FC Bayern Munich continued its dominance over German League rival ALBA Berlin in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague with an 84-99 road victory to avoid a slip-up against the last-placed team in the league. 

Edwards, Obst combine for 55 in Bayern’s 84-99 win at ALBA

FC Bayern Munich continued its dominance over German League rival ALBA Berlin in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague with an 84-99 road victory to avoid a slip-up against the last-placed team in the league. Bayern took control of the game with a 4-18 run to start the fourth quarter to improve to 13-10 after having lost four of the last five games. 

Carsen Edwards was unstoppable with a career high 34 points including 5 three-pointers, 5 rebounds and 6 assists for Bayern, which moved to 10-1 all-time against ALBA in the EuroLeague. Andreas Obst added 21 points with 6 triples and Nick Weiler-Babb chipped in 8 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists. ALBA has now dropped 10 games in a row for a 3-20 record. Will McDowell-White had a career high 18 points, Yanni Wetzell had 14 points and Matteo Spagnolo added 10 points and 6 assists. 

Game Videos

After ALBA opened the scoring, Bayern knocked down two triples and Oscar da Silva had a three-point play for a 2-9 lead. The guests were up 6-15 when Gabriele Procida and Wetzell both came off the bench for five points to get ALBA within 22-23. McDowell-White knotted the game at 27-27 after 10 minutes. 

Vladimir Lucic’s first basket on his first appearance since Round 2 had Bayern up 27-29, but the hosts’ surge continued with a Louis Olinde dunk and McDowell-White triple to go 34-29 ahead. Bayern temporarily reclaimed the lead, only to see McDowell-White pick up five more points to make it 39-35. Obst countered with his second triple, and Edwards had seven points and an assist for a 43-47 Bayern cushion. Edwards added another triple and Bayern led 50-52 at the break.

Game News

Edwards started the second half with a triple for a five-point lead, 50-55. Malte Delow answered from deep at the other end to tie it at 55-55. Edwards just kept scoring with five more to put Bayern ahead 57-63. ALBA would not go away, and four Spagnolo points and a Wetzell triple had the home side back up 66-65. Three more lead changes had Bayern up 68-70 after three quarters.

Niels Giffey’s three-pointer started the final frame and then Edwards remained unstoppable with 8 points including his fifth triple giving Bayern its biggest lead 70-81 with under 8 minutes to go. Obst and Giffey drained back-to-back three-pointers and Bayern was up 72-88 with 5 minutes left. McDowell-White showed ALBA is not dead just yet with two triples to make it 80-88. Weiler-Babb answered with a triple and Obst knocked down his fifth three-pointer as the dagger for an 82-94 advantage with 94 seconds remaining.

Bayern pulled away in the fourth quarter to keep in touch in playoff race 


ALBA Berlin v FC Bayern Munich (2025-01-24T19:00:00.000Z)

Here, you can find all the latest injury news surrounding all registered players in the 2024-25 EuroLeague season.

EuroLeague injury report: Round 23

Follow all the latest injury information for registered players in the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season, as reported by the clubs, and get your [EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge](https://euroleaguefantasy.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/home?_ga=2.101462721.1199459303.1696273873-903329349.1669636775) teams up to date!

### ALBA Berlin

ALBA confirmed that Martin Hermannsson and Justin Bean are out for its game against Bayern on Friday.

- Matteo Spagnolo did not play in Rounds 21 and 22.
- [Justin Bean](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/justin-bean-out-three-months-with-broken-wrist/) is out until early February after breaking his wrist.
- Louis Olinde returned to action in Round 22.

### Anadolu Efes Istanbul

Derek Willis is the only questionable player for Efes's game against Milan on Thursday, the club has confirmed.

- [New signing PJ Dozier](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/efes-adds-pj-dozier-to-its-backcourt-mix/) made his debut in Round 22.

### AS Monaco

Vassilis Spanoulis has his entire roster available for Monaco's game at Virtus on Thursday, the club has confirmed via its website.

- [Alpha Diallo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/monaco-basket-loses-alpha-diallo-to-knee-injury/) returned to action in Round 21.

### Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz

Baskonia has not yet sent an injury report for its game against Real Madrid on Thursday.

- Markus Howard returned to action in Round 22.
- [Tadas Sedekerskis is out with an injury](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/baskonia-tadas-sedekerskis-suffers-thigh-injury/) in his thigh muscle, but no timetable has been set for his return.

### Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade

Branko Lazic and Mike Daum are ruled out while Nemanja Nedovic is questionable for Crvena Zvezda's game at Maccabi on Thursday, the club has confirmed.

- Nemanja Nedovic was unavailable in Rounds 21 and 22 due to injury.
- Branko Lazic (back) last played in Round 15.
- Mike Daum, who last played in Round 18, has undergone knee surgery, the club confirmed on January 9.

### EA7 Emporio Armani Milan

Nikola Mirotic, Josh Nebo, Ousmane Diop and Fabien Causeur are all ruled out while Zach LeDay and Leondro Bolmaro are game-time decisions for Milan's game at Efes on Thursday, the club has confirmed.

- Zach LeDay and Leandro Bolmaro are game-time decision for Round 23.
- [Nikola Mirotic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/leg-injury-sidelines-milans-nikola-mirotic/) is out at least two weeks after injuring the adductor of his right thigh.
- Diego Flaccadori missed Round 22 due to injury.
- Ousmane Diop last played in Round 19.
- Neno Dimitrijevic last played in Round 19.
- Fabien Causeur last played in Round 18.
- [Josh Nebo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/josh-nebo-to-be-reevaluated-in-3-4-weeks/) suffered another injury in Round 17 and is expected to miss extended time, according to coach Ettore Messina.

### FC Barcelona

Barcelona confirmed that Nicolas Laprovittola will be the only player absent for the game at ASVEL on Friday.

- Barcelona has deregistered Raul Neto.
- [Nico Laprovittola](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/nico-laprovittola-to-undergo-knee-surgery/) was ruled out for the season due to an ACL and meniscus injury.

### FC Bayern Munich

Bayern confirmed on Friday early afternoon that Elias Harris is out, Shabazz Napier is questionable, while Vladimir Lucic is back for the game at ALBA on Friday.

- Bayern has been without Vladimir Lucic (muscle bruise) since Round 2, but he is available for Round 23.
- Kevin Yebo has not played in Rounds 21 and 22 but is available for this game.

### Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul

Wade Baldwin and Scottie Wilbekin are ruled out for Fenerbahce's game at Olympiacos on Friday, the club has confirmed.

- [Wade Baldwin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/wade-baldwin-out-with-hamstring-injury/) has not played since suffering a hamstring injury in Round 16.
- [Scottie Wilbekin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/fenerbahce-confirms-the-worst-scottie-wilbekin-has-torn-his-acl/) tore his ACL in Round 1 and is out.

### LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne

ASVEL has not yet sent an injury report for its game against Barcelona on Friday.

- ASVEL has [signed Ben Bentil](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/asvel-lands-veteran-big-man-ben-bentil/), but he is yet to be registered.
- Joffrey Lauvergne last played in Round 16.
- [Mbaye Ndiaye ](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/mbaye-ndiaye-ldlc-asvel-out-for-several-months-with-knee-injury/)has ruptured the cruciate ligaments in his right knee and is likely out for the season.
- [Charles Kahudi](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/charles-kahudi-out-for-four-weeks-with-groin-injury/) is out until mid-to-late January with a groin injury.

### Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv

Maccabi has not yet sent an injury report for its game against Crvena Zvezda on Thursday.

- Maccabi had no reported injury absences last week.

### Olympiacos Piraeus

Shaq McKissic (sick) and Thomas Walkup (back problem) will miss Olympiacos's game against Fenerbahce, as will Moses Wright and Keenan Evans, the club has confirmed.

- Thomas Walkup (back) and Tyler Dorsey (illness) both missed Rounds 21 and 22. But Walkup was back in action in a Greek League game on Monday.
- [Moses Wright](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/moses-wright-out-for-the-season-with-health-issue/) is out for the season with a health issue.
- [Keenan Evans](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/zalgiris-star-keenan-evans-out-long-term-after-knee-surgery/) remains sidelined after undergoing knee surgery. He has not yet been registered for the competition.

### Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens

Omer Yurtseven, Mathias Lessort and Marius Grigonis are ruled out while Kostas Antetokounmpo is questionable, and Konstantinos Mitoglou is available for Panathinaikos's game against Zalgiris on Thursday, the club has confirmed.

