LDLC ASVEL has confirmed that team captain Charles Kahudi is out for the next four weeks after suffering a groin injury.

Charles Kahudi out for four weeks with groin injury

[LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/ldlc-asvel-villeurbanne/asv/) has confirmed that team captain [Charles Kahudi](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/charles-kahudi/kir/) will be out for the next four weeks due to a groin injury.

Kahudi, who has already announced that he will retire at the end of the 2024-25 campaign, has averaged 3.5 points and 1.2 rebounds in a bench role across 13 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague appearances this season.

"Charles Kahudi is suffering from pubalgia (a groin injury) and will be out of action for four weeks," ASVEL revealed in a tweet. "We wish him a speedy recovery."

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="fr" dir="ltr">Notre capitaine à l&#39;arrêt<br><br>Charles Kahudi souffre d&#39;une pubalgie et sera éloigné des parquets pendant quatre semaines. Nous lui souhaitons un prompt rétablissement.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LDLCASVEL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LDLCASVEL</a> <a href="https://t.co/3bDuRHjYiJ">pic.twitter.com/3bDuRHjYiJ</a></p>&mdash; LDLC ASVEL (@LDLCASVEL) <a href="https://twitter.com/LDLCASVEL/status/1867611273300783227?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

As such, Kahudi will miss ASVEL's next five or six games, with the 38-year-old expected to be out until January 10, 2025, the date of the French team's Round 20 clash at Anadolu Efes Istanbul.

To date, all 151 of his EuroLeague appearances have come in an ASVEL jersey since making his competition debut in 2019-20, while he also appeared in the BKT EuroCup 31 times for ASVEL in the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons. His other 44 games in the EuroCup came while playing for Le Mans between 2009 and 2014.

More ASVEL News

The veteran captain is in his last season as a professional

Anthony Randolph, a two-time EuroLeague champion with Real Madrid Baloncesto, has announced his retirement from basketball.

Two-time EuroLeague champ Anthony Randolph hangs up his sneakers

[Anthony Randolph](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/anthony-randolph/005757/), a two-time champion in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague with [Real Madrid](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/real-madrid/mad/), has announced his retirement from basketball.

The 35-year-old made 168 appearances in the EuroLeague between 2015 and 2023 – 145 for Real Madrid and 23 for [Lokomotiv Kuban](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/lokomotiv-kuban-krasnodar/tiv/) – as well as playing 14 times in the EuroCup for Lokomotiv in 2014-15.

A staple of Real Madrid's best years, Randolph was part of the teams that won the 2018 and 2023 EuroLeague championships. 

In his eight EuroLeague seasons, he reached the Final Four on six occasions – once with Lokomotiv (2016) and five times with Real Madrid (2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023).

All-Decade Nominee: Anthony Randolph

"After 15 incredible years, I'm officially stepping away from basketball," read Randolph's Instagram post confirming his retirement.

"It's been a journey filled with unforgettable moments – multiple championships, a historic run, and memories that will last a lifetime. I'm truly grateful to the coaches, trainers, staff, and teammates who supported me along the way.

"Thank you to the fans who made every game special and believed in us through it all.

"Basketball has given me more than I could have ever dreamed, shaping me both as a player and as a person. While this chapter comes to a close, I'm excited for what lies ahead and the new opportunities to continue growing and giving back."

<center>
<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/DDg6_UaNiuu/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:16px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DDg6_UaNiuu/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank"> <div style=" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div></div></div><div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;"><svg width="50px" height="50px" viewBox="0 0 60 60" version="1.1" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g stroke="none" stroke-width="1" fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd"><g transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)" fill="#000000"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path></g></g></g></svg></div><div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style=" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;">View this post on Instagram</div></div><div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"><div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"></div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"></div></div><div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"></div> <div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)"></div></div><div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style=" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"></div> <div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"></div></div></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"></div></div></a><p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DDg6_UaNiuu/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by QV Method (@qvmethod)</a></p></div></blockquote>
<script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>

Randolph posted career averages of 10.3 points, 4.2 rebounds and an 11.5 PIR in his EuroLeague career. He was selected to the All-EuroCup Second Team in 2014-15 and the All-EuroLeague Second Team in 2015-16, which both came during his time with Lokomotiv.

The German-born American also represented Slovenia at international level, helping the nation win the 2017 EuroBasket tournament alongside Luka Doncic, who was also his teammate in Real Madrid's first team between 2015 and 2018.

Randolph started his professional career in the 2008-09 season in the NBA with the Golden State Warriors, where he stayed until 2010, before going on to play for the New York Knicks (2010-11), Minnesota Timberwolves (2011-12) and Denver Nuggets (2014-16). He made 252 appearances in the NBA.

Everyone at Euroleague Basketball wishes Randolph all the best in retirement.

More Anthony Randolph News

The 35-year-old has decided to call time on his basketball career

LDLC ASVEL (5-9) and Paris Basketball (11-3) face off in Round 15's Rivalry Series game, but which team do the Euroleague.net experts – Geoff Gillingham, Javier Gancedo, Igor Petrinovic and Frankie Sachs – think will come out on top?

