Check out the predictions by EuroLeague.net staff members for the Play-In Showdown game between Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv and Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz.

Postseason predictions: Maccabi vs. Baskonia

### For Maccabi, the next stop is Athens

#### *by Frankie Sachs*

There is a reason that Maccabi finished ahead of Baskonia in the standings. It's the better team. Not that Baskonia isn't great. And not that there aren't reasons to like some of Baskonia's matchups. But most of the arguments in Baskonia's favor boomerang to show why I think Maccabi will win. Baskonia is in great form? Maccabi has won seven of its last eight games. Markus Howard leads the league in scoring? Wade Baldwin is third (and third in PIR, too). Chima Moneke and Tadas Sedekerskis are among the league's best rebounders? Josh Nebo was the regular-season's leading board getter. Add in that eight of Maccabi's players went to the playoffs last season, while among Baskonia's top 10 scorers, only Moneke has appeared in a playoff game. That experience boost could be pivotal and what sends the Israeli champs to Greece next week to open the playoffs against Panathinaikos. My pick: Maccabi

### Baskonia to stun Maccabi

#### *by Geoff Gillingham*

Maccabi comes into the play-in as the favorite to beat Baskonia and advance to the playoffs, but I think a shock is in store at Belgrade Arena. Baskonia ended the regular season with the leading scorer and the leading assists man in the competition in Markus Howard and Codi Miller-McIntyre, respectively, while Tadas Sedekerskis and Chima Moneke were two of the top five players in rebounds. The team's final 18-16 record doesn't reflect that dominance in the individual statistics, but what it does show is that Baskonia has players that can have a big game at any time. That is particularly true of Howard, who closed the regular season by scoring 35 and then 34 in back-to-back road wins at Real Madrid and Virtus Segafredo Bologna. I think he'll stay red-hot and be backed by his teammates en route to a famous road win. My pick: Baskonia.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">🔥🔥 TIEMPO DE PLAY-IN EN <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EuroLeague</a> 🔥🔥 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GameDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GameDay</a><br><br>🆚 <a href="https://twitter.com/MaccabiTLVBC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MaccabiTLVBC</a> <br>⏰ 19h<br>📍 Belgrade Arena <br><br> ¡A un paso del PLAYOFF! 🙌 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoazenBaskonia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GoazenBaskonia</a> <a href="https://t.co/b5F7db0kGU">pic.twitter.com/b5F7db0kGU</a></p>&mdash; Baskonia (@Baskonia) <a href="https://twitter.com/Baskonia/status/1780144100609511756?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 16, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### A determined Maccabi will prevail

#### *by Frank Lawlor*

Maccabi has at least two victories more than the other Play-In Showdown teams for a reason: season-long consistency. Maccabi has not been better than fourth place or worse than 10th since way back in October, and came back from the February break to finish  the regular season 7-1, only missing direct access to the playoffs due to a tiebreaker. A three-point road loss at Barcelona has been Maccabi's sole blemish since early February. Granted, all seven victories were against non-playoff teams, but winning is a habit, and Maccabi has it right now. Its roster also has vastly more playoff experience than Baskonia's, which counts in a one-and-done game. I see Maccabi as a highly determined team that doesn't depend on a good shooting night and has more offensive and defensive options than it gets credit for. Baskonia may still make the playoffs, but not on Tuesday. My pick: Maccabi

### Baskonia pulls the upset 

#### *by Javier Gancedo* 

Baskonia arrives to this game in a very good moment, getting close victories in both the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and the Spanish League. Matt Howard has been shooting the lights out lately and is expected to do so in Belgrade. Matt Costello has not played against Maccabi this season, and has been one of Baskonia's mail pillars in the last few games. With Costello at center, Chima Moneke has more space to play one-on-one against Jake Cohen or James Webb at power forward. Head coach Dusko Ivanovic relies on Tadas Sedekerskis and Codi Miller-McIntyre to be effective on defense against Bonzie Colson and Wade Baldwin, respectively. And of course, Vanja Marinkovic should be ready to play well again in his hometown of Belgrade. It all seems to click for Baskonia, so I have them seventh going against Panathinaikos. My pick: Baskonia. 