- [Omer Yurtseven](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/panathinaikos-loses-center-yurtseven/) suffered a leg injury on January 20, which will sideline him for six to eight weeks.
- Kostas Antetokounmpo has last played in Round 17.
- [Mathias Lessort](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/all-euroleague-center-mathias-lessort-leaves-game-with-leg-injury/) suffered a broken fibula in Round 17 and will miss several months.
- Marius Grigonis (lower back surgery) has not played since Round 4.

### Paris Basketball

Paris has not yet sent an injury report for its game at Partizan on Wednesday.

- Daulton Hommes has not yet played this season.

### Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade

Frank Ntilikina and Vanja Marinkovic are both ruled out for Partizan's game against Paris on Wednesday, while Duane Washington is back to practicing, the club has confirmed.

- Duane Washington (illness) missed Rounds 21 and 22, but is back to practice and is a game-day decision.
- Frank Ntilikina missed Rounds 21 and 22, and is out for Round 23 as well.
- Vanja Marinkovic has not played since Round 16 due to an Achilles injury.
- Mitar Bosnjakovic (ankle) last played in Round 16, but returned in the domestic league action over the weekend and is available for Round 23.

### Real Madrid

Real Madrid has not yet sent an injury report for its game against Baskonia on Thursday.

- [New signing Dennis Smith Jr.](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/real-madrid-baloncesto-signs-ex-nba-guard-dennis-smith-jr/) has not yet been registered.
- Serge Ibaka did not play in Rounds 21 and 22.
- [Gaby Deck](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/real-madrid-loses-gabriel-deck-to-torn-hamstring/) is sidelined with a torn hamstring.

### Virtus Segafredo Bologna

Ante Zizic and Will Clyburn are ruled out for Virtus's game against Monaco on Thursday, the club has confirmed.

- Toko Shengelia, who had not played since Round 15, returned to action last week.
- Ante Zizic last played in Round 19.
- [Will Clyburn is out until mid-March](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/will-clyburn-virtus-bologna-out-at-least-10-weeks-with-foot-injury/) due to a foot injury.

### Zalgiris Kaunas

Zalgiris has not yet sent an injury report for its game at Panathinaikos on Thursday.

- Tomas Dimsa, who has not been registered, remains out with a shoulder injury.

Stay up to date with the latest information provided by the EuroLeague clubs

Injury report, Round 23: Walkup, McKissic out for Oly; Lucic returns for German derby

Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade v Paris Basketball (2025-01-22T19:30:00.000Z)

Olympiacos Piraeus v Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (2025-01-24T19:15:00.000Z)

LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne v FC Barcelona (2025-01-24T19:00:00.000Z)

Real Madrid v Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (2025-01-23T19:45:00.000Z)

Virtus Segafredo Bologna v AS Monaco (2025-01-23T19:30:00.000Z)

Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens v Zalgiris Kaunas (2025-01-23T19:15:00.000Z)

Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv v Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade (2025-01-23T19:05:00.000Z)

Anadolu Efes Istanbul v EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (2025-01-23T17:30:00.000Z)

Wenyen Gabriel rose to Ataman’s challenge with devastating second half

It’s fair to say that [Wenyen Gabriel](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/wenyen-gabriel/013383/) has been through a period of ups and downs since joining [Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/panathinaikos-bc-athens/roster/pan/?season=2024-25) as an emergency mid-season signing. But on Thursday he delivered a strong statement to the Greens and their legion of fans: you can count on me.

The big man was snapped up from [Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/maccabi-playtika-tel-aviv/roster/tel/?season=2024-25) in December, shortly after star center [Mathias Lessort](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/mathias-lessort/profile/003842/) was [ruled out for several months](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/all-euroleague-center-mathias-lessort-leaves-game-with-leg-injury/) with a broken leg.

Gabriel’s instant impression was outstanding: his debut saw him netting 6 points without a miss from the field, pulling down 8 rebounds, making 5 blocked shots and grabbing 2 steals as his team became the first [road victors at FC Bayern Munich](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/panathinaikos-hands-bayern-first-ever-euroleague-loss-at-sap-garden-69-80/) all season.

Then it all became a lot more difficult. Over the next four games, Gabriel could average only 2.8 points and 1 rebound, mustering a feeble PIR of just 2.5 per night and spending no more than 10 minutes on the floor as he paid second fiddle to in-form [Omer Yurtseven](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/omer-yurtseven/005353/). But then Yurtseven [suffered an ankle injury](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/panathinaikos-loses-center-yurtseven/).

