In the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague roll call, we take a look at five players that had a big impact on their respective games in Round 29.

 Roll call, Round 29: Stepping up at the right time 

### Okobo led the way for Monaco

It took AS Monaco a little while to get going against ALBA Berlin, but the player who really kickstarted the visitors’ response en route to an 82-90 win was Elie Okobo. After seeing Mike James rightfully get all the attention one week prior, with the American becoming the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague’s all-time leading scorer, it was Okobo who stole the spotlight in the German capital in Round 29 as he scored a season-high 21 points. It was a measured night’s work, too, as the Frenchman netted 11 first-half points before scoring 10 after the break. His contribution allowed Monaco to extend its winning streak to eight, with Sasa Obradovic’s side currently the hottest team in the league.

Elie Okobo stole the spotlight in the German capital in Round 29 as he scored a season-high 21 points in a Monaco win over ALBA.

Okobo led the way for Monaco

### Colson did his damage from the line

Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv came back from 18 points down to beat Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade 80-84 at Stark Arena, and Bonzie Colson’s team-high 23 points were certainly a big help to his squad. But how he got to those 23 points is the most interesting part, given he shot 4-for-8 on two-pointers and 2-for-3 from deep. The other 9 points all came from the free-throw line, with Colson setting a new personal best in that statistic. It’s also the first time he’s attempted a double-digit number of free throws, as he ended up going 9-for-12 from the charity stripe. Those free throws stopped the clock and gave the Maccabi players a chance to catch their breaths, which proved key in the Israeli side flipping the script.

Bonzie Colson scored 23 points against Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade

Bonzie Colson's highlights vs Crvena Zvezda

### Jokubaitis was involved in plenty of good things

FC Barcelona moved a step closer towards wrapping up second spot in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague standings with a 94-76 win over Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade, a game that saw Rokas Jokubaitis finish with a +21 in the plus/minus column. The Lithuanian guard saw a bump in his minutes compared to Barca’s previous two contests, playing almost 19 minutes against Partizan compared 12.5 minutes against Monaco in Round 27 and 13.5 minutes against Valencia Basket in Round 28. That extra time on the court paid dividends, not only with his plus/minus, as Jokubaitis netted 13 points – just the fourth time he’s hit double figures in points this season – of which 6 came in the final 4:30 of the game to see the win over the line.

Jokubaitis was involved in plenty of good things

### Moneke helped Baskonia pull away

During Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz’s clash against EA7 Emporio Armani Milan, Chima Moneke ended up having a pivotal role in the final outcome, with his team winning 88-73. Moneke netted 9 of his 19 points in a 9-2 run to end the third quarter which allowed the hosts to open a 14-point lead, which put Baskonia in a great position to come away with the victory. When Moneke moved to 17 points with those 9 points late in the third, the curious part is that the last 6 of those came thanks to a couple of three-pointers. He has hit a career-best 4 triples on two occasions this season, but this was the first time he’d hit 3 in a game, showing Moneke is adding even more tools to his arsenal. 

Moneke netted 9 of his 19 points in a 9-2 run to end the third quarter which allowed the Baskonia to open a 14-point lead, which put it in a great position to come away with the victory against Milan.

Chima Moneke helped Baskonia pull away

### De Colo became ASVEL’s main playmaker

In Round 29, Nando De Colo dished his highest number of assists since joining LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne in the summer of 2022, as he had 9 helpers in his team’s 84-80 triumph over Anadolu Efes Istanbul. While not a career-best mark, with De Colo having made 11 assists on two occasions during his time at CSKA Moscow (Round 8 in 2015-16 and Round 10 in 2017-18), he took on the role of being ASVEL’s lead playmaker against Efes, which mainly benefitted the team’s big men. But, it was another guard who got De Colo’s final assist of the night, as the Frenchman drove before finding Paris Lee in the corner for what proved to be the game-winning three-pointer.