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">It&#39;s a numbers game 📊<a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EuroLeague</a> <a href="https://t.co/KMm1wR55tz">pic.twitter.com/KMm1wR55tz</a></p>&mdash; Maccabi Tel Aviv BC 🇮🇱​ (@MaccabiTLVBC) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaccabiTLVBC/status/1780159200527839507?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 16, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### Maccabi will continue to thrive in Belgrade

#### *by Igor Petrinovic*

Maccabi has been one of the hottest teams in the competitions, having won seven of its last eight games. Wade Baldwin and Josh Nebo have been playing lights-out basketball, the entire team has been confident and focused, having developed great chemistry. The team's only loss during that stretch came away at Barcelona on a late three-pointer that ended up costing Maccabi a direct place in the playoffs. But Maccabi has two more chances now to advance, both of them home games, if a second is necessary. I say it won't be. One might feel that Maccabi's disadvantage might be playing in Belgrade, away from home, but Maccabi has been 12-4 in games it has hosted in the Serbian capital – a better home winning rate than either Partizan or Crvena Zvezda had in Belgrade. I think Maccabi grabs the first chance and books a playoff date with Panathinaikos. My pick: Maccabi.

Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv v Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (2024-04-16T17:00:00.000Z)

A Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season that has so far served up thrills, drama and parity like never before – with the playoff and play-in races fully decided only in the last two rounds – now has something new and exciting for fans.

Why the Play-In Showdown is great for the fans

A Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season that has so far served up thrills, drama and parity like never before – with the playoff and play-in races fully decided only in the last two rounds – now has something new and exciting for fans.

The first-ever [Play-In Showdown](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/euroleague-introduces-play-in-showdown/) is upon us, starting on Tuesday, April 16, and available on EuroLeague TV.

Introduced before this season, the Play-In Showdown lets four teams battle it out for the two spots remaining after the top six regular-season teams advanced directly to the best-of-five playoffs.

### How it works

Here's a reminder of how the Play-In Showdown is set to unfold:

The play-in opens on Tuesday with two games. In the first, seventh-place [Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv hosts eighth-placed Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/tae2324-pay-in-a-maccabi-vs-baskonia-preview-euroleague-basketball/), with the winner of that game advancing a series in which second-place Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens has home-court advantage.

The loser between Maccabi and Baskonia will have a second chance to make the playoffs three days later, when it will host the winner of Tuesday's second game, in which [Anadolu Efes Istanbul hosts Virtus Segafredo Bologna](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/tae2324-play-in-b-efes-vs-virtus-preview-euroleague-basketball/). That game's loser is eliminated and its winner must win again. Whichever of the four teams is left alive on Friday will move on to challenge defending champion Real Madrid, which finishing first in the regular season.

Thanks to the play-in, fans get a chance to see their favorite teams reach the playoffs, and ultimately compete for the Final Four, and make up for having bad stretches of the season, or what was some really bad luck.

### Razor-thin margins have ended seasons before

EuroLeague fans are used to seeing how every game matters, but when it comes to making the playoffs, single shots often matter, too – even in the case of a miss.

That was the case five seasons ago when a three-point attempt after a game was decided missed for Olympiacos Piraeus in the next-to-last of what were then 30 rounds. What was [a four-point difference in a defeat would have been a single point had that shot fallen, and one week later, it would have been Olympiacos in the playoffs instead of the team it lost to, Zalgiris Kaunas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/how-close-can-it-get-a-single-missed-shot-in-2019-tells-the-story/).

Under the new format, Olympiacos would have survived as the ninth team out of 16, although tied on 15-15 records with two teams above it. In 2019, it was eliminated and would wait three more years, with a playoff-less pandemic year in between, to return to the postseason.

With the Play-In Showdown, a little more than half of the teams in the EuroLeague, 55.5%, get to extend their season, with the very best six of them assured of direct advancement to the playoffs. By contrast, the NBA version of the play-in guarantees that two-thirds of its 30 teams play beyond the regular season, 10 in each conference.