Rivalry Series: Predicting the winner of ASVEL vs. Paris

[Paris Basketball](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/paris-basketball/prs/) (11-3) has been the talk of the continent with its amazing performances in its debut Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season, yet [LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/ldlc-asvel-villeurbanne/asv/) (5-9) will be determined to earn bragging rights in this Rivalry Series clash.

With this being the first-ever French matchup in the EuroLeague this century, with it worth remembering that AS Monaco resides in the principality of Monaco, which team do the [Euroleague.net](http://Euroleague.net) experts believe will get the win?

[Geoff Gillingham](https://bsky.app/profile/geoffgillingham.bsky.social), [Igor Petrinovic](https://x.com/IgorPetrinovic), [Frankie Sachs](https://x.com/MrEuroleague) and [Javier Gancedo](https://x.com/ganchetto) have all predicted their winner in this Rivalry Series matchup.

##### Remember, you can submit your vote via the poll at the bottom of the page.

**Geoff:** When I was listening to [EuroLeague & Friends this week](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmMh4X0ihEo), Asta Zukaite made a point that I wish I had seen earlier. So, big props to her. She compared the Zalgiris team that won the FIBA Saporta Cup and the EuroLeague in back-to-back years in 1998 and 1999 to this current Paris team, which obviously lifted the EuroCup last season. She also compared Tyus Edney to TJ Shorts. Another brilliant comparison. Anyway, I really think it's written in the stars for Paris this year.

<center><div class="tenor-gif-embed" data-postid="22969950" data-share-method="host" data-aspect-ratio="1.50235" data-width="100%"><a href="https://tenor.com/view/ted-lasso-afc-richmond-believe-gif-22969950"&gt;Ted Lasso Afc Richmond GIF</a>from <a href="https://tenor.com/search/ted+lasso-gifs"&gt;Ted Lasso GIFs</a></div> <script type="text/javascript" async src="https://tenor.com/embed.js"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;

I'm not sure if that means ending the campaign by hoisting the EuroLeague trophy, but either way, this season has already been special for the EuroLeague newcomers. Shorts is continuing to play at an MVP level, Nadir Hifi is regularly showing his incredible skill and quality, and there are several players – Tyson Ward, Mikael Jantunen and Collin Malcolm to name just three – who are winning players. As much as I have loved watching Theo Maledon this year, I think Tiago Splitter's squad keeps on charging in Lyon.

Geoff’s prediction: **Paris to win by 8, Hifi to score 20+.**

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Hottest team in the league and it&#39;s <a href="https://twitter.com/tiagosplitter?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@tiagosplitter</a>&#39;s first ever season as a head coach👏<br><br>Let&#39;s hear it from him! <a href="https://twitter.com/ParisBasketball?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ParisBasketball</a> <a href="https://t.co/o2FV0onX5J">pic.twitter.com/o2FV0onX5J</a></p>&mdash; Turkish Airlines EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague/status/1866467915031286197?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<center>
<center><div class="tenor-gif-embed" data-postid="24350017" data-share-method="host" data-aspect-ratio="2.35294" data-width="100%"><a href="https://tenor.com/view/step-brothers-i-get-it-brennan-gif-24350017"&gt;Step Brothers I Get It GIF</a>from <a href="https://tenor.com/search/step+brothers-gifs"&gt;Step Brothers GIFs</a></div> <script type="text/javascript" async src="https://tenor.com/embed.js"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;

Paris is red hot. Historically hot. It has six more wins than ASVEL and is 14 places higher in the standings. So this is a slam dunk, right?

<center>
<center> <div class="tenor-gif-embed" data-postid="17476474" data-share-method="host" data-aspect-ratio="1.78771" data-width="100%"><a href="https://tenor.com/view/not-so-fast-d-structs-dinotrux-slow-down-get-back-here-gif-17476474"&gt;Not So Fast D Structs GIF</a>from <a href="https://tenor.com/search/not+so+fast-gifs"&gt;Not So Fast GIFs</a></div> <script type="text/javascript" async src="https://tenor.com/embed.js"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;

This game will be the first of two meetings between these teams in nine days, with the second coming on December 22 in the French League. ASVEL will host both games. Do I think Paris will win both? Nope. These teams are neck and neck in the French League. What’s more, Paris’s speed and style of play that has taken the EuroLeague by storm is not something ASVEL is unaccustomed to seeing. And ASVEL has won three in a row at home, beating Crvena Zvezda, Anadolu Efes and Real Madrid in order. ASVEL is deep, athletic and eager to bask in some of the glory that French basketball is seeing right now thanks to Paris and AS Monaco.

Frankie’s prediction: **ASVEL celebrates a narrow and exciting victory.**

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="fr" dir="ltr">BIG WEEK AHEAD ! 🔜<br><br>Après la belle victoire d&#39;hier face à Limoges, on se retrouve ce vendredi à l&#39;Astroballe pour un choc face au <a href="https://twitter.com/ParisBasketball?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ParisBasketball</a> en Euroleague ! <br><br>Rendez-vous immanquable ⤵️<br>🎟 <a href="https://t.co/CkSxoBKYbA">https://t.co/CkSxoBKYbA</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LDLCASVEL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LDLCASVEL</a> <a href="https://t.co/1nfshsehUz">pic.twitter.com/1nfshsehUz</a></p>&mdash; LDLC ASVEL (@LDLCASVEL) <a href="https://twitter.com/LDLCASVEL/status/1866067807223304355?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 9, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

