They say that home is where the heart is, but in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, home is also the path to the ultimate success

Postseason home-court advantage comes down to the fans

In the 14 seasons since best-of-five playoffs were introduced in 2009, fully 80.4% of the teams that started their series with home-court advantage have advanced to reach the Final Four.

That's why even this week, with the 34th and final round of the regular season at hand, almost every game matters in some way toward the final standings, because the difference between fourth and fifth place is huge for the playoffs, as is the difference between eighth and ninth in [the new Play-In Showdown](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/euroleague-ceo-paulius-motiejunas-introduces-the-play-in-showdown/).

Simply put, if AS Monaco, Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens or both get tripped up in their last regular season games this week, Olympiacos Piraeus can sneak into the top four ahead of one of them and grab the all-important home-court advantage in the playoffs.

Meanwhile, in the next-to-last game of the regular season on Friday night, [Virtus Segafredo Bologna vs. Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2023-24/virtus-segafredo-bologna-baskonia-vitoria-gasteiz/E2023/303/), both teams will be playing for the right to host a Play-In Showdown game, if necessary.

Should [Anadolu Efes Istanbul win against Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2023-24/anadolu-efes-istanbul-crvena-zvezda-meridianbet-belgrade/E2023/298/) on Thursday, the Virtus-Baskonia winner will finish eighth and face Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv on the first night of the Play-In Showdown, next Tuesday, April 16. But should that team fall to Maccabi, it would at least host the second play-in game on Friday. The loser between Virtus and Baskonia would likely have to face Efes on the road and, even if successful, travel to play the second play-in game on Friday. Should Efes lose, the Virtus-Baskonia loser will host the game on Tuesday between the ninth-and-10th placed teams in the final standings, and if it wins, have to play the Friday game on the road to survive.

The Turkish Airlines EuroLeague introduced the Play-In Showdown this season to bring the fans even more games that matter! Watch as EuroLeague CEO Paulius Motiejunas breaks down exactly how it will work.

EuroLeague CEO Paulius Motiejunas introduces the Play-In Showdown

### Playoffs home-court advantage

Finishing in the top four confers two distinct advantages. Those teams will host the first two games of their best-of-five series. And then, if necessary, they also host do-or-die Game 5.

If since 2009, the top four seeds have a 45-11 record in winning their series, the aforementioned 80.4% success rate, lately they are nearly flawless. In the last four postseasons, a remarkable 15 out of 16 teams with home-court advantage at the start of the playoffs (93.8%) have punched their ticket to the Final Four.

That's not to say the champion came from those 15 winners in each of the last four seasons. In 2016-17, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul swept 3-0 without home-court advantage – a first – and in 2021-22, sixth-place Efes won its series in four games and went on to defend the EuroLeague crown from the previous year.

Interestingly, in only six of those 16 series since 2019 has the home team taken a 2-0 series lead. Four of those six cases – one each season, to be exact – ended up as sweeps. Hosting Game 1 and Game 2 has not been excessively decisive by itself in recent years, however, since more than half of all series have required a fifth game to settle on which team is best.

### Do-or-die finales

It is when best-of-five series go the distance – which is more probable now than ever before – that having finished in the top four of the regular season has been truly – in fact, unanimously – decisive.

In the decade after the introduction of five-game playoffs, from 2009 to 2018, just nine of 40 series, or 22.5%, were tied 2-2 and had winner-take-all Game 5 finales, the pinnacle of playoff basketball.

In the last four seasons' worth of playoffs, that rate has more than doubled, with nine of 16 series, or 56.3%, reaching Game 5.

The fact that do-or-die fifth games are needed to settle so many series lately speaks to the incredible parity in the EuroLeague under its round-robin format in which all teams face all others twice in the regular season. Still, that parity and all the Game 5s have only boosted the success rate of teams that started their series with home-court advantage.

That's because home teams are still undefeated in Game 5s, an incredible 18-0 record over the years, with half of those coming since 2019.

2023-24 EUROLEAGUE PLAYOFF TEAMS


### Home fans, unbeaten in Game 5

Players, coaches and experts cite several factors that contribute to home-court advantage. In any given game, that includes shooting at familiar rims, sleeping in familiar beds, and keeping familiar routines. All are credible, as is the fact that visiting teams have to travel, which prevents some of the same advantages.

But in the playoffs, both teams are traveling and the balance of familiarity is split through four games. Then they both travel from wherever Game 4 was held to play Game 5, so any fatigue from travel is pretty much shared.