### Teams can now come back from bad luck with injuries

Efes is the prime example of a team whose bad luck was overcome by the new format. Decimated by injuries early in the season, where it main stars and contributors have missed nearly 60 games during the season, Efes was left for dead, and even made a coaching change after Round 24, when it held a 9-15 record and sat in 16th place out of 18 teams.

But the coaching change, combined with players returning from injuries, saw Efes finish the regular season with an 8-2 record. And only because of the play-in showdown, it only seem fair that Efes's campaign continues after the regular season, and that one of the hottest teams in the competition over the past two months is still in the field.

On the other end is Virtus, which opened the season with 14 wins in the first 19 rounds, and sat in the second or third place of the standings for more than two thirds of the season. Unlike Efes, which dug itself out of the hole, Virtus's bad stretch is ongoing as it enters the play-in with seven straight losses, but one can argue Virtus certainly deserves another shot at the playoffs for what it has done during the first four months of the season.

And just like Efes, Virtus's season would have been over if not for the play-in.

### The play-in made every game matter

It might be said that the Play-In Showdown should not overly penalize even the seventh-place team in the standings, which this season is Maccabi, which lost a head-to-head tiebreaker against sixth-place Fenerbahce.

Yes, the seventh-place team would have clinched the playoffs under the old format – and now it needs to play an additional game, or two, to earn its playoff spot – but Maccabi will have home-court advantage as it tries to nail down a playoff place.

As it happens, Maccabi is the only team not playing in front of its fans this season, but in any other situation, the seventh-place team would give its own fans a chance to witness the rare delight of having one, or perhaps two, win-and-go-through home games. And victories in such games can really serve as momentum-builders for teams.

And let's not forget how the new format involving the play-in has made the postseason races longer, involving more teams and keeping EuroLeague fans' on their toes due to increased number of permutations and scenarios.

Due to 10th place being that last one that leads to the play-in, even the 15th ranked team, in this case FC Bayern Munich, had its postseason chances alive until the penultimate regular-season round. That means that as many as 15 fan bases had their teams playing high-stake games in the final rounds of the season.

With do-or-die games on its first and last days, the Play-In Showdown gives a first book-end to the do-or-die games of the Final Four at the opposite end of the playoffs, creating a symmetry to the postseason that gives fans even more games that matter in a league where all of them do.

Anadolu Efes Istanbul v Virtus Segafredo Bologna (2024-04-16T18:00:00.000Z)

Here are Javier Gancedo's recommendations for this week's games in the EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge.

Fantasy tips, play-in: How to fill your bench

A new stage will debut in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague this week: the Play-In Showdown! On Tuesday, Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv and Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz face off for seventh place. Anadolu Efes Istanbul and Virtus Segafredo Bologna meet in a clash in which only the winner survives. On Friday, there will be a do-or-die showdown for eighth place. 

There are only four teams available to choose from in the [EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge](https://euroleaguefantasy.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/home), so instead of going for the obvious superstars like Wade Baldwin, Shane Larkin, Toko Shengelia or Chima Moneke, I am recommending players who can help you to a better result, complementing the bigger names in the play-in. Here they are.

[Matt Costello, Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (9.8 credits)](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/matthew-costello/010444/)

Fully established as his team's first choice as center, Costello keeps rolling and is in a sweet moment. In the last two games, he averaged 12.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and a PIR of 17.5. He had a PIR of 23 in less than 20 minutes in the Spanish League this weekend. In other words, Costello has become a must-have player this week.

[Dan Oturu, Anadolu Efes Istanbul (9.7 credits)](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/dan-oturu/012788/)

Oturu finished the regular season with a bang, getting 13 points, 6 rebounds and a PIR of 24 in 19 minutes against Zvezda. Despite averaging less than 16 minutes per night, Oturu has posted solid numbers: 7.4 points on 70.2% two-point shooting, 4.0 rebounds, 1.0 blocks and a PIR of 9.5. He replaced Zizic and will have a lot of say.

Matt Costello, Ante Zizic, Iffe Lundberg, Dan Oturu and Tamir Blatt are featured in this week's article.