Nunn beats the buzzer! Magic Moment

For Thursday night’s home meeting with [Zalgiris Kaunas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/zalgiris-kaunas/roster/zal/?season=2024-25), Gabriel’s number was called to make his first start in Panathinaikos colors. He answered that call… And then some.

The 27-year-old led all players with a PIR of 28, achieved by pouring in 15 points on 7-of-8 two-point shooting, along with 8 rebounds and 3 blocked shots in a game-high total of nearly 34 minutes on the floor.

And those numbers only tell part of the story, because Gabriel reserved his dominance for the second half as his team launched an almost unbelievable comeback from 29-49 down to eventual [89-76 winners](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/panathinaikos-stuns-zalgiris-with-huge-comeback-win-89-76/).

His first points came with the opening play of the third quarter, quickly followed by a couple more as the home team’s initial spurt reduced the deficit to 10 points. Zalgiris resisted and seemed to be taking a 13-point lead – or more – into the final period, but then Gabriel played his part in the most important moment of the game. Protecting his basket on the final play of the third period, he delivered a big block on [Dovydas Giedraitis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/dovydas-giedraitis/007513/), allowing [Kendrick Nunn](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/kendrick-nunn/012774/) to run the floor and raise the roof with a buzzer-beating three-point strike.

He continued to deliver throughout the fourth quarter, rising for an even bigger block on [Sylvain Francisco](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/sylvain-francisco/007975/) and maintaining his offensive threat with three more scores including, fittingly, the go-ahead-for-good basket at 71-70.

In the aftermath of the thrilling win, Gabriel admitted that he was acting under orders from coach Ergin Ataman to give his team more.

“It was a must-win game for us, and coach challenged me the other day to step up,” he told [EuroLeague.TV](http://EuroLeague.TV).  “My teammates have always been in me every step of the way, their belief in me has continued to grow.”

Reflecting more generally on his team’s comeback, Gabriel explained exactly how Panathinaikos turned the game around so dramatically. “We had to pick up our intensity,” he said. “They scored 51 in the first half and we knew this was a game about defense.

“We came out with a different intensity in the second half. We picked up full court, we pressured the guards, we put more emphasis on the pick and roll. Once we gained some momentum, the crowd chipped in with some energy and we were allowed to let talent take over.”

The win keeps the reigning champ in the thick of the race for a top four finish, and Gabriel showed on Thursday that he can play a major part over the coming weeks.

“Every day I continue to put in the work,” he concluded. “We go out there and make a team effort \[towards\] at the end of the year what we’re trying to go for. Every game matters.”

Every game matters, and every man matters. On Thursday night, nobody mattered more than Wenyen Gabriel.

The South Sudan big man was sensational in his first Panathinaikos start

AS Monaco's young guard Matthew Strazel had another big performance - and earned the praise of head coach Vassilis Spanoulis – after defeating Virtus Segafredo Bologna 80-86 in Round 23 of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

Coach Spanoulis pleased with Matthew Strazel's improvements 

[AS Monaco](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/as-monaco/roster/mco/?season=2024-25) was missing two of its top scorers for its important showdown with [Virtus Segafredo Bologna](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/virtus-segafredo-bologna/roster/vir/?season=2024-25). Luckily, the club’s young guard [Matthew Strazel](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/matthew-strazel/008099/) had another big performance - and earned the praise of head coach Vassilis Spanoulis.

Monaco came up with a strong game in taking [an 80-86 road win](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/monaco-rallies-from-21-points-down-defeats-virtus-80-86/) over in-form Virtus to snap a three-game losing streak despite not having the services of [Elie Okobo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/elie-okobo/011212/) and [Jordan Loyd](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/jordan-loyd/009754/).

While [Mike James](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/mike-james/005985/) scored a season-high 24 points, Strazel chipped in 14 points, 3 assists and 2 steals in more than 32 minutes on the court. The 22-year-old biggest’s score was a clutch three-point play to give Monaco a 74-78 lead with 1:51 minutes left in the game.