That means that the 18-0 record for home teams in Game 5s likely has one major factor that is bigger in the EuroLeague than in almost any indoor sport in the world: the fans.

Just think of it: Home teams may or may not ace both of the first two home games in a series, but when it comes to Game 5 – on 18 such occasions between 2009 and 2023, at least once each in 11 different seasons, in 10 different arenas altogether – home fans have always, always walked away thrilled, making plans for the Final Four.

Yes, home may be where the heart is, but in the EuroLeague, it's where the fans are, and heading into the 15th postseason of best-of-five playoffs, those incredible fans have made all the difference.

Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade v Valencia Basket (2024-04-12T18:30:00.000Z)

Virtus Segafredo Bologna v Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (2024-04-12T18:30:00.000Z)

Olympiacos Piraeus v Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (2024-04-12T18:15:00.000Z)

LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne v FC Barcelona (2024-04-12T19:00:00.000Z)

Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens v ALBA Berlin (2024-04-11T18:15:00.000Z)

Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv v EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (2024-04-11T18:05:00.000Z)

Anadolu Efes Istanbul v Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade (2024-04-11T17:30:00.000Z)

Zalgiris Kaunas v Real Madrid (2024-04-11T17:00:00.000Z)

AS Monaco v FC Bayern Munich (2024-04-11T17:00:00.000Z)

After suffering elimination last week, Zalgiris Kaunas (14-19) will aim to go out on a high note and delight its loyal legion of fans with a visit from reigning champ and regular season standings leader Real Madrid (26-7). 

Zalgiris welcomes the champs for its season finale

[Rosters](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2023-24/zalgiris-kaunas-real-madrid/E2023/302/#roster) | [Facts](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/tae2324-rs34-game-facts-zal-mil/) | [Notes](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/tae2324-rs34-game-notes-zal-mil/) | [Quotes](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/tae2324-rs34-prequotes-zal-mad/) |[ TV](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/tv-listings-el/) | [Fantasy](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/fantasy-challenge-tips-round-34/)

The Lithuanian champion has won three in a row at home and has beaten Real in Kaunas in each of the last two seasons. *Los Blanco*s prevailed in Madrid in October, 93-79, led by 18 points and 9 assists from [Facu Campazzo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/facundo-campazzo/005928/), and is looking to bounce back before the playoffs after losing at home to Baskonia last week. Campazzo faces an entertaining backcourt duel with Zalgiris leader [Keenan Evans](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/keenan-evans/011218/), who has scored at least 14 points in nine straight games but could only manage 8 in October's meeting.

[Zalgiris Stats](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/zalgiris-kaunas/statistics/zal/?season=2023-24&phase=All%20phases) | [Madrid Stats](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/real-madrid/statistics/mad/?season=2023-24&phase=All%20phases)

Kevarrius Hayes vs. Walter Tavares: Dangerous centers meet again

In a battle of previously undefeated teams, Real Madrid topped Zalgiris Kaunas 93-79 in Round 3 in the Spanish capital on Tuesday. Real improved to 3-0 in the standings while Zalgiris dropped to 2-1. 

Real Madrid-Zalgiris Kaunas | Round 3 Highlights | 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

After suffering elimination last week, Zalgiris (14-19) will aim to go out on a high note and delight its loyal legion of fans with a visit from reigning champ and regular season standings leader Real (26-7). 

AS Monaco (22-11) knows that victory will be enough to grab home-court advantage for the playoffs with a visit from FC Bayern Munich (13-20), which aims to reverse a recent slide of four consecutive losses that spelled postseason elimination.

Playoff-bound Monaco hosts Bayern as it aims to lock up a high seed

[Rosters](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2023-24/as-monaco-fc-bayern-munich/E2023/299/#roster) | [Facts](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/tae2324-rs34-game-facts-mco-mun/) | [Notes](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/tae2324-rs34-game-notes-mco-mun/) | [Quotes](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/tae2324-rs34-prequotes-mco-mun/) |[ TV](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/tv-listings-el/) | [Fantasy](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/fantasy-challenge-tips-round-34/)

Monaco grabbed an 80-91 win in Munich earlier this season behind 28 points from the inevitable [Mike James](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/mike-james/005985/) (18.7 points per game), who is locked in a battle with Baskonia's [Markus Howard](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/markus-howard/011948/) (19 points per game) to finish the regular season as top scorer. Monaco, which has won all five previous meetings between the teams, will also look to the defensive talents of [John Brown](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/john-brown/010588/) to make like difficult for Bayern, with his average of 1.2 steals leading a smothering Monaco defense that has forced more turnovers (13.5 per game) than any other team.