EuroLeague Fantasy tips: Play-in

[Iffe Lundberg, Virtus Segafredo Bologna (8.3 credits)](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/iffe-lundberg/010781/)

Virtus played a critical game against Baskonia in Round 34 and despite his team's loss, Lundberg showed his best version: 18 points, 5 rebounds and a PIR of 22. On a team full of experienced players like Toko Shengelia, Marco Belinelli and Daniel Hackett, Lundberg stands out due to his character and one-on-one skills. Expect good things from him again.

[Tamir Blatt, Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv (7.0 credits)](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/tamir-blatt/011193/)

John DiBartolomeo looks probable to play after missing time with a shoulder injury, but I still think Blatt will play well and be his team's first option as backup point guard. Remember, there is only one turn in Fantasy on Tuesday and Friday. Blatt could be a good backup player who allows you to afford the best players in this phase and still gives you a good score.

[Ante Zizic, Virtus Segafredo Bologna (6.4 credits)](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/ante-zizic/004554/)

Zizic started the 2023-24 season with Efes and did not get much playing time. All of a sudden, he goes against his former team in a do-or-die game. It is a perfect situation for Zizic and he should make the most of it.

Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv and Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz go head-to-head in Belgrade with the winner advancing directly to a best-of-five series with Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens. 

 Maccabi hosts Baskonia for passage to playoffs 

[Rosters](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2023-24/maccabi-playtika-tel-aviv-baskonia-vitoria-gasteiz/E2023/307/#roster) | [Facts](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/tae2324-play-in-a-game-facts-tel-bas/) | [Notes](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/tae2324-play-in-a-game-notes-tel-bas/) | [Quotes](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/oded-kattash-maccabi-we-deserve-to-reach-the-playoffs/) |[ TV](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/tv-listings-el/) | [Fantasy](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/fantasy-challenge-tips-round-35/)

Both teams finished the regular season strong, with Maccabi winning seven of its last eight games behind an explosive offense that averaged 92 points during that run. Baskonia is coming on the back of outstanding road triumphs at Real Madrid and Virtus Segafredo Bologna, also earned through stellar offense with 95 points scored in both games.

[Maccabi Stats](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/maccabi-playtika-tel-aviv/statistics/tel/?season=2023-24&phase=All%20phases) | [Baskonia Stats](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/baskonia-vitoria-gasteiz/statistics/bas/?season=2023-24&phase=All%20phases)

Wade Baldwin vs. Marcus Howard: Two of the hottest scorers on the continent go head-to-head with a playoff place hanging in the balance on Tuesday.

Following high-scoring losses, Baskonia and Maccabi wish to restore their prospects for the postseason in a key matchup between direct rivals. The duel between Chima Moneke and Bonzie Colson is one to saviour; a pair of power forwards who can score from anywhere and play excellent defense.

Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz-Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv | Round 25 Highlights | 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

Maccabi has scored a minimum of 90 in four consecutive outings, with Lorenzo Brown's creativity and the Bonzie Colson's skill proving a tough combination, whereas Baskonia also boast depth with Markus Howard's long-range shooting complementing the prowess of Tadas Sedekerskis and Chima Moneke.

Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv-Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz | Round 15 Highlights | 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv and Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz go head-to-head in Belgrade with the winner advancing directly to a best-of-five series with Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens. 



Maccabi hosts Baskonia for passage to playoffs

Anadolu Efes Istanbul hosts  Virtus Segafredo Bologna with both teams knowing defeat means the season is over, while the winner will progress to a decider against the loser of Tuesday’s other play-in contest. 

Efes, Virtus play postseason's first do-or-die showdown

[Rosters](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2023-24/anadolu-efes-istanbul-virtus-segafredo-bologna/E2023/308/#roster) | [Facts](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/tae2324-play-in-b-game-facts-ist-vir/) | [Notes](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/tae2324-play-in-b-game-notes-ist-vir/) | [Quotes](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/tae2324-play-in-b-prequotes-ist-vir/) |[ TV](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/tv-listings-el/) | [Fantasy](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/fantasy-challenge-tips-round-35/)

Efes finished the regular season in spectacular style, winning the last five games and flexing its muscles with a 100-55 pummeling of Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade last time out. It’s exactly the opposite for Virtus, which concluded a disastrous run of form by losing at home to Baskona in Round 34 to make it seven straight defeats.