De Colo became ASVEL's main playmaker

Roll call, Round 29: Stepping up at the right time

The 33-year old point guard produced a fine performance in an emphatic home win over Partizan

Back in blaugrana, rejuvenated Ricky Rubio is thriving again

A bleak future appeared to loom for [Ricky Rubio](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/ricky-rubio/lfw/) when he tore knee ligaments in December 2021 while playing for the NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers. That season-ending injury raised questions about how much longer his glittering career would last.

Just seven weeks earlier, Rubio had enjoyed the brightest moment of his NBA career when he racked up 37 points and 10 assists for the Cavs in a 126-109 win over the New York Knicks.

What came after Rubio got injured was, to say the least, difficult. The versatile playmaker was traded to the Indiana Pacers in February 2022 but due to his injury ever featured for the Pacers and was traded back to the Cavs in July of that year. He eventually made it back on court in January of 2023, but last summer Rubio again put his career on hold to focus on his mental health. He announced the end of his NBA career in January.

If his future looked more unpredictable than ever, on February 6 the basketball world was rocked by news that Rubio had rejoined his former club FC Barcelona, the springboard franchise for his 13-year spell in the NBA.

Ricky Rubio (7 points) Highlights vs. Partizan Mozzart Bet, 03/14/2024

Back in blaugrana rejuvenated Rubio is thriving again

Rubio was reunited with the club's head coach, Roger Grimau, with whom he won the 2010 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague title when both featured for Barcelona as players. It was the last title to date for the Catalan club in Europe's premier club competition, a barren spell that has remained unbroken despite three consecutive Final Four appearances entering this season.

Solid before he arrived, Barcelona is now firing on all cylinders with Rubio back in the fold. On Thursday, rampant Barca blew away visiting Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade 94-76 at home in Palau Blaugrana.

Rubio ran the show on the offensive end and made a significant contribution on defense, amassing 7 points, 6 assists and as many rebounds in 16:42 minutes, making a case for player of the game as Partizan got taken to the cleaners.

Humble as ever, Rubio emphasized after the game that his return to action required patience and self-belief that he'd be able to roll back the years and start afresh.

"It's an adjustment," he commented when asked how it felt to be back with Barcelona after such a long spell on the sidelines. "My body and my mind have had to adjust. I am getting to know my teammates better, and it's a step closer to where we want to be."

Barcelona is among the EuroLeague's most in-form team at the moment and a favorite to return to the Final Four in Berlin. With Rubio a trump card up Coach Grimau's sleeve, Barca will be beaming with confidence that it can wrestle the trophy away from its biggest rival, Real Madrid, which sits atop the regular season standings with five games remaining.

Back in blaugrana, rejuvenated Rubio is thriving again

Round 29 saw many Turkish Airlines EuroLeague stars deliver great individual performances. These are the players who led all the main statistical categories.

Round 29 individual highs: Tyler Dorsey, Fenerbahce, 28 points

[Points](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/stats/expanded/?size=25&viewType=traditional&seasonCode=E2023&statisticMode=perGame&seasonMode=Single&sortDirection=descending&statistic=score)

[Tyler Dorsey](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/tyler-dorsey/009849/) of Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul led all scorers in Round 29 with his season high of 28 points. [Mike James](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mike-james/005985/) of AS Monaco is the EuroLeague scoring leader with 19.3 points per game.

[Rebounds](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/stats/expanded/?size=25&viewType=traditional&seasonCode=E2023&statisticMode=perGame&seasonMode=Single&sortDirection=descending&statistic=totalRebounds)

Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens forward [Dinos Mitoglou](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/konstantinos-mitoglou/007866/) pulled down 16 rebounds, more than anyone else in this round. Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv’s [Josh Nebo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/josh-nebo/011199/), this round's MVP, is the league leader in this statistic, averaging 7.0 boards per night.