[Monaco Stats](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/as-monaco/statistics/mco/?season=2023-24&phase=All%20phases) | [Bayern Stats](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fc-bayern-munich/statistics/mun/?season=2023-24&phase=All%20phases)

Jordan Loyd vs. Sylvain Francisco: Dual threat guards to keep an eye on

Bayern underlined a recent upturn with a comfortable victory over Efes, while Monaco have lost three out of four following a last-second heartbreak against Panathinaikos. The collision of Serge Ibaka and Isaac Bonga versus Donatas Motiejunas and Donta Hall is an intriguing subplot not to be missed.

FC Bayern Munich-AS Monaco | Round 16 Highlights | 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

Monaco (22-11) knows that victory will be enough to grab home-court advantage for the playoffs with a visit from Bayern (13-20), which aims to reverse a recent slide of four consecutive losses that spelled postseason elimination.

Anadolu Efes Istanbul (16-17) knows that victory will be enough to secure a place in the play-in as it faces a Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade team (11-22) that will finish the season 16th, win or lose. The Turkish team is in fabulous form, keeping its season alive with four straight victories.

Efes takes on Crvena Zvezda with play-in berth on the line

[Rosters](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2023-24/anadolu-efes-istanbul-crvena-zvezda-meridianbet-belgrade/E2023/298/#roster) | [Facts](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/tae2324-rs34-game-facts-ist-red/) | [Notes](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/tae2324-rs34-game-notes-ist-red/) | [Quotes](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/tae2324-rs34-prequotes-ist-red/) |[ TV](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/tv-listings-el/) | [Fantasy](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/fantasy-challenge-tips-round-34/)

The Turkish team is in fabulous form, keeping its season alive with four straight victories. [Shane Larkin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/shane-larkin/007200/), the league leader in PIR (20.5 per game), received great help in last week's Istanbul derby triumph over Fenerbahce from [Will Clyburn](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/will-clyburn/004888/), who has returned to his best after an injury-hit campaign with double digits scoring in the last eight games. Zvezda has lost eight of the last nine games to finish the season in disappointing fashion, failing to win on the road since January, but battled hard against playoff-bound Olympiacos last week as [Joel Bolomboy](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/joel-bolomboy/009035/) powered the paint with 19 points and 12 rebounds. The Serbian team will play with pride as its challenge concludes.

[Efes Stats](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/anadolu-efes-istanbul/statistics/ist/?season=2023-24&phase=All%20phases) | [Zvezda Stats](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/crvena-zvezda-meridianbet-belgrade/statistics/red/?season=2023-24&phase=All%20phases)

Rodrigue Beaubois vs. Nemanja Nedovic: A clash of high-scoring veteran guards

Zvezda hope for a quick recovery from a heavy humbling at the hands of Milan by overcoming an Efes squad which is finding its groove with three wins out of four. The hosts have focus on improving its perimeter defense, particularly against Shane Larkin, who's drained 10 triples in his last three games.

Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade-Anadolu Efes Istanbul | Round 11 Highlights | 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

Efes (16-17) knows that victory will be enough to secure a place in the Play-In Showdown as it faces a Zvezda team (11-22) that will finish the season 16th, win or lose. 

Consigned to a seventh-place finish by last week's narrow loss at Barcelona, Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv (19-14) will aim to take on last victory before the Play-In Showdown against an EA7 Emporio Armani Milan team needing a win and help from elsewhere to survive (15-18). 