Matt Strazel came up big against Virtus

“Matthew is playing really, really high level basketball. I talk with him a lot and the most important thing is to have great mentality, attitude and work hard every day and listen. Young generations have to listen. Matthew is listening, he’s competing hard, he’s practicing. And I am very happy about him and how he is helping the team get wins,” Spanoulis said of Strazel, who is spending his third season with Monaco after coming over from LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne in 2022.

“He has to keep going. He is very young. He has a lot of room for improvement. But I am very very proud of him and the way he takes information and the way he is improving and getting more mature in his game.”

Strazel’s performance was needed against Virtus as Monaco was playing without Okobo and Loyd. Okoko is averaging 12.9 points and 3.9 assists and Loyd has tallied 10.2 points and 2.2 assists this season.

“We had two people out tonight - Jordan and Elie - and that was big, stepping up and winning on the road without two of our bigger players. I am just really happy we could get a road win, especially after last week,” said James, referring to Monaco losing both games from the double-rounder.

Strazel has stepped up in the last two months. In his last five EuroLeague games, the Frenchman is averaging 14.2 points for a season average of 8.5 points. This was the first game since Round 15 that he didn’t make at least 1 three-pointer and he is shooting 44.9% percent from long range on the season.

Strazel came into the season after a great 2024 summer in which he helped the French national team win silver at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. Despite being only 22 years old, Strazel already has appeared in 131 EuroLeague games, playing in 16 games in his rookie season in 2019-20 for ASVEL.

So, it really shouldn’t be a surprise that Strazel is there to step up when Monaco is missing something.

Monaco’s young guard has stepped up over the last two months

The Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Round 23 game between Real Madrid and Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz had a little bit of everything and then some as Los Blancos won 90-89 on Mario Hezonja's last-second three-pointer


Mario Hezonja decided an instant classic 

It was one of the games of the season. [Real Madrid](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/real-madrid/roster/mad/?season=2024-25) and [Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/baskonia-vitoria-gasteiz/roster/bas/?season=2024-25) offered Turkish Airlines EuroLeague fans a wild back-and-forth battle that literally came down to the final seconds. The game saw 17 lead changes and [Mario Hezonja](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/mario-hezonja/003108/) had the final word, making one of those shots that will be forever remembered by Real fans.

The game had been very close for almost 35 minutes. Real used a 7-0 run that [Facu Campazzo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/facundo-campazzo/005928/) capped with a layup to get a 71-67 lead. Baskonia bounced back in style, as [Donta Hall](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/donta-hall/011196/) took over with a huge alley-oop slam and [Luka Samanic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/luka-samanic/007579/) did what only the chosen ones do in this competition: posterize [Walter Tavares](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/walter-tavares/005791/). [Trent Forrest](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/trent-forrest/013367/) soon gave the visitors a 74-75 edge but it didn't last long. Hezonja, Campazzo and [Dzanan Musa](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/dzanan-musa/006540/) combined for all the points a 10-0 run that put Real on the right track to win the game, 84-75.

Chima Moneke, Donta Hall and Luka Samanic of Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz all dunked in traffic against Real Madrid.

Baskonia's outstanding dunks

Baskonia had other ideas, as Forrest and [Nikos Rogkavopoulos](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nikolaos-rogkavopoulos/011085/) ignited a 0-13 run highlighted by [Chima Moneke](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/chima-moneke/012201/)'s four-point play. When Samanic made free throws with 1:09 left, Baskonia led 84-88 and Real needed answers on offense. Hezonja buried a big three-pointer and Real fouled [Kamar Baldwin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/kamar-baldwin/012597/) with 18.7 seconds remaining. Baldwin, an 87.0% free throw shooter before this game, missed both attempts. Samanic grabbed the rebounds and split his attempts for a 87-89 score with 17.1 seconds left.

Real had the stroke of luck it needed with those 3 missed free throws and had a chance to win the game after a timeout. Campazzo almost turned the ball over but Tavares grabbed the loose ball and found Hezonja. He had time to dribble once, see Moneke fly past him and take an open shot. Nothing but net. Hezonja had won the game with 0.2 seconds left. His celebration, raising both hands to the crowd, pointing to the court and bumping Real's logo on his jersey, is already one of the most iconic moments of the season.

Real Madrid edged Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz 90-89 on a game-winning three-pointer by Mario Hezonja with 0.2 seconds left.