**Igor:** It's the first all-French derby in the EuroLeague, and for me these are two of the most fun teams to watch this season. Paris is simply fascinating, with its pace and speed and led by TJ Shorts, the November MVP, running the show. That team has been winning over basketball fans from all over. On the other side, ASVEL is led by the 23-year-old Theo Maledon who has scored at least 23 points in five of his last six games, and has also dished at least seven assists in half of those contests. Then, there is also a fresh rivalry between these two teams, stemming from their French League clashes last spring, and both teams are also guided by young head coaches who are ready to think outside of the box. ASVEL's record is 5-9 but is 5-2 on its home floor, while Paris enters the contest on a 10-game winning streak. And I'm backing Paris to make it 11 in a row.

Igor's prediction: **Paris wins, both teams score at least 90 points.**

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="fr" dir="ltr">LES DEUX MAINS ENTIÈRES ON VA FAIRE COMMENT MAINTENANT ? <a href="https://t.co/9FEPApYGGN">pic.twitter.com/9FEPApYGGN</a></p>&mdash; Paris Basketball (@ParisBasketball) <a href="https://twitter.com/ParisBasketball/status/1865146485618188476?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 6, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

**Javi:** Paris enters this game on an amazing 10-game winning streak that should come to an end at the Astroballe. ASVEL simply has a complete package to use against Paris's strengths, starting by a star backcourt duo featuring Theo Maledon and Nando De Colo. Paris Lee has the experience and defensive skills to use against November MVP TJ Shorts. Andre Roberson has given ASVEL versatility and physicality, and the hosts rely on Joffrey Lauvergne and Neal Sako to make a difference in the paint. Paris is on a roll, playing unconventional basketball and being completely unpredictable, other than Shorts running the whole show. Unlike most opponents, ASVEL has played Paris before and knows what to expect, and it plays at home. ASVEL gets this one.

Javi's prediction: **ASVEL by more than 5 points.** 

Game News

For the first time in the modern EuroLeague era, two French teams will face off at 21:00 CET on Friday

LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne v Paris Basketball (2024-12-13T20:00:00.000Z)

Check out what the coaches and players are saying ahead of Round 15 of the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.

EuroLeague pregame quotes hub: Round 15

## Friday, December 13

### Anadolu Efes Istanbul vs. Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens (18:30 CET)

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

"We are getting ready to play against the current EuroLeague champion at our home court, a team that has one of the most successful EuroLeague coaches. As their culture has a great system, which presents not only a great challenge for us, but it presents a super motivation for us, for our team and for our fans to present ourselves in the best possible way. We want our fans to support us for 40 minutes and all together to do our absolute best to finish the game with a victory at home."

**Rolands Smits, Anadolu Efes Istanbul forward**

"Panathinaikos is a very physical and an experienced team. Last season’s EuroLeague champions... They are playing very good basketball with many talented players. So we need to be ready for the fight and I think we are ready, so we need to take care of all those players and I think everything will be good for us at the end of the game."

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

"We will play a very important game. Efes, on their home court, they play with a lot of confidence. We must play good on defense. They have very big offensive players on the perimeter."

**Panagiotis Kalaitzakis, Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens guard**

"Undoubtedly, this will be a very difficult game. We all know that in our recent matches, we haven't achieved the results we wanted. However, we need to enter the court fully focused, with defense as our primary weapon. In our latest games, we've conceded 85 and 90 points, and our away record has been poor—not just in Europe but also in Greece. When playing away, we lack focus and end up fighting for the game in the final possessions. We need to bring energy, start the game well, and avoid falling behind. Focus, defense, and more defense!"

### FC Barcelona vs. EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (20:30 CET)

**Joan Penarroya, FC Barcelona head coach**

"We know the kind of player Niko \[Nikola Mirotic\] is, who made important history in this club recently. We know he is one of the best players in the EuroLeague, but also know that if we only take care of Mirotic, we will have a big problem because Milan has a great roster. It is obvious that stat-wise, he is one of their important players, as always, in the upper part of all stats standings even when he is playing fewer minutes, and even in the '5' spot along with \[Zach\] LeDay. Milan has very important player in a good moment and even when they lose their last domestic game, they won six of its last seven EuroLeague games. They play really well on offense, with great three-point shooting percentage, which goes to the foul line a lot. Milan is a very dangerous opponent right now and I am sure it arrives in its best moment." 

**Juan Nunez, FC Barcelona guard**

"We had a negative streak and have started to win games. I think it is important to play together, to play well, as a team and keep building. We are still in December. All teams in Europe have ups and downs, with so many games in such few days. Therefore, it is important to build not just to win the game, but to improve day by day as a team, play as a team. This is what we focus on, and that should help keep winning games. The EuroLeague is a very demanding competition in which play a lot of games and cannot relax. I am sure that things will be different in February or March. We have to keep calm, keep playing as a team and win games. I am feeling more comfortable as time goes by. I think I can be the point guard of a team like Barca, which demands the responsibility to run the team when you are on the court. In general, I have to play at a EuroLeague level every day: it is an important challenge which I want to achieve."