Milan visits Maccabi as it looks to keep play-in hopes alive

[Rosters](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2023-24/maccabi-playtika-tel-aviv-ea7-emporio-armani-milan/E2023/300/#roster) | [Facts](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/tae2324-rs34-game-facts-tel-mil/) | [Notes](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/tae2324-rs34-game-notes-tel-mil/) | [Quotes](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/tae2324-rs34-prequotes-tel-mil/) |[ TV](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/tv-listings-el/) | [Fantasy](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/fantasy-challenge-tips-round-34/)

October's meeting between the teams saw Maccabi triumph 90-98 behind a season-high 21 points from [Jasiel Rivero](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/jasiel-rivero/011214/) and he will feature in a big battle for physical supremacy alongside teammates [Josh Nebo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/josh-nebo/011199/) and [Bonzie Colson](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/bonzie-colson/009783/), that trio going up against Milan's experienced [Nikola Mirotic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nikola-mirotic/000796/), [Nicolo Melli](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nicolo-melli/002849/) and [Johannes Voigtmann](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/johannes-voigtmann/007201/). Mitotic's double-double of 18 points and 11 boards was key in last week's vital victory over Virtus, showing Ettore Messina's men are not ready to give up on their postseason hopes and will look to exploit a Maccabi side whose minds may be elsewhere.

[Maccabi Stats](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/maccabi-playtika-tel-aviv/statistics/tel/?season=2023-24&phase=All%20phases) | [Milan Stats](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/ax-armani-exchange-milan/roster/mil/?season=2023-24)

Bonzie Colson vs. Johannes Voigtmann: A matchup of warriors

Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv improved to a 3-2 record in the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague standings with an impressive 90-98 win at EA7 Emporio Armani Milan, which dropped to 1-4 after losing in this rescheduled Round 2 clash on Tuesday.

EA7 Emporio Armani Milan-Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv | Round 2 | Highlights

Consigned to a seventh-place finish by last week's narrow loss at Barcelona, Maccabi (19-14) will aim to take on last victory before the Play-In Showdown against a Milan team needing a win and help from elsewhere to survive (15-18). 

Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens (22-11) will aim to seal home-court advantage in the playoffs with a visit from ALBA Berlin (5-28), which knows it will finish in last place after losing 10 games in a row. 

Panathinaikos hosts ALBA seeking to lock up second place

[Rosters](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2023-24/panathinaikos-aktor-athens-alba-berlin/E2023/301/#roster) | [Facts](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/tae2324-rs34-game-facts-pan-ber/) | [Notes](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/tae2324-rs34-game-notes-pan-ber/) | [Quotes](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/tae2324-rs34-prequotes-pan-ber/) |[ TV](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/tv-listings-el/) | [Fantasy](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/fantasy-challenge-tips-round-34/)

A victory for Panathinaikos will see it finish the regular season in second place and the Greens are huge favorites to get the job done, showing unstoppable recent home strength with eight straight wins in Athens.  Panathinaikos came out on top 85-99 as [Dinos Mitoglou](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/konstantinos-mitoglou/007866/) poured in 24 points with 12 rebounds in Berlin in October. And ALBA faces a massive task in slowing down a multifaceted Panathinaikos offense, typified by [Juancho Hernangomez](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/juancho-hernangomez/012712/) scoring 14 points with just one miss to help down Bayern last week. In the backcourt, [Kendrick Nunn](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/kendrick-nunn/012774/) is playing with great confidence after averaging 17.4 points in the last five games, with multiple triples in each of those.

[Panathinaikos Stats](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/panathinaikos-aktor-athens/statistics/pan/?season=2023-24&phase=All%20phases) | [ALBA Stats](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/alba-berlin/statistics/ber/?season=2023-24&phase=All%20phases)

Dinos Mitoglou vs. Yanni Wetzell: Versatile '4's who leave their mark

At the foot of the standings, ALBA seek recovery from a hard-fought loss at Valencia, in which Sterling Brown continued his strong form alongside Matt Thomas, whereas Panathinaikos are re-equipped with Kostas Sloukas and Luca Vildoza for selection since they missed the trip to Barça.

ALBA-Panathinaikos Athens | Round 7 Highlights | 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

Panathinaikos (22-11) will aim to seal home-court advantage in the playoffs with a visit from ALBA (5-28), which knows it will finish in last place after losing 10 games in a row. 

Here are all the postseason possibilities for the final round of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season.


 Round 34 postseason possibilities 

## HOME-COURT ADVANTAGE

#### [Real Madrid (at Zalgiris)](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2023-24/zalgiris-kaunas-real-madrid/E2023/302/)

Real has clinched first place and, therefore, home-court advantage in the playoffs.

#### [FC Barcelona (at ASVEL)](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2023-24/ldlc-asvel-villeurbanne-fc-barcelona/E2023/304/)

Barcelona (22-11) has clinched home-court advantage.

#### [Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens (vs. ALBA)](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2023-24/panathinaikos-aktor-athens-alba-berlin/E2023/301/)

Panathinaikos (22-11) will clinch home-court advantage if it wins OR if either Monaco OR Olympiacos loses.