Hezonja's game-winning shot

After the game, Hezonja said that he felt his game-winner allowed him to bounce back from what he thought it was a slow game despite his good numbers: 22 points, 5 rebounds and a chase-down block.

"The ball was bouncing over my head. I never had a good position for a single rebound, they had some multiple possessions," Hezonja said. "That's how it felt for the entire game. So terrible game for me, terrible game for the team. Okay, we won, this is always nice, to give the show for our fans. This is what they pay to come to see, but if we want to get as far as we want to this year, we really have to clean these errors now because everything started to be so, so important and we need to go up in in the standings."

So far, Hezonja saved this one at the buzzer and Real is now one win away from third-place AS Monaco, its Round 24 opponent next week.

The game between Real Madrid and Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz had a little bit of everthing, and then some 


Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv earned a morale-boosting 85-73 win over Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade after an inspired performance in the Serbian capital’s Aleksandar Nikolic Hall

Maccabi trampled Crvena Zvezda behind an aggressive approach.

[Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/maccabi-playtika-tel-aviv/roster/tel/?season=2024-25) earned a morale-boosting [85-73 win](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/sharpshooting-maccabi-rolls-over-crvena-zvezda-85-73/) over [Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/crvena-zvezda-meridianbet-belgrade/roster/red/?season=2024-25) after an inspired performance in the Serbian capital’s Aleksandar Nikolic Hall, giving its fans something to cheer about in an otherwise difficult season.

Having been forced to move its home fixtures from Israel for a second successive season, Maccabi silenced a predominantly Zvezda crowd in the gym and improved to 6-17, while the Serbian side slipped to 13-10 and now faces a tight battle to reach the playoffs.

Maccabi was buzzing from both inside and outside, shooting 12 of 23 from deep and 19 of 29 inside the three-point arc while forcing Zvezda to take a barrage of tough shots from all over.

The visiting team made a mere 19 of 41 from inside and 7 of 23 from downtown, a testament to Maccabi’s ironclad defense that knocked the Serbian side off its stride from the start.

Zvezda’s clutch player [Isaiah Canaan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/isaiah-canaan/010612/), in devastating form recently, was limited to just 2 points – both of them from the foul line as he shot 0 of 6 from the floor with his markers hustling him all over the perimeter.

At the other end, player of the game [Tamir Blatt](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/tamir-blatt/011193/) scored 14 as he sank 4 of 5 from deep and managed 6 boards too, while [John DiBartolomeo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/john-dibartolomeo/007990/) netted a team-high 15 on 5 of 7 shooting from deep.

Finally, [Jaylen Hoard](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/jaylen-hoard/006835/) racked up 13 points to go with 2 assists and 4 steals as Maccabi dictated the pace throughout, with Blatt and head coach Oded Kattash underscoring just how much the win meant to the Israeli champs.

“We really needed it and we played great on both ends, most of all defensively,” Blatt said in his postgame comments. “Every game matters so we just have to keep fighting and build on this, trying to get as many wins as we can,” the playmaker added.

Kattash acknowledged that his team was hungry to snap its poor run in Europe’s premier club competition. “We headed into the game with the right energy and the right attitude, having won the battle of the boards and most of the 50-50 balls,” he said.

"We had a good week of practice and we played the right way at both ends of the court. We needed this one for our confidence, our fans and our people, as it hasn’t been easy for us this season. We came out aggressive and ready to play, so I think we deserved to win.”

The loss comes at a bad time for Zvezda ahead of what is certain to be rip-roaring Serbian derby at archrival Partizan Mozzartbet Belgrade next week, with head coach Ioannis Sfairopoulos conceding that his men lacked focus and energy.

“In the third quarter we closed the gap from 15 points to 8 but unfortunately it wasn’t enough to knock Maccabi off their rhythm,” the Greek tactician told reporters at the postgame press conference.

“Tonight we weren’t aggressive and we need to change that. We were nervous and we didn’t take the right decisions because we were always one step behind and lacked concentration.”

The home team dominated at both ends of the court as it mixed impressive shooting with strong defense

Maccabi trampled Crvena Zvezda behind an aggressive approach

AS Monaco marched back from 21 points down to defeat Virtus Segafredo Bologna 80-86 on the road in Round 23 to snap a three-game losing streak in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

Monaco rallies from 21 points down, defeats Virtus 80-86 

AS Monaco marched back from 21 points down to defeat Virtus Segafredo Bologna 80-86 on the road to snap a three-game losing streak. Virtus went up by 21 points early in the second quarter and Monaco finally claimed the lead midway through the final frame to grab the victory. Monaco bounced back from the two losses in last week’s double rounder to improve to 14-9. 