[Assists](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/stats/expanded/?size=25&viewType=traditional&seasonCode=E2023&statisticMode=perGame&seasonMode=Single&sortDirection=descending&statistic=assistances)

Fenerbahce’s [Nick Calathes](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nick-calathes/001932/) and LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne’s [Nando De Colo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nando-de-colo/002100/) both dished 9 assists, the most in Round 29. [Codi Miller-McIntyre](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/codi-miller-mcintyre/009048/) of Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz leads the league with 7.3 dimes per contest.

[Steals](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/stats/expanded/?size=25&viewType=traditional&seasonCode=E2023&statisticMode=perGame&seasonMode=Single&sortDirection=descending&statistic=steals)

Two players had 4 steals in this round: [Donta Hall](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/donta-hall/011196/) of Monaco and [Thomas Walkup](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/thomas-walkup/008855/) of Olympiacos Piraeus. ASVEL’s [Paris Lee](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/paris-lee/011225/) tops the steals charts with 1.7 per game.

[Blocks](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/stats/expanded/?size=25&viewType=traditional&seasonCode=E2023&statisticMode=perGame&seasonMode=Single&sortDirection=descending&statistic=blocksFavour)

Nebo and EA7 Emporio Armani Milan’s [Johannes Voigtmann](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/johannes-voigtmann/007201/) led all players this round with 3 blocks apiece. Real Madrid center [Vincent Poirier](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/vincent-poirier/004887/) leads the EuroLeague in blocks, averaging 1.6 per night.

[Double-doubles](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/stats/expanded/?size=25&viewType=miscellaneous&seasonCode=E2023&statisticMode=accumulated&seasonMode=Single&sortDirection=descending&statistic=doubleDoubles)

Nebo (18 points, 13 rebounds) and Mitoglou (11 points, 16 rebounds) were the two players who achieved a double-double in Round 29.

Josh Nebo had a night that’ll remember for a long time in Round 29, earning MVP of the Round honors after playing a key role as Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv overturned an 18-point deficit to defeat Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade 80-84 at Stark Arena.

Round 29 MVP: Josh Nebo, Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv

[Josh Nebo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/josh-nebo/011199/) had a night that’ll remember for a long time in Round 29, earning MVP of the Round honors after playing a key role as Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv overturned an 18-point deficit to defeat Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade 80-84 at Stark Arena.

The 26-year-old posted 18 points, shooting 7-of-9 from the field and 4-of-5 on free throws, in addition to grabbing a season-high 13 rebounds. Of those 13 boards, a career-best 8 came on the offensive end. Nebo also had 1 assist and 3 blocks. Altogether, he accumulated a career-high 33 PIR, the best of any player in Round 29, to secure his second-ever MVP honor. His previous MVP prize came back in Round 15, when he shared the award with EA7 Emporio Armani Milan’s [Shavon Shields](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/shavon-shields/007831/) and Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade’s [Kevin Punter](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/kevin-punter/009862/). A Maccabi player has been MVP of the Round five times this season: Nebo twice, [Wade Baldwin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/wade-baldwin-iv/009863/) twice (Rounds 20 and 23), and [Bonzie Colson](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/bonzie-colson/009783/) once (Round 18).

Josh Nebo | RS Round 29 MVP | 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

[Brandon Davies](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/brandon-davies/007870/) of Valencia Basket has this round’s second-best PIR, 29. He achieved that mark in a 118-88 defeat at Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul, in which he recorded 18 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal and 1 block. Three players achieved a 27 PIR, the third-best mark in Round 29: LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne’s [Deshaun Thomas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/deshaun-thomas/005094/), Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz’s [Chima Moneke](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/chima-moneke/012201/) and EA7 Emporio Armani Milan’s [Nikola Mirotic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nikola-mirotic/000796/). Baskonia ended up beating Milan 88-73, with Moneke posting 19 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal and 1 block, compared to 21 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals and 1 block for Mirotic. Thomas had 20 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal and 1 block as ASVEL defeated Anadolu Efes Istanbul 84-80.