[Efes Stats](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/anadolu-efes-istanbul/statistics/ist/?season=2023-24&phase=All%20phases) | [Virtus Stats](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/virtus-segafredo-bologna/statistics/vir/?season=2023-24&phase=All%20phases)

Will Clyburn vs. Tornike Shengelia: Two signature forwards with All-EuroLeague pasts will be at the center of Tuesday's winner-take-all action.

The Turks can always rely upon the firepower of Shane Larkin but needs a big collective improvement having allowed league-high average of 89.3 ppg. They host Virtus, who are wishing former Efes man Bryant Dunston can continue his form in the paint, after recording PIRs of 18 and 15 in the last two.

Anadolu Efes Istanbul-Virtus Segafredo Bologna | Round 21 Highlights | 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

Virtus Segafredo Bologna-Anadolu Efes Istanbul | Round 6 Highlights | 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

Oded Kattash, Maccabi: 'We deserve to reach the playoffs'

### Oded Kattash, Maccabi head coach:

“We cannot feel like favorites, but we need to welcome this opportunity. We had a good season, we deserve to reach the playoffs. In a single game everything can happen. We face a crazy shooting team with one of the best shooters in the EuroLeague. It will take a team effort.”

### Antonius Cleveland, Maccabi guard:

“We know what we need to do. We treat this game like any other game, but we know what’s at stake. It’s going to be a team effort to make Markus Howard take tough shots. Our defense has improved in the past month, so we need to keep trending upward.”

### Lorenzo Brown, Maccabi guard:

“We have the same mentality of win-or-go home as before every game this season; it’s been important for us. We need to stick together as well and go by what the coaches tell us. The keys are to slow down their scorers. Markus Howard is one of the best scorers in the league so slowing him down will be a key to our success.”

Game News

Maccabi and Baskonia go head-to-head in Belgrade with the winner advancing directly to a playoff series with Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens. 

Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv and Baskonia Vitoria-Gastiez both have a lot in common. 

What to watch for in Maccabi vs. Baskonia

The two teams boast star-studded backcourts and athletic frontlines. They play up-tempo games and both score a lot and allow a lot of points. Their head coaches were noted scorers as players, too. And they are almost even in their all-time head-to-head record, with Maccabi holding a modest 19-18 advantage. 

With so much in common, it is possible that the finest of details could decide [their Play-In Showdown opener](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2023-24/maccabi-playtika-tel-aviv-baskonia-vitoria-gasteiz/E2023/307/), which will send the winner into the playoffs to take on Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens, with Game 1 set for Tuesday, April 23 in the Greek capital. Here are some of the players to watch in their matchup:

### The superstars: Wade Baldwin and Markus Howard

Maccabi’s [Wade Baldwin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/wade-baldwin-iv/009863/) and [Markus Howard](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/markus-howard/011948/) of Baskonia have been among the most electrifying players in the league this season. Baldwin has a history of big games in March in April; he is the EuroLeague MVP for March two years running. The combo-guard, who is in his second season with the Israeli champs, ranked third in the league in both scoring (17.7 ppg.) and PIR (19.5). 

Howard was the regular-season scoring champ with 19.4 points per game and has already shattered the previous single-season record with 125 three-pointers made. He has made 23 triples more than the player with the second most (Scottie Wilbekin of Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul) and has more than doubled Maccabi’s top long-distance shooter (Tamir Blatt with 55 threes). 

Baldwin spent the 2021-22 season in Vitoria-Gasteiz and was a teammate there of current Baskonia players [Matt Costello](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/matthew-costello/010444/), [Vanja Marinkovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/vanja-marinkovic/004761/) and [Tadas Sedekerskis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/tadas-sedekerskis/007230/). He has averaged 17.5 points and 6.5 assists in his two meetings with the club this season. Howard has been able to find his range against Maccabi this season, making 10 of 20 threes in the two games, while averaging 22.5 points. Interestingly, Howard only averaged a PIR of 14.5 in those games, while Baldwin’s PIR was 19.5. A big game from either player could make the difference on Tuesday. 