Mike James scored 15 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter, Matthew Strazel had 14 points and Donatas Motiejunas and Georgios Papagiannis both chipped in 11 points in the win. Virtus dropped to 7-16 overall and 5-4 overall since Dusko Ivanovic took over as head coach. Toko Shengelia scored 15 points, Alessandro Pajola had 14 and Marco Belinelli 11. Virtus made 8 of its first 12 three-pointers before ending 13 of 34 from long range for the game.

Jaron Blossomgame scored 4 quick points to help Monaco jump ahead 3-8. The hosts meanwhile relied on long jumpers and got three triples - one of them a four-point play from Belinelli to go up 13-10. Rayjon Tucker knocked down a second three-pointer and Matthew Morgan converted 3 free throws as Virtus led 26-18 after 10 minutes. 

Virtus continued the strong play to start the second quarter with Pajola sandwiching triples around a Morgan three-point play in a 13-0 run for a 39-18 advantage. It was a 21-1 surge over the two quarters. Monaco needed nearly 3 minutes before finally scoring on a James three-point play to start a 0-7 spurt to trim the deficit to 14 points. Monaco kept chipping away at the lead thanks to Papagiannis with 7 points in a 2-14 run to make it 47-41. Virtus led 49-41 at the break. 

Another Tucker triple early in the second half pushed the lead back to 12 points. Petr Cornelie countered with a three-pointer and dunk and Monaco was within 53-48. Alpha Diallo added three scores and Monaco closed the gap to 60-56. The score was 62-56 after 30 minutes.

Virtus still had a 66-58 lead early in the final frame, but James drained back-to-back triples and the game was deadlocked 66-66. Monaco finally came all the way back to lead 67-68 on 2 Blossomgame free throws. Belinelli’s triple was answered from long range by James before Belinelli drained another three-pointer and it was 74-73. Papagiannis scored inside at the other end and Strazel converted a three-point play to give Monaco the lead 74-78 with 111 seconds to go. Blossomgame added a putback dunk and James iced the game with 4 free throws in the final 53 seconds.

Monaco snaps three-game losing streak as Mike James shines in fourth quarter 

Kendrick Nunn’s momentum-changer sparked historic comeback for Panathinaikos

Heading towards the halftime interval of Thursday’s all-greens showdown between [Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/panathinaikos-bc-athens/roster/pan/?season=2024-25) and [Zalgiris Kaunas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/zalgiris-kaunas/roster/zal/?season=2024-25), it seemed certain that the reigning champs were heading towards a third straight victory while their Lithuanian counterparts were preparing to reignite their playoff challenge with a statement road win.

Zalgiris had dominated the first half at both ends of the floor, leaning on an unstoppable interior offense and a smothering defense. The lead grew to 20 points, 29-49, when [Deividas Sirvydis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/deividas-sirvydis/007029/) scored 7 points in a row to cap a 0-11 run.

Even when the second half started with an inevitable initial Panathinaikos comeback, Zalgiris was still able to reassert its advantage. [Lonnie Walker](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/lonnie-walker-iv/013403/) and Sirvydis scored in a 0-6 run that grew the lead to 55-69 with just 12 minutes left, just after home team coach Ergin Ataman underlined his team’s frustration by being hit with a second technical foul for dissent, consigned to the locker room for the rest of the game.

Then the madness ensued.

The third quarter’s final play was seemingly under Zalgiris’s control, trying to extend a 57-70 lead. But then [Wenyen Gabriel](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/wenyen-gabriel/013383/) denied the driving [Dovydas Giedraitis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/dovydas-giedraitis/007513/) with a powerhouse block, the loose ball was picked up by [Kendrick Nunn](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/kendrick-nunn/012774/), who immediately raced down the floor before pulling up to drain a buzzer-beating three-pointer.