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

"We are facing a very high level opponent, so it is obviously a very difficult game. For us, the defensive transition phase and controlling rebounds against their big men and physically imposing lineups, will be very important. Offensively, we need to have good ball circulation against a team that is used to generate steals and to use them to fuel their fast breaks. As always, we are happy to meet Kevin Punter, because he is a player of whom we have great memories and of whom we are very fond of."

**Nikola Mirotic, EA7 Emporio Armani Milan forward**

"For me personally, it will a special game and a special night. I'm coming back to a place I consider home for the first time after more than 500 days, so I anticipate a night full of emotions. At the same time, we have an important game and we'll try to win against an obviously great and very competitive team."

### Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade vs. Olympiacos Piraeus (20:30 CET)

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

"Olympiacos is built to go to the Final Four and win the EuroLeague. We know they have quality, but we want to fight for victory in front of our fans. We have a tough mission ahead of us, but I expect the players to fight for every ball."

**Dejan Davidovac, Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade forward**

"We are playing against one of the best teams in the EuroLeague right now, which has problems with injured players, but has a large enough roster to compensate for that. It will be a physically demanding game, they don't play so much in transition, but they are one of the best teams in terms of position. We need to stop a lot of players, it's not just \[Sasha\] Vezenkov. He is one of the best players in the league, but there are also \[Evan\] Fournier, \[Thomas\] Walkup, and \[Nikola\] Milutinov who will certainly have a big role."

**Georgios Bartzokas, Olympiacos Piraeus head coach**

"Some players must do things on the court that usually they don’t have to do. They must overcome themselves like they did at the end of the game against Paris. Of course, no team is able to play at that high tempo for 40 minutes. We have to find a way to fulfill the absences at the '5' position, with unusual fives on offense and defense. I am optimistic that we will play well. It is going to be a tough game, but we will fight hard for the win."

**Alec Peters, Olympiacos Piraeus forward**

"It is going to take special effort from everybody to get the win. Based on the circumstances in our team right now, it takes everybody stepping up. We have to find a way to start winning games on the road. Red Star is a good team, but the truth is that there are no bad teams in the EuroLeague. Everywhere we play is tough; the level is really high."

### LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne vs. Paris Basketball (21:00 CET)

\--

## Thursday, December 12

### Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul vs. AS Monaco (18:45 CET)

**Sarunas Jasikevicius, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul head coach**

"We are facing one of the most talented teams in the EuroLeague. Obviously their guard play is great. We understand that we can not stop their guards, so we have to make it as difficult as possible for them. We need to make them work for everything, without forgetting the other players who also do a great job, especially in rebounding and giving them extra possessions."

**Nicolo Melli, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul forward**

"It is going to be a tough game. We are playing at home and we have to win at home. We have to bounce back after the last home game. Monaco is coming after a loss in their domestic league and they just changed their coach. So, they will be super-motivated. It is not going to be an easy game, they are very talented."

**Vassilis Spanoulis, AS Monaco head coach**

"We're playing against one of the best teams in the EuroLeague, coached by a very good coach, Saras, so we need to be focused and apply our style of play... We have to be prepared for a tough challenge. Our team plays very well together, we can't change everything in 10 days, it's impossible, but the guys are making incredible efforts. We'll proceed step by step, improving each time. Alpha Diallo? Yes, it's a big loss for us. Everyone knows Alpha's important role on both sides of the floor, we hope he'll be back as soon as possible, but during this period everyone has to do their utmost to compensate for his absence."

**Georgios Papagiannis, AS Monaco center**

"I'm delighted to be back in Istanbul against my old team. We're expecting a tough game. Fener run a lot and get the rebounds. We'll have to be very vigilant on our defensive rebounds in transition, because Fener moves fast. We're passing the ball better and better, which is very positive, now it's up to us to be stronger defensively and find easy baskets."

### ALBA Berlin vs. Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (19:00 CET)

**Israel Gonzalez, ALBA Berlin head coach** 

"Partizan is a dangerous opponent for us, and after problems in the beginning they're playing really well at the moment. Four EuroLeague wins in a row after six defeats in a row shows Partizan's strength. But it also shows us that a good streak can follow a difficult phase. But after all the injuries, we have to build up our rhythm step by step."

**Matteo Spagnolo, ALBA Berlin guard**

"We're expecting an intense and high-energy game on Thursday. We know that Partizan is a very good team that plays hard and always brings a lot of fans with it on the road. It will be very important for us to match the energy, control Partizan in offense and focus on our game."

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

"ALBA is a team that plays a very specific style of basketball, consistently, under the same coach – everything about their game is clear. What’s particularly important is that they are adaptable and capable of playing both zone and combination defenses. Regarding their offense, it’s clear they have a lot of movement, and they are most dangerous on backdoor cuts, where they score a lot of easy points. Additionally, they rely on three-point shooting, and after each shot, they aggressively go for offensive rebounds. We have experience playing against them before, and we’ve talked to our players about it. We've prepared for this game thoroughly and will approach it with the utmost seriousness because this match is, of course, extremely important to us."

**Vanja Marinkovic, Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade guard**

"I believe we are in a very good rhythm in the EuroLeague, and the game against Alba comes at the right time. A challenging game awaits us against a team that has been playing the same way for many years, and we will try to prepare in the best possible way."

### Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz vs. Virtus Segafredo Bologna (20:30 CET)

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

"I am very happy to be in Bologna, it is a great team with great players. I believe in this team and I believe in these players, I think they have the right character and we are ready to fight. With Baskonia it will be a very special game, but we are professionals and we will go there to fight, we will not be conditioned by different situations."

**Ante Zizic, Virtus Segafredo Bologna center**

"Like every EuroLeague game, especially on the road, it will be tough and difficult. Baskonia is a good team but we want to give continuity to the game in Milan, playing 100 percent with energy and patience."

### Real Madrid vs. Zalgiris Kaunas (20:45 CET)

**Chus Mateo, Real Madrid head coach**

"We have to win at home. We have to try not to let any more games slip away from us at home, try to keep on winning and be prepared to be in a position to be among the best when that moment comes, but it is clear that we have to win. Tomorrow we play a game against a rival that is above us and I think we have a good opportunity to take a step forward and move up in the standings. Hopefully we can be serious for 40 minutes and we can beat a team like Zalgiris that is very strong in Europe and is playing very well."

**Andres Feliz, Real Madrid guard**

"Tomorrow we play a very important game because we want to continue to get into a rhythm and move up. It will be a tough game because Zalgiris is doing very well this year and is a very physical team. Our goal is to be good both on defense and offense, share the ball and play fast as we know how to do. We have to be tough from the start and set a very high physical level because that is what Zalgiris is going to demand from us. We are growing in defense and that is where we must be stronger because behind is where we win games. The level of the competition is very high, every game is very important and it would be very important for us to get back to winning ways at home in front of our fans."

**Andrea Trinchieri, Zalgiris Kaunas head coach**

"The schedule has no mercy. In one week, playing Partizan, Efes, Rytas and Real Madrid, it's a high mountain to climb. It's a great challenge and we want to embrace the challenge. Our goal is to compete and go to Madrid to show to ourselves that we belong and that we want to put together the best possible game. Dovydas \[Giedraitis\] will not play. We need to shuffle the roles in the team a little bit, but I expect my team to play with personality because when you play Real, you always play against the best players in Europe. You need to know how good they are, but you need to have personality to play against them."

(Dealing with the loss of Giedraitis): "Of course, we are going to miss him. The work that a team has to put in place in order to play is like a cake, and everybody has a slice of the cake. So, now we are missing a slice. We won't put someone else to fill this slice, so everybody should bring something to fill the gap."

(In response to a question about Facundo Campazzo): "Madrid is his house. He feels at home there, he takes the team on his shoulders, and he is playing with great creativity. He can do everything. He is a true point guard who can make passes... he has a passing ability that is unmatched. He can also score, and he is also very good at scoring clutch shots. One of the top three point guards in Europe."

### FC Bayern Munich vs. Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv (20:45 CET)

**Gordie Herbert, FC Bayern Munich head coach**

"We need to stay on the defensive path we’ve been on since the second half against Baskonia. Maccabi has a lot of talent, but we want to control the game through our tempo again. I hope our amazing fans will once again act as a sixth man behind us and give us the energy we need."

**Devin Booker, FC Bayern Munich center**

"Maccabi presents some challenges for us, both inside and outside the paint. They are certainly better than their current position in the standings suggests. However, if we focus well on our game and defense again, things can go our way once more, and that's our goal."

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

"Bayern is very impressive from the beginning of the season. They are a top offensive EuroLeague team. They play in a high-tempo game. They have bigs that can step outside and shot the ball well. It is one of the toughest games to handle if we are looking at the shape of the teams are in right now in the EuroLeague. We'll need to slow them down, be aggressive and control the boards."

**Marial Shayok, Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv guard**

"I think it's a great opportunity for us to come in and see if we can get a great road win against a great team at home. We're looking forward to it, having come off two wins in a row. We're excited that things are coming together, and we'll see what we can do. We've got to continue to just grow, continue to build chemistry with one another. It feels good coming off two wins, so just using that momentum going into the next game. Being a part of this team and this group of guys, win or lose, we've done a good job of staying together no matter what the environment is. I'm just looking forward to continuing to grow as a player and as a team as we continue this season."

Pregame quotes hub: 'I'm coming back to a place I consider home'

FC Barcelona v EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (2024-12-13T19:30:00.000Z)

Anadolu Efes Istanbul v Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens (2024-12-13T17:30:00.000Z)

Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade v Olympiacos Piraeus (2024-12-13T19:30:00.000Z)

Real Madrid v Zalgiris Kaunas (2024-12-12T19:45:00.000Z)

FC Bayern Munich v Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv (2024-12-12T19:45:00.000Z)

Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz v Virtus Segafredo Bologna (2024-12-12T19:30:00.000Z)

ALBA Berlin v Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (2024-12-12T18:00:00.000Z)

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul v AS Monaco (2024-12-12T17:45:00.000Z)

Dusko Ivanovic guided Virtus Bologna to a victory in his first EuroLeague game with the team - and he was happy with how the team believed 

Ivanovic got a bit lucky in Virtus debut, but team believed and fought

[Virtus Segafredo Bologna](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/virtus-segafredo-bologna/vir/) is not expecting magic to happen right out of the gate with [Dusko Ivanovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/virtus-segafredo-bologna/vir/ivanovic-dusko/) taking over as head coach. But the Italian team provided some wizardry of its own in giving the new play-caller his first victory – thanks to a great mind frame.