Markus Howard's threes against Maccabi this season

### The quiet stars: Josh Nebo and Codi Miller-McIntyre

Despite playing the best seasons of their respective careers, [Josh Nebo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/josh-nebo/011199/) and [Codi Miller-McIntyre](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/codi-miller-mcintyre/009048/) have at times been overshadowed by the players around them. But a look at what they have done shows just how valuable these players have been.

Nebo, was the regular season’s best rebounder (7.3 rpg.) and offensive rebounder (3.1 orpg.) and was among the top 10 in both two-point shooting (66.5%) and PIR (16.7). He did so despite playing the fewest minutes of any player in the top 10 in PIR. Nebo enters the season in excellent form, having scored in double figures in 10 straight games and posted PIRs of at least 20 in five of his last six appearances. He has been worth 11.1 points per game in 33 games. 

Miller-McIntyre led the league in assists (7.2 apg.) in this, his first season in the competition. He authored one of the most spectacular games in competition history in February when he snapped the EuroLeague single-game assist record with 20 and added 11 points and 11 rebounds for [the fourth triple-double ever in the league](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/miller-mcintyre-makes-history-with-assist-record-triple-double/). That night was one of 10 with at least 10 assists this season. For the season, Miller-McIntrye has averaged 8.5 points and 4.1 boards.

It is hard to imagine either team winning without a strong performance from these players. Nebo’s presence on the glass is critical for Maccabi. Miller-McIntyre’s playmaking makes those around him better. 

Josh Nebo alley-oops

### The energy guys: Bonzie Colson and Chima Moneke

Both [Bonzie Colson](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/bonzie-colson/009783/) and [Chima Moneke](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/chima-moneke/012201/) are in their second EuroLeague seasons and have taken on much bigger roles this year. Moneke exploded this season after languishing on the bench with Monaco last season. He leads the team and is fifth in the league in PIR (18.9), despite coming off the bench in all but six of his games played this season. Moneke is also fifth in rebounds (6.7 rpg.).

Colson’s numbers are solid across the board – 12.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.3 steals per game – and like Moneke (14.0 ppg.), he is second on the team in scoring. The matchups in this game will be fluid and at times see these guys pitted against each other. They are both capable of having huge scoring nights, but what may be most important is that they bring the high levels of energy they have shown all season and produce big plays when the game calls for them.  

### Players in a slump: Lorenzo Brown and Tadas Sedekerskis

Brown set the Maccabi playoff record with 6 threes in Game 4 last season against Monaco, but his scoring is down this season across the board as is his three-point shooting in particular. [Lorenzo Brown](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/lorenzo-brown/009622/) has not made a three in his last four games and has only one game with multiple triples since Round 20. In that time – a span of 12 games, Brown is 9 for 41 (21.9%) from deep. He has a PIR of 8.3 in those games. 

One of the most dominant forwards in the early part of the season, [Sedekerskis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/tadas-sedekerskis/007230/) had PIRs in the 20s four times in his first seven games and posted double figures in rebounds five times in the first half of the season. Since Round 20, he has not had a single PIR of 20 and only once took at least 10 boards. Over his last 10 games played, Sedekerskis has been worth 5.7 points, 5.6 rebounds and a PIR of 10.3. Baskonia needs more from him.

Both Maccabi and Baskonia are much better teams when these players are in form. Will either be able to recapture his “A” game for the play-in? 

### The X factors: Roman Sorkin and Maik Kotsar

[Roman Sorkin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/roman-sorkin/011219/)’s best game of the season? You bet it was against Baskonia! In Round 15, he went for 14 points, 7 rebounds and 2 assists for a season-high PIR of 23 in just 17:21 minutes as Maccabi won 89-81 in Belgrade. That night, Kotsar fouled out in 20:46 while posting 6 points and just 1 rebound. 

When these teams last met, [Maik Kotsar](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/maik-kotsar/004603/) was at his best. He had 10 points, 9 rebounds and 3 assists in racking up a season-high PIR of 26 in 36:57 minutes, which was the most he ever played in a EuroLeague game. Baskonia won 92-82 in the Round 25 game. That night, Sorkin was a non-factor with 4 points on 1-of-5 shooting plus 2 rebounds for a PIR of 1 in 12:41. 