That momentum-changer was followed by an electric start to the final quarter, as Nunn scored another trio of baskets and [Cedi Osman](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/cedi-osman/004088/) scored at the rim. [Juancho Hernangomez](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/juancho-hernangomez/012712/) joined the fun, Gabriel continued his stellar second half with the go-ahead score, [Kostas Sloukas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/kostas-sloukas/001926/) added free throws, Hernangomez hit a triple and Gabriel scored again. In the space of just over 4 minutes, a 21-0 run had turned the game on its head, and shellshocked Zalgiris had no answer as the home team continued to dominate until the final buzzer.

As the raucous celebrations of the fans attested, it was a big win for a Panathinaikos team that was desperate to avoid falling to a third straight defeat.

It was also historic, with the recovery from a 20-point deficit tying the biggest-ever comeback achieved by the Greens – alongside a 22-42 to 86-83 swing against EA7 Emporio Armani Milan in April 2021.

Top scorer Nunn, who poured in 25 points, didn’t even seem surprised when he spoke to [EuroLeague.TV](http://EuroLeague.TV) after the game, explaining: “There’s a lot of character in our locker room, from top to bottom. Guys step up when everything is going wrong, just finding a way, every possession, not quitting.

“We could have easily given in, but there’s a lot of character in the dressing room and credit to all my teammates.”

The Greens erased a 20-point deficit to end a two-game losing streak

Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens launched a comeback for the ages to overcome Zalgiris Kaunas with a thrilling 89-76 home win in Round 23 of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

Panathinaikos stuns Zalgiris with huge comeback win, 89-76

Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens launched a comeback for the ages to overcome Zalgiris Kaunas with a thrilling 89-76 home win. The reigning champs were down by 20 before halftime, but a 21-0 run sealed a thrilling recovery which improved the Greek team to 14-9, while Zalgiris dropped to 11-12.

Zalgiris controlled from the opening tipoff and pulled into a 34-51 lead by halftime. But the second half was a totally different story as the home team dominated for an ultimately comfortable win. Kendrick Nunn led the scoring with 26 points, while Wenyen Gabriel excelled with 15 points, 8 rebounds and 3 blocked shots. Kostas Sloukas added 16 points, and Juancho Hernangomez scored 14. Lonnie Walker 19 for Zalgiris, with Deividas Sirvydis adding 15.

Arnas Butkevicius opened the scoring from deep, before Hernangomez responded from close range. Brady Manek, Jerian Grant and Walker kept the scoreboard moving, and Laurynas Birutis netted two in a row to push Zalgiris ahead, 6-11. Walker’s three-point play was answered by Ioannis Papapetrou and Grant as the scoring slowed, and Papapetrou struck again for his team’s first lead, 15-14. But Dovydas Giedraitis, two scores from Sirvydis and Matt Mitchell’s layup-and-one pushed Zalgiris back in front, 17-25, at the end of the first.

Nunn’s layup was answered by Bryant Dunston’s putback slam to start the second, before Cedi Osman and Nunn gradually pulled the host closer, 26-32. Birutis, Giedraitis and Walker gave Zalgiris a quickfire 0-6 run for a 26-38 lead. Nunn finally made the home team’s first triple, but Walker hit back with a driving bucket before Dunston dunked and Sirvydis blasted 7 points in a row to make it 29-49 after a 0-11 run. Sloukas scored 5 fast points to stop the bleeding, and it was 34-51 at the interval.

Gabriel and Grant gave Panathinaikos a fast start to the second half, but Francisco’s triple reasserted Zalgiris. Hernangomez, Butkevicius and Nunn all struck from deep to make it 44-57. Gabriel and Nunn pulled the host within single digits, 50-58, but Walker’s threeball relieved the pressure. Gabriel netted another inside bucket, before home team coach Ergin Ataman was ejected for his second technical foul. Walker again struck from deep and Sirvydis added a layup, making it 60-70 after three quarters despite Nunn’s buzzer-beating triple.

Osman’s triple and Nunn’s consecutive baskets narrowed the gap to 67-70 to start the final period. Hernangomez made it a 1-point game, and Gabriel’s layup forced a lead change. Hernangomez’s triple and Gabriel’s layup completed a 21-0 run, making it 78-70. Ulanovas scored Zalgiris’s first points for 6 minutes from the line, but Sloukas netted consecutive baskets for a double-digit lead, 83-72. The unstoppable Gabriel’s layup underlined the host’s dominance, sealing the outcome long before the final buzzer as Zalgiris failed to score a single field goal in the final quarter.

The reigning champ recovered from 20 points down with a stunning fourth quarter