Virtus needed a shocking [four-point play](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/videos/mm-bas-vir-tae2425-rs15/?feedId=62bac866d7681e7971f128d7&title=MOTOROLA%20MAGIC%20MOMENTS) by [Will Clyburn](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/will-clyburn/004888/) with 1.9 seconds to play to knock off [Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz 81-82](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/clyburn-saves-virtus-81-82-at-baskonia-to-give-ivanovic-victory-in-debut/) to snap its six-game losing streak. Ivanovic was very happy about how his team stayed in the game.

"I am happy, but we have players. Tonight we were very lucky to win the game. But one thing that I think is really important for this team now is to believe and fight, believe and fight until the end," said the 67-year-old Ivanovic, who took over at the helm at Virtus after Luca Banchi stepped down.

"We have faith, character and patience - to play with a little more patience and have a clear situation, especially when the game is being decided."

Virtus Segafredo Bologna head coach Dusko Ivanovic spoke to EuroLeague TV after his team beat Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz in Round 15 of the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.

Dusko Ivanovic: 'Tonight, we had luck'

Ivanovic made two changes to Virtus’s starting lineup from the [Round 14 loss at home against Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/crvena-zvezda-downs-virtus-on-the-road-87-94/), which was coached by interim head coach Nenad Jakovljevic – starting [Alessandro Pajola](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/alessandro-pajola/006739/) and [Rayjon Tucker](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/rayjon-tucker/012591/) alongside Clyburn, [Toko Shengelia](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/tornike-shengelia/001133/) and [Ante Zizic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/ante-zizic/004554/).

The game was a special one for Ivanovic, who coached at Baskonia over four stints and patrolled the sidelines of the club for 273 EuroLeague games. In fact, this was the first time he faced Baskonia at Buesa Arena.

But Ivanovic was not thinking about sentimentality in the Round 15 encounter. He wants to take big steps in changing the mentality of the team as quickly as possible to still have a chance to fight for the playoffs when it’s all said and done.

The Montenegrin coach’s message has been received by the team – especially by the top players.

"Everybody knows our struggles this year. A win like this means everything," said Clyburn, who finished with 23 points. "We just kept playing - play by play. You can’t look at the scoreboard and think: oh, 5 or 6 points. It’s just play by play."

And Shengelia, who served as Baskonia captain for six seasons from 2014 to 2020, did not shy away from giving praise where it was due.

"All the credit goes to the coaches, too, in preparing the game in such a good way," the power forward said. "This win is very important, especially to get it on the road. It counts a lot. Getting a win in such an environment means we have something to build on now. I hope that we keep rolling."

The monkey is already off Ivanovic’s back as new coach, and Virtus already has a thrilling, momentum-building win. Now if it can just believe and fight for each game.

The Montenegrin tactician guided Virtus to a victory in his first game –  and he was happy with how the team believed 

Game-winner latest example of Clyburn turning the corner 

Everyone knows about [Will Clyburn](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/will-clyburn/004888/)’s championship pedigree. But the 34-year-old has struggled to deliver victories in his first season at [Virtus Segafredo Bologna](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/virtus-segafredo-bologna/roster/vir/?season=2024-25). The American seems to have turned the corner though of late with his game-winning four-point play at [Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/baskonia-vitoria-gasteiz/roster/bas/?season=2024-25) the latest example. 

Clyburn [drained a three-pointer](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/videos/mm-bas-vir-tae2425-rs15/?feedId=62bac866d7681e7971f128d7&title=MOTOROLA%20MAGIC%20MOMENTS) originally thought to be at the buzzer to tie the game at Baskonia. He was fouled by [Chima Moneke](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/chima-moneke/012201/) from behind and then converted the bonus free throw with 1.9 seconds left to secure [an 81-82 road win](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/clyburn-saves-virtus-81-82-at-baskonia-to-give-ivanovic-victory-in-debut/) to snap a six-game losing streak. 

“I knew we needed a three. [Toko \[Shengelia\]](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/tornike-shengelia/001133/) made a great pass back to me and he trusted me to make that shot,” said Clyburn, who finished the game with 23 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists for an index rating of 25. 

Game Videos

“Will had that amazing shot. And not only the shot, you have to make the free throw after that. There was a clutch free throw as well,” said Shengelia, who chipped in 16 points and 10 rebounds. 

Clyburn arrived at Virtus after two seasons at [Anadolu Efes Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/anadolu-efes-istanbul/ist/?season=2024-25), where he had hoped to continue Efes’s winning ways following back-to-back crowns. But he was never able to hoist the EuroLeague crown with the Turkish club. 

The Detroit native desperately wanted that feeling again after [winning the EuroLeague in 2019](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/eb-final-four-2019/) with CSKA Moscow while also taking home the EuroLeague Final Four MVP trophy that year and being named to the All-EuroLeague First Team. 

Virtus was hoping to get a EuroLeague champion and leader in Clyburn when it signed him this off-season. Clyburn however has needed some time to get going. Sure, he scored 27 points as Virtus picked up its first win of the season in Round 5 against Partizan, but Clyburn averaged 10.9 points in the first 11 games of the season. 

