A spot in the Play-In Showdown is on the line
Efes vs. Crvena Zvezda: Win or go home for Mijatovic’s men
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4 Mins read
The final round of the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague brings with it plenty of thrills and spills, which is particularly the case for Anadolu Efes Istanbul. On Thursday evening (19:30 CEST), Tomica Mijatovic’s Efes host Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade knowing that only a win will guarantee its place in the Play-In Showdown.
There is still the remote possibility that a loss could still see Efes advance as the 10th seed, but both Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade and EA7 Emporio Armani Milan, who are one game back of the Turkish side entering Round 34, would need to lose to Valencia Basket and Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv, respectively. Should either Partizan or Maccabi win and Efes lose, the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season would be over for the two-time champion.
Given that dynamic, recording a win is pivotal for Efes in order to lock up its place in the postseason, with a victory guaranteeing ninth spot in the standings. The good news is that Efes has been on a roll recently, going 7-2 under Mijatovic to give itself a fantastic chance of securing postseason basketball for the first time in a couple of years.
Efes is on a roll
Efes comes into Round 34 in high spirits as it is on a four-game winning streak in the EuroLeague and recorded back-to-back road wins at cross-city rival Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul in a matter of days, first in European play (80-82) and then in the Turkish League (80-90). That was perfect recipe ahead of a make-or-break contest against Zvezda, a side that has never won at Sinan Erdem Sports Hall in seven visits.
In particular, Efes’s star duo of Shane Larkin and Will Clyburn have gone up another level with their team’s season on the line. During the last four wins, Clyburn has averaged 16.8 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.0 steal and a PIR of 20.0, while Larkin – not including the victory over ALBA Berlin when he was dealing with flu – has posted 19.3 points, 2.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.3 steals and a PIR of 20.7 in the same stretch. They have both been integral to everything good – and Clyburn seems to have his confidence back, too, barking back at his doubters on EuroLeague TV after the triumph at Fenerbahce: “If anybody had any doubt who the best ‘3’ in Europe is, it's still me. And it will be me.”
Curiosity about Zvezda
What is particularly peculiar entering this contest is the fact that Zvezda is playing for nothing. That has been the case for a few weeks now, but Zvezda is now in the strange position of knowing that a first-ever club victory at Efes would open the door for its archrival, Partizan, to make the postseason. Ioannis Sfairopoulos’s side is 1-8 over the last nine games and one of the most out-of-form teams in the EuroLeague, but with all of the pressure on Efes, could a surprise result await?
Of all the clubs fighting to make the final play-in spot, one could argue that Efes is the most deserving, given its uptick under Coach Mijatovic. But this is the EuroLeague, where anything can happen. There is likely to be some drama along the way, so don’t miss out on what should be an action-packed contest to see out these two teams’ regular-season campaigns.