#### [AS Monaco (vs. Bayern)](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2023-24/as-monaco-fc-bayern-munich/E2023/299/)

Monaco (22-11) clinches home-court advantage if it wins, OR if Panathinaikos wins OR if either Olympiacos OR Barcelona loses.

#### [Olympiacos Piraeus (vs. Fenerbahce)](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2023-24/olympiacos-piraeus-fenerbahce-beko-istanbul/E2023/305/)

Olympiacos (21-12) clinches home-court advantage if its wins AND Panathinaikos loses AND either Monaco wins OR Monaco loses and Barcelona wins.

#### [Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (at Olympiacos)](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2023-24/olympiacos-piraeus-fenerbahce-beko-istanbul/E2023/305/)

Fenerbahce (20-13) cannot clinch home-court advantage.

## FINAL STANDINGS

All final standings scenarios are based in wins or losses as in the graphic above except if Barcelona and Panathinaikos finish in a two-way tie because both lose while Monaco wins in [Round 34](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/), or both win while Monaco loses. 

In those limited cases, Barcelona and Panathinaikos will remained tied after applying the first two tiebreakers because they are 1-1 against each other with identical eight-point home victories when they played.

In the third tiebreaker, overall point differential, Panathinaikos enjoys a +163 to +124 lead over Barcelona going into Round 34. As such, any combination of their winning or losing margins that puts Barcelona ahead of Panathinaikos in overall point differential will switch their places in the graphic indicated by asterisks(\*).

## PLAY-IN SHOWDOWN

#### [Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv (vs. Milan)](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2023-24/maccabi-playtika-tel-aviv-ea7-emporio-armani-milan/E2023/300/)

Maccabi (19-14) has already clinched a Play-In Showdown place and will finish in seventh place regardless of Round 34's results.

#### [Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (at Virtus)](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2023-24/virtus-segafredo-bologna-baskonia-vitoria-gasteiz/E2023/303/)

Baskonia (17-16) has already clinched a Play-In Showdown place.

Baskonia will finish EIGHTH if it beats Virtus.

Baskonia will finish NINTH if it loses and Efes loses.

Baskonia will finish 10th if it loses and Efes wins.

#### [Virtus Segafredo Bologna (vs. Baskonia)](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2023-24/virtus-segafredo-bologna-baskonia-vitoria-gasteiz/E2023/303/)

Virtus (17-16) has already clinched a Play-In Showdown place.

Virtus will finish EIGHTH if it beats Baskonia.

Virtus will finish NINTH if it loses and Efes (16-17) loses.

Virtus will finish 10th if it loses and Efes wins.

#### [Anadolu Efes Istanbul (vs. Crvena Zvezda)](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2023-24/anadolu-efes-istanbul-crvena-zvezda-meridianbet-belgrade/E2023/298/)

Efes (16-17) will finish NINTH and clinch a Play-In Showdown place if it wins.

Efes will finish 10th and clinch a Play-In Showdown place if both Partizan (15-18) and Milan (15-18) lose.

Efes is eliminated if it loses and either Partizan or Milan win.

#### [Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (vs. Valencia)](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2023-24/partizan-mozzart-bet-belgrade-valencia-basket/E2023/306/)

Partizan (15-18) will finish 10th and clinch a Play-In Showdown place if it wins AND Efes loses.

Partizan is eliminated in any other scenario.

#### [EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (at Maccabi)](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2023-24/maccabi-playtika-tel-aviv-ea7-emporio-armani-milan/E2023/300/)

Milan (15-18) will finish 10th and clinch a Play-In Showdown place if it wins AND Efes loses AND Partizan loses.

Milan is eliminated in any other scenario.

Round 34 postseason possibilities

After joining Virtus Segafredo Bologna (17-16) in sealing a play-in place with a stunning win at Real Madrid last week, Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (17-16) will now look for another road triumph to finish above the Italian team in the regular season standings. 