Things started looking up for Clyburn individually in the Round 12 loss against Paris Basketball as he scored 25 points and followed that with 23 points against ALBA Berlin. And in Round 14, Clyburn scored 19 points to go with 12 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals and 1 block for a PIR of 38. 

The fourth quarter against Baskonia looked like vintage Will Clyburn as he tallied 12 of his 23 points in the final 10 minutes. All told, he has averaged 22.5 points in the last four games and an average index rating of 26.5.

Virtus is not yet out of the woods yet. But having Clyburn in EuroLeague champion form will definitely help the cause. 

Will Clyburn has played at a EuroLeague championship level in Virtus’s last four games 

The right players, the right coach, and a bright future. Monaco’s win on Thursday at Fenerbahce sent a clear message: Watch out, because this team is for real.

Monaco made a statement with huge win at Fenerbahce

Winning by 30 points on the road is always a statement-making victory in the ultra-competitive environment of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague. When that success comes against the team placed second in the league, it’s even more impressive. And when the thrashing is achieved in only the new coach’s fourth game in charge, it’s time to really sit up and take notice.

That’s exactly the scenario that [AS Monaco](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/as-monaco/roster/mco/?season=2024-25) enjoyed on Thursday night, cruising past [Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fenerbahce-beko-istanbul/roster/ulk/?season=2024-25) with [a stunning 69-99 outcome](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/monaco-cruises-past-fenerbahce-69-99/) following an extremely solid performance which saw [Vassilis Spanoulis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/as-monaco/mco/spanoulis-vassilis/?season=E2024)’s team win the second half 31-56.

Across the board, Monaco excelled. Paced by 5 helpers apiece from [Mike James](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/mike-james/005985/) and [Elie Okobo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/elie-okobo/011212/), the Roca Team dished 20 assists while committing only 7 turnovers. Led by 11 rebounds from [Donatas Motiejunas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/donatas-motiejunas/lcz/), Monaco edged the battle of the boards. Shooting stats were strong in all departments: 27-of-43 from two-point range (62.8%), 8-of-17 from deep (47.1%), and 21-of-24 from the foul line (87.5%). An outstanding perimeter defense held Fenerbahce to just 4 three-point conversions on 21 attempts, with the usually deadly accurate [Nigel Hayes-Davis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nigel-hayes-davis/008962/) making only 1-of-9.

So yes, this was an all-around excellent performance, which inflicted Fenerbahce’s fourth-highest home losing margin in EuroLeague history and fourth-highest points tally allowed.

Motiejunas, who missed a double-double by 1 point after netting 9 to go with his 11 rebounds, believes it should serve as a blueprint for his team’s progress throughout the season.

“We showed very good team basketball,” said the veteran Lithuanian big man. “The physicality was there, we didn’t stop playing together until the end. We shared the ball, everyone got involved and fought like hell. I’m extremely happy, and this win should really show us how we should be playing all the time, and what kind of team we can be when we share the ball and play together.”

AS Monaco guard Mike James spoke to EuroLeague TV after his team beat Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul in Round 15 of the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.

Mike James: 'Just happy to get a win'

James led the offense with the best scoring performance of Spanoulis’s short tenure, netting 21 points including 3 triples on 6 attempts, and he added some detail of exactly how Monaco is starting to click under its new boss.

“We wanted to play with pace and move the ball,” he explained. “They like to key in on me and Elie a lot, try to trap us and stronghold us, so we tried to move the ball and get it out of our hands faster so they had to react. \[In our\] last system we had a lot of late shot clocks, so you had to live with whatever you got. I think I get the ball earlier now, I get an opportunity to move the ball and more seconds on the back end of the play.”

Spanoulis himself was also encouraged by what he saw, especially praising his player’s efforts at the other end of the floor as he said: “We changed our defense and our mindset, we were focused for 40 minutes and we won the game against a really good team and really good coach.”

Of course, scoring 99 points on the road suggests the offense was also working pretty well, and Spanoulis acknowledged: “We wanted to pass the ball, share the ball, play together, and we had patience. We tried always to find the best solution. We are not in a hurry, and when we have patience we’re a really good team in offense because we have the right players.”

The right players, the right coach, and a bright future. Monaco’s win on Thursday sent a clear message: Watch out, because this team is for real.

Everything is taking shape for the Roca Team under new coach Vassilis Spanoulis

Edwards took over from game-changer Napier for Bayern’s eighth home win

When [Tamir Blatt](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/tamir-blatt/011193/) nailed his fourth triple of the night with 5:35 remaining in the third quarter, [FC Bayern Munich](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fc-bayern-munich/roster/mun/?season=2024-25) was down by 50-65 and nothing seemed to be working on either end of the court. The hosts were trailing for most of the game against [Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/maccabi-playtika-tel-aviv/roster/tel/?season=2024-25), who threatened to end Bayern’s seven-game winning streak at the new SAP Garden.

However, [Shabazz Napier](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/shabazz-napier/011224/) had yet to say his piece. [Andreas Obst](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/andreas-obst/004508/) netted a couple of threes to keep Bayern in the game before the experienced guard got the crowd involved. Napier delivered on defense - where Bayern struggled the most for 25 minutes - getting a steal on one end before finishing on the other to trim the deficit to 64-70 with just over 2 minutes left in the third.