Maccabi center had the highest PIR in Round 29, earning his second MVP honor this season.

Andrej Skoric beat everyone else in Round 28 with his team jokaki, which had a Fantasy Challenge score of 239.55.

EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge Round 28 winner

Filip Gajic beat everyone else in Round 29 of the [EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge](https://euroleaguefantasy.euroleaguebasketball.net/) with his team KK Zoc 1, which had a Fantasy Challenge score of 232.1.

Filip had the following lineup: team captain Wade Baldwin of Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv, then Nikola Mirotic of EA7 Emporio Armani Milan, Nigel Hayes-Davis of Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul and Maccabi duo Bonzie Colson and Josh Nebo as the other starters.

His sixth man was Aleksa Avramovic of Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade. On the bench, he also had Nando De Colo of LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne, Facundo Campazzo of Real Madrid, Tarik Biberovic of Fenerbahce, and Serge Ibaka of FC Bayern Munich. His head coach was Saras Jasikevicius of Fenerbahce.

The prize for finishing first in Round 29 is a free subscription to Euroleague TV for the 2024-25 season, so congratulations, Filip!

Ilias Preveza stays as the leader of the EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge overall standings with 5,279.75 points.

Trades are now open for Round 30. Remember, it's three trades per round.

The first game in Round 30 — Anadolu Efes Istanbul vs. Olympiacos Piraeus — tips off on Tuesday, March 19, at 18:30 CET. These fixtures mark the deadline to get trades done, so don’t leave it too late!

Make new teams now or improve your existing ones and try to become our next round winner in the EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge!

Turkish Airlines EuroLeague fans, we have our 29th winner in the EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge! 

EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge Round 29 winner

Real Madrid Baloncesto got back on track in Round 29 by beating Virtus Bologna and ending its three-game losing streak in the EuroLeague.

Ruthless Real Madrid back in business 

Confronted by a three-game losing streak and a trip to face a hungry opponent which had only lost twice at home all season, Real Madrid got back to its best by leaning on the quality that has delivered so much success in the last couple of years: teamwork.

 

The reigning champ’s 74-89 victory over Virtus Segafredo Bologna on Friday night was not achieved through sparkling individual performances or a flamboyant exhibition of offensive basketball, but through a serious, professional and ultimately ruthless team display which mixed strong collective defense with a well-balanced attack.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">👏 ¡Con 2️⃣3️⃣ victorias, igualamos nuestra mejor Fase Regular en <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EuroLeague?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EuroLeague</a>! 👏<br>➡️ 2023/24, 2022/23, 2016/17<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RMBaloncesto?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RMBaloncesto</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HalaMadrid?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HalaMadrid</a> <a href="https://t.co/R9P6KDYMQg">pic.twitter.com/R9P6KDYMQg</a></p>&mdash; Real Madrid Basket (@RMBaloncesto) <a href="https://twitter.com/RMBaloncesto/status/1768770400228700312?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 15, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

At one end of the floor, Virtus was restricted to 28-of-48 two-point attempts and just 4-of-19 from beyond the arc. At the other, Real made a so-solid 21-of-33 twos and 11-of-30 for three, plus a perfect 14-of-14 from the foul line to underline the team’s all-round focus.

 

The Spanish team also won the rebounding battle 39-28 and had 19 assists with just 9 turnovers, with all 10 players who stepped on the court scoring and rebounding, and nine of them dishing at least one assist.

 

### A business-like display by Real Madrid

 

Delighted coach Chus Mateo was extremely happy with his team’s committed and focused performance, which was enough to secure a top-six finish. “The EuroLeague is a very tough competition, and we have to be ready to play against the best teams in Europe," he said. 

 

“Virtus is trying to go to the playoffs, they are fighting, and it was not an easy game but we confronted the game with a very good mentality. Taking care of the ball, no turnovers, rebounding very good, and our offense was very good – we took the shots we had to take. 

 

“The team is the most important thing, not individual success. We need to