Eighth place on the line when Virtus and Baskonia meet

[Rosters](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2023-24/virtus-segafredo-bologna-baskonia-vitoria-gasteiz/E2023/303/#roster) | [Facts](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/tae2324-rs34-game-facts-vir-bas/) | [Notes](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/tae2324-rs34-game-notes-vir-bas/) | [Quotes](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/tae2324-rs34-prequotes-vir-bas/) |[ TV](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/tv-listings-el/) | [Fantasy](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/fantasy-challenge-tips-round-34/)

The prize is very significant: the winner will have two chances of advancing through the play-in, and host the second of those games if necessary. Virtus has been spiraling recently, suffering six consecutive defeats, and will look to end that slump through the leadership of [Toko Shengelia](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/tornike-shengelia/001133/) in what promises to be a fierce personal battle with [Chima Moneke](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/chima-moneke/012201/). The backcourt will feature a shootout between the first and third most prolific three-point shooters in the league: [Markus Howard](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/markus-howard/011948/) (3.6 triples per game) and Virtus's [Marco Belinelli](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/marco-belinelli/bcn/) (2.7).

[Virtus Stats](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/virtus-segafredo-bologna/statistics/vir/?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)

Tornike Shengelia vs. Chima Moneke: Standout '4's at the center of it all

Baskonia may have to find a way of stopping its own former star, Toko Shengelia, who continued his stellar season with 27 points in Virtus' victory over Maccabi. Long-range fireworks could come from prolific three-point shooter Markus Howard, while Marco Belinelli is also regarded as a major deep threat.

Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz-Virtus Segafredo Bologna | Round 14 Highlights | 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

After joining Virtus (17-16) in sealing a play-in place with a stunning win at Real Madrid last week, Baskonia (17-16) will now look for another road triumph to finish above the Italian team in the regular season standings. 

The Olympiacos Piraeus forward chats about everything from his teammates and coaches to his newborn daughter his breakout campaign

Alec Peters hops aboard The Crossover

In his first season as a full-time starter, Alec Peters has posted the best numbers of his six seasons in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague. It’s been an eventful season for Peters, whose wife gave birth to their first child in December and he then signed a contract extension with the Reds that will keep him in Piraeus until 2026.

The Crossover host Joe Arlauckas has been an admirer of Peters’s game since he first saw him play during the stretch-4’s debut EuroLeague season with CSKA Moscow in 2018-19. That year even saw Peters finish on the podium as a EuroLeague champion!

From his childhood in Illinois through his time playing American football in high school and his pro hoops career with four different clubs in the EuroLeague, Arlauckas will talk Peters through the events that have made him who he is today.

\[11:15\] “Football was my go-to sport at the time. I was the quarterback of the team, I had a real future in that. Coaches telling me: ‘This is your future.’ Colleges telling me: ‘Hey, this is your future.’ I just did not like playing football as much as I loved playing basketball,” Peters shared.

“Thankfully, that summer between when I was 15 and 16 years old, I grew three inches, got to about 6’6”, got a little bit faster, got a little bit stronger. Basketball started becoming a little bit easier for me and I got good enough to earn a scholarship at Valparaiso.”

Peters joked that sometimes when watching NFL games with his American-born Olympiacos teammates, they will point to the quarterbacks and joke that it could have been him, but Peters has no regrets.

He became a star at Valparaiso and set school records for scoring and rebounds in his four seasons, despite a foot injury that prematurely ended his senior season. Scouts had already seen more than enough and the Phoenix Suns drafted Peters in 2017 and helped him rehab from his foot surgery.

The summer after his first season with the Suns and their G-League affiliate, Dimitris Itoudis, then the coach of CSKA Moscow, began recruiting Peters to come to the Russian capital. It did not take long to get him on board.

\[23:20\] “This isn’t just an offer from a EuroLeague team that’s been fighting for playoff spots. This is CSKA. This is a team that’s winning right now, that has the roster that nobody can compete with and all they need is you. Coach Itoudis is like: ‘All we need is someone like you,’” Peters said. “I was blessed by Coach Itoudis to have an opportunity of a lifetime to come in right away.”

Peters helped CSKA to the 2019 EuroLeague crown, but soon CSKA went through some changes and he was a casualty of the rebuild. He landed on his feet, however, signing with the team CSKA defeated in the championship game, Anadolu Efes Istanbul.

His season with Efes was a bittersweet one. On the one hand, Peters was part of a team that was mashing the competition and seemed to be the runaway favorite to win it all. On the other, he averaged only 13:42 minutes per game and the season ended in the worst way; it was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

A year later, Peters was showing off his skills with a new club, Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz as Efes completed the challenge and captured the EuroLeague championship. Though he was no longer with those guys, the bonds built at Efes endured.

\[30:15\] “The only thing that felt good about it was when those guys would text me. Those guys would text me afterward and be like: ‘Hey, we know you’re not here right now, but we still want to give you your flowers, so to speak,” Peters said of his former Efes teammates.

“Bryant Dunston was one of the best teammates I could ever ask for. I still have a great relationship with him today. Just to hear from him after they won that first year. Because I was a little down about it. I wanted to be there. I wanted to be a part of it.”

While Efes was becoming a dynasty without Peters, Peters was taking his game to the next level thanks, in part, to Coach Dusko Ivanovic.

\[33:00\] “What he did for me set me up for the rest of my career in the EuroLeague. The opportunity he gave me. He helped me find a lot of things about myself through the difficulties of training camp, through all that, that have stuck with me today.” Peters said of Coach Ivanovic. “He showed me what it really meant to be in shape to play the game of basketball the way that I could potentially play it. I give him all the credit in the world for that.”

After Peters’s second season with Baskonia was marred by a foot injury, he joined Olympiacos. His expectations for minutes were not realized in 2022-23 when he served as the backup to EuroLeague MVP Sasha Vezenkov. Nevertheless, the Reds reached the EuroLeague championship game.

Vezenkov left for the NBA over the summer leaving the door open for Peters to step in as the new starting power forward. He has not disappointed, although the team has dipped in the standings this season, in part due to injuries to several players. As the playoffs approach, Peters and the Reds are ready to mount another assault on the crown.

\[56:00\] “Whatever position we fall in, we like our chances against anybody,” Peters said. “It could be Barca, Monaco, Pana, Madrid. It doesn't matter to us. We are in that kind of head space as a team that like we are starting to feel like our best days are coming at the right moment.”

With a one-hour format of exclusive one-on-one interviews, The Crossover with Joe Arlauckas goes well beyond the playing court with each podcast to delve into the life experiences that have made his guests protagonists and legends of the EuroLeague. The Crossover debuted in 2018 and has featured such current stars as [Mike James](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/mike-james-opens-up-at-the-crossover/), [Lorenzo Brown](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/lorenzo-brown-hops-aboard-the-crossover/) and [Mario Hezonja](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/mario-hezonja-stops-by-the-crossover/); coaching greats such as [Georgios Bartzokas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/hear-from-coach-bartzokas-on-the-crossover/), [Dimitris Itoudis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/the-crossover-opens-its-season-with-dimitris-itoudis/), and Zeljko Obradovic, and legends like Theo Papaloukas, Nikola Vujcic and [Mike Batiste](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/panathinaikos-legend-mike-batiste-visits-the-crossover/), among others. Peters is the sixth guest this season after [Nigel Hayes-Davis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/season-6-of-the-crossover-opens-with-nigel-hayes-davis/), [Kemba Walker](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/kemba-walker-visits-the-crossover/), [James Nunnally](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/james-nunnally-opens-up-at-the-crossover/), [Chima Moneke](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/chima-moneke-joins-the-crossover/) and [Serge Ibaka](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/serge-ibaka-visits-the-crossover/).

The Crossover with Joe Arlauckas is available on [Youtube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rYpAbSLlCc), [iTunes](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-crossover-with-joe-arlauckas/id1440034922), [Audioboom](https://audioboom.com/channel/the-crossover-with-joe-arlauckas), [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/6T1SYvGSpzyrYZpG9z2wjR), [Deezer](https://www.deezer.com/fr/show/65962), [RadioPublic](https://radiopublic.com/the-crossover-with-joe-arlauckas-6NkdjJ), [Google Podcasts](https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hdWRpb2Jvb20uY29tL2NoYW5uZWxzLzQ4ODM3OTkucnNz?sa=X&ved=0CAMQ4aUDahcKEwiYzr_b78XtAhUAAAAAHQAAAAAQAQ), [TuneIn](https://tunein.com/podcasts/Sports--Recreation-Podcasts/The-Crossover-with-Joe-Arlauckas-p1174586/), [Stitcher](https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-crossover-with-joe-arlauckas), [CastBox](https://castbox.fm/channel/The-Crossover-with-Joe-Arlauckas-id1467328?country=gb), [iVoox](https://www.ivoox.com/podcast-the-crossover-with-joe-arlauckas_sq_f1629856_1.html) and other platforms.

The Olympiacos Piraeus forward chats about everything from his teammates and coaches to his newborn daughter his breakout campaign