Sorkin, with 7.5 points and 3.4 rebounds per game this season, and Kotsar with 6.0 and 3.3, respectively, are generally role players. But as the last two games between these teams show, they can be the forces that tip the scales. 

After a historic 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season – and with the Play- In Showdown, Playoffs and Final Four about to start – Euroleague Basketball and its stakeholders would like to show their commitment and unity to address an issue that creates unnecessary and unjustified conflict.

Euroleague Basketball, EHCB,  ELPA and UEBO release joint statement

After a historic 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season – and with the Play- In Showdown, Playoffs and Final Four about to start – Euroleague Basketball and its stakeholders would like to show their commitment and unity to address an issue that creates unnecessary and unjustified conflict.

In light of the public statements made about the performance of the referees by different individuals from different stakeholder groups during the Regular Season, and with the EuroLeague competition reaching the final and most vibrant stages of the season, Euroleague Basketball, the EuroLeague Head Coaches Board, the EuroLeague Players Association, and the Union of Euroleague Basketball Officials wish to encourage players, coaching staff and club executives to contribute by every possible means to generating a positive atmosphere that celebrates the games and promotes respect among fans, as well as respect between individuals from all stakeholder collectives.

Additionally, the three organizations representing players, head coaches and officials, and Euroleague Basketball, representing the participating clubs, commit themselves to create a working group to jointly developing further initiatives in the future that promote the values of respect, sportsmanship, and healthy competition while continuing to deliver the best basketball experience to millions of devoted fans.

Anadolu Efes and Virtus Bologna face off in the second play-in game, with the winner getting the chance to face the loser of Maccabi Tel Aviv BC vs. Baskonia for an opportunity to reach the EuroLeague Playoffs.

Anadolu Efes vs. Virtus Bologna: One chance to stay alive

Thirty-four rounds of basketball were not enough for Anadolu Efes Istanbul and Virtus Segafredo Bologna to lock up their spots in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Playoffs, but these two still have the chance to be playing playoff basketball in late April by winning two more games in the Play-In Showdown. However, for the loser of Tuesday night’s contest in Istanbul, this will be the end of the road.

The action gets underway at Sinan Erdem Sports Hall at 20:00 CEST on EuroLeague TV, and one hour earlier – at 19:00 CEST – Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv hosts Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz in the other play-in game, also on EuroLeague TV. The winner of that clash will be the seventh seed in the playoffs, whereas the loser will face off against the victor of Efes vs. Virtus for a shot at securing the eighth seed. Simple, right?

### The Mijatovic effect at Efes

Efes comes into the play-in with plenty of confidence, having been rejuvenated since Tomislav Mijatovic was promoted to the role of head coach ahead of Round 25. Through the first 24 games, when Erdem Can was in the hot seat, Efes had a 9-15 record and sat 16th in the standings. Postseason basketball seemed a long way away.

Yet, Coach Mijatovic went 8-2 in the final 10 games as Efes finished ninth in the EuroLeague standings, thus setting up a play-in battle with 10th-placed Virtus. The positivity that the Efes boss exudes has paid dividends for many players on the roster, with [Shane Larkin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/shane-larkin/007200/) and [Will Clyburn](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/will-clyburn/004888/) both thriving at present, while the likes of [Dan Oturu](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/dan-oturu/012788/), [Elijah Bryant](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/elijah-bryant/009846/) and [Ercan Osmani](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/ercan-osmani/012710/) are playing with plenty of confidence, too.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">☀️ Günaydın Anadolu Efesli! <a href="https://t.co/aG1ZE1kfK8">pic.twitter.com/aG1ZE1kfK8</a></p>&mdash; Anadolu Efes SK (@AnadoluEfesSK) <a href="https://twitter.com/AnadoluEfesSK/status/1779775351129788652?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 15, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

What’s more, Efes is a perfect 6-0 at home with Mijatovic on the bench, a good omen heading into Tuesday’s home meeting with Virtus. In fact, including Turkish League and Cup action, Efes is 19-3 and 11-0 at Sinan Erdem Sports Hall, making the two-time EuroLeague champion arguably the hottest team on the continent at present.

