attempts to outperform current home team hero Sylvain Francisco (16.9 points and 7.3 assists per night). Roman Sorkin is another threat to the hosts after averaging 16.2 points in the last five games, but Zalgiris will count on Ignas Brazdeikis maintaining his recent upturn in form as it chases a fifth straight home victory.
AS Monaco vs. Paris Basketball (19:30 CET)
A French League derby will see Monaco (8-5) attempt to strengthen its position near the top of the standings against a Paris team (5-8) seeking a turnaround in road fortunes. A highlight will be the backcourt battle between two of the league’s most prolific scorers as Mike James faces Nadir Hifi, who will need to be at his best to give Paris a first road victory since October. One key will be Monaco’s ability to limit the visitors' league-best offensive rebounding (16.3 per night), so Daniel Theis and Kevarrius Hayes – going up against his former team – will have a big task in protecting their backboard. Monaco leads the league in assist-turnover ratio, so Paris will hope its pace and athleticism can disrupt the host’s usual rhythm.
Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv vs. LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne (20:05 CET)
It’s first against last as Hapoel (9-4) welcomes an ASVEL team (3-10) determined to cause an upset. Hapoel is the competition’s leading scorer (90.7 points per game), partly thanks to the consistency of Elijah Bryant (14.8 points per night), while the French team ranks last with an average of just 75.8 points. ASVEL gave a strong performance despite suffering defeat at Barcelona last week as Nando De Colo made a sparkling return to action after injury with 22 points and 9 assists, and his connection with big man Bodian Massa (10 points and 9 boards last week) will be a threat to the hosts' defense. Hapoel is seeking a swift return to winning ways after losing to Real last week, and will look for more offensive fluidity after managing just 12 assists in that game.
Olympiacos Piraeus vs. Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (20:15 CET)
A battle of title contenders will see Olympiacos (8-5) and red-hot Fenerbahce (8-5) battle to break their current tie for a share of fourth place. The Reds have won four straight games in Piraeus but will be eager to quickly banish the mental demons of last week’s late collapse at Zvezda, where the latest masterclass from Sasha Vezenkov (29 points and 8 rebounds) wasn’t enough to prevent defeat. Fenerbahce will look to smother the home team’s usual offensive rhythm through its disciplined defense, which has excelled recently by holding opponents to just 72.2 points per game during its ongoing five-game winning run. Offensively, the Turkish team needs for Olympiacos star Wade Baldwin to continue providing leadership after netting double-digit points in scoring in eight of the last nine games.
Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade vs. FC Bayern Munich (20:45 CET)
Partizan (4-9) begins life after Zeljko Obradovic by seeking a return to winning ways against another team struggling for form, Bayern (5-8). The Serbian team must address its bad habit of allowing opponents to mount major runs, while Bayern is looking for an improvement in long-range shooting after making just 31.6% of its three-point attempts so far. The German team has lost four games straight and failed to score 75 points in any of those games. Last week’s loss at Valencia saw only Spencer Dinwiddie reach double digits, and it’s clear that Bayern must sharpen up against a Partizan team which will surely give a strong reaction following a tumultuous week. In the high-pressure situation, the experience of Nick Calathes will be important in allowing the home players to control their emotions.
Friday, December 5
Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade vs. FC Barcelona (20:00 CET)
Co-leader Zvezda (9-4) will attempt to maintain that status with the tough challenge of a visit from one of the chasing pack, Barcelona (8-5). Recently appointed Barca coach Xavi Pascual savored his first win with a battling performance against ASVEL last week, and he will be looking to instill his trademark defensive toughness to disrupt the influence of Zvezda playmaker Codi Miller-McIntyre (10 points and 9 assists in last week’s dramatic win over Olympiacos) and fit-again Jordan Nwora (19.4 points per game). Scoring star Kevin Punter hit form for Barca last time out with 24 points and 7 assists, and this week he’ll attempt to quieten the home crowd by outshining Zvezda newcomer Devonte' Graham, who impressed with 9 points and 4 assists on his debut against Olympiacos.
Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens vs. Valencia Basket (20:15 CET)
In another high stakes' matchup, red-hot Panathinaikos (9-4) aims to extend its winning run to five games with a visit from dangerous Valencia (8-5). It should be a high-scoring thriller between the second and fourth ranked offenses in the league, averaging 89.5 and 89.0 points per game respectively. Visiting backcourt leader Darius Thompson has the unenviable task of controlling reigning MVP Kendrick Nunn, who continued another outstanding season by draining 26 points in last week’s rout of Partizan. That game also featured another dynamic performance in the paint from Kenneth Faried, so Valencia big man Matt Costello will look to use his shooting range to pull his opponent into uncomfortable territory. The visitors will also hope for another big night for Brancou Badio, who has scored 16 points in both the last two games.
Virtus Bologna vs. Dubai Basketball (20:30 CET)
Virtus (6-7) will attempt to maintain its 100% home record against direct rival Dubai (6-7). The visiting team has so far recorded just one road win, but boosted its confidence by narrowly overcoming Paris at home last week as McKinley Wright recovered his best form with 24 points, while Justin Anderson will also be looking to build on his best performance of the season after netting 12 points. Virtus was narrowly edged out at Fenerbahce last week, and chief scorer Carsen Edwards will be determined to get back on track after going 0-of-8 for three-pointers in that loss. The Italian team has seen center Momo Diouf grow in importance in recent weeks, and he’ll look to confirm that growth by dominating dangerous Dubai big man Filip Petrusev.
Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz vs. EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (20:30 CET)
The round closes with Baskonia (4-9) looking to narrow the gap on the all-important top 10 with a visit from Milan (7-6). The Spanish team has roared to four consecutive games at Buesa Arena, with the relentless scoring of Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot complemented by an upturn in form for dynamic guard Kobi Simmons (double-digits scoring in four straight games). Milan coach Peppe Poeta started his permanent reign with a good win at Maccabi last week, and Shavon Shields arrives to face his former club in top form after going for 26 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists in that win. The home team will also be wary of the threat posed by Armoni Brooks, who has netted 15 three-pointers in the last four games.