Obst netted his sixth triple of the night to bring Maccabi within 67-72 heading into the closing quarter, when Napier inspired the final comeback. The 33-year-old guard opened the fourth with a three-pointer before dishing out a pass for a powerful [Devin Booker](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/devin-booker/007056/) slam to tie it at 72-72.

A confident Napier then picked up a defensive rebound before pulling up for a triple to get the fans off their seats by putting Bayern in front for the first time since very early in the first quarter.

“When Shabazz came in and made a couple of defensive plays, the fans got behind us,” head coach [Gordon Herbert](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fc-bayern-munich/mun/herbert-gordon/?season=E2024) said in the post-game press conference. “Andy Obst made a couple of shots, the defense got excited and we started playing with some emotion, enthusiasm, some energy. We were active.”

Then it was time for the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague’s top scorer to take over. [Carsen Edwards](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/carsen-edwards/011987/) ended the first half with a game-high 13 points but hadn’t scored a single one in the third quarter. Yet, he proved again why he is considered one of the most clutch players in the league, as he netted 12 of his team’s 20 points in the last 6 minutes to seal a 98-93 victory - his team's eighth in eight home games.

Napier produced a complete performance, finishing the game with 13 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal and two drawn fouls. As for Edwards, he netted 25, meaning that he’s now recorded over 20 points in 10 EuroLeague games this term.

Having improved its record to 10-5, Bayern will now be called to replicate its home form on the road with tough clashes at AS Monaco and EA7 Emporio Armani Milan coming up next week. Boasting the finest scorer in the competition in Edwards and an experienced game-changer in Napier, Herbert’s side has nothing to fear and it’s proving it week in, week out.

Napier brought the energy that allowed Bayern to protect its perfect home record

Several players stepped up during the game to round a near-perfect performance


Zalgiris's depth powered road win in Madrid 

[Zalgiris Kaunas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/zalgiris-kaunas/roster/zal/?season=2024-25) recorded its ninth win in the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season by [downing Real Madrid 83-92](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/zalgiris-overpowers-real-in-madrid-83-92/) at WiZink Center. Finding different go-to guys at different times did the trick for Coach Andrea Trinchieri and his team.

All eyes were set on [Lonnie Walker](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/lonnie-walker-iv/013403/) at the start of the game and he didn't disappoint, scoring 10 points in the opening 8 minutes to lead his team to a 15-16 edge. [Brady Manek](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/brady-manek/012715/) and [Matt Mitchell](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/matthew-mitchell/012622/) provided the fireworks from downtown to give Zalgiris a 19-24 lead after 10 minutes. Far from being done, Walker kept scoring, reaching 21 points in the 18th minute. Once Walker cooled off, [Sylvain Francisco](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/sylvain-francisco/007975/) and [Deividas Sirvydis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/deividas-sirvydis/007029/) stepped up to boost the visitors' margin to 38-54 at halftime.

Zalgiris tied a club record with 10 three-pointers in the first half. It had hit 10 three-pointers in a first half once before, in a 96-91 road loss against Anadolu Efes Istanbul in the 2019-20 season. Mitchell had made just 2 of 24 three-pointers before this game and buried his only attempt from beyond the arc on this night.

Zalgiris Kaunas playmaker Lonnie Walker had all of his 21 points in the first half of a 83-92 road victory over Real Madrid in Round 15 of the 204-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.

Lonnie Walker's outstanding first half

"We started off great in the first half. I came out hot playing my game and in the second half it was a collective win. Obviously they were going to be more aggressive, being more physical on me," Walker said after the game. "And my teammates kind of picked me up. Alen \[Smailagic\], Iggy \[Ignas Brazdeikis\], even Brady \[Manek\] were shooting the ball really, really well today. So it was a collective team win. We didn't waver."

Real returned to the floor with one goal in mind: stopping Walker. It worked, as he was scoreless the rest of the way. That's when Zalgiris found other resources in offense to keep a safe lead all the way until the final buzzer. After not scoring in the first half, [Ignas Brazdeikis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/ignas-brazdeikis/011983/) had 10 points after the break. [Alen Smailagic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/alen-smailagic/011051/) had 8 of his 13 points in the second half. With a balanced offense, Zalgiris did not find much trouble to control the game the rest of the way.

Zalgiris Kaunas guard Lonnie Walker spoke to EuroLeague TV after his team beat Real Madrid in Round 15 of the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.

Lonnie Walker: 'It was a collective win'

"I'm exhausted right now because in the second half, they were really going on us," Francisco said after the game. "It's just amazing. I'm really happy for the guys because everybody really stepped up and executed pretty well."

Three-pointers ended up making the difference in the game. Zalgiris buried 15 of 29 attempts from downtown (51.7% 3FG) and Real made just 8 of 26 three-pointers (30.8%). Real had more rebounds, assists and almost matched Zalgiris's team PIR, 88-89, but Zalgiris's outstanding depth made the difference on the court.

"We work well during the few practices we have and this is a very good win for us. Coming here and playing like this the whole game, and I would say controlling the game emotionally, playing with the three-point shot because of course it's difficult for us to go in the paint," head coach Andrea Trinchieri said after the game. "We played a great game. I'm very happy for my players."

Several players stepped up during the game to round out a near-perfect performance