### A turbulent season for Virtus

Virtus, meanwhile, has been in a tailspin for a while. Luca Banchi’s squad ended the season on a seven-game losing streak and went 3-12 from Round 20 onward – hardly the type of form you want your team to have entering the postseason. That said, Virtus has a mix of experience and know-how, two qualities that will be vital in the play-in.

In the first half of the season, Virtus was playing like a Final Four contender, with home-court advantage in the playoffs looking a certainty. There was plenty of talk about [Toko Shengelia](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/tornike-shengelia/001133/) being a potential MVP candidate, too, and the veterans on the team – [Marco Belinelli](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/marco-belinelli/bcn/), [Daniel Hackett](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/daniel-hackett/001844/) and [Bryant Dunston](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/bryant-dunston/003048/) – were showing that age is just a number. But things just haven’t clicked for Coach Banchi’s men in the second half of the campaign, leading to some doubts entering the postseason.

<center>
<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/C5GMtJbtMEE/?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/C5GMtJbtMEE/?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; 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One positive that Virtus can take is that in a single-legged tie, it has the potential to quickly get back on track. Aware that it is in a win-or-go-home type of game, that could provide the motivation that the team has perhaps lacked in the last couple of months in the EuroLeague.

### Key matchups

All eyes are likely to be on Larkin, who led the EuroLeague in PIR during the regular season. The Efes guard was a key piece when the club won back-to-back EuroLeague titles in 2021 and 2022 and therefore knows exactly what is required to go all the way. Curiously, two of Larkin’s two worst performances of the campaign – in terms of PIR, at least – came against Virtus.

The top plays of Anadolu Efes Istanbul guard Shane Larkin in the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season.

Larkin's best plays, 2023-24

Things will not be easy for the two-time All-EuroLeague guard as he will be hounded all game long by Virtus’s defensive-minded duo of Hackett and [Alessandro Pajola](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/alessandro-pajola/006739/), two of the best defenders in the competition. Whether Hackett and Pajola can slow Larkin down could be one of the keys to determining the outcome of Tuesday night’s game.

Elsewhere, Clyburn and Shengelia are unlikely to be up against each other too much directly, but their influence from the forward positions will be vital for their respective teams. It is likely that Virtus will try to throw [Isaia Cordinier](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/isaia-cordinier/009549/) and [Ognjen Dobric](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/ognjen-dobric/004007/) at Clyburn, with Shengelia likely to have Osmani and [Derek Willis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/derek-willis/009664/) on his tail for the majority of the contest. The two ex-CSKA Moscow men are likely to have a lot of attention, so whoever deals with that the best will no doubt help their team during the battle.

The top plays of Virtus Segafredo Bologna forward Toko Shengelia in the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season.

Shengelia's best plays, 2023-24

While not stars per se, [Ante Zizic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/ante-zizic/004554/) comes up against the team he left mid-season to join Virtus. He had spent a year and a half at Sinan Erdem Sports Hall, so he will be determined to remind the Turkish club of his talent when he returns to his former home. The man who effectively replaced Zizic, Oturu, also has the chance to show what he is capable of, having made quite the impression since making his EuroLeague debut in Round 12.

There is plenty on the line – namely a second play-in game against the loser of Maccabi vs. Baskonia on Friday – so let’s see which team can continue its season with a win on Tuesday night. The red-hot Efes is the favorite, but the wily Virtus should not be counted out just yet. It should be one hell of a game!

Ante Zizic of Virtus Segafredo Bologna has possession against Anadolu Efes Istanbul in Round 21 of the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.

These teams will fight for an opportunity to play in the final play-in game on Friday

Postseason predictions: Maccabi vs. Baskonia

Why the Play-In Showdown is great for the fans

Fantasy tips, play-in: How to fill your bench

Maccabi hosts Baskonia for passage to playoffs

Efes, Virtus play postseason's first do-or-die showdown

Oded Kattash, Maccabi: 'We deserve to reach the playoffs'

What to watch for in Maccabi vs. Baskonia

Euroleague Basketball, EHCB, ELPA and UEBO release joint statement

Efes vs. Virtus: One chance to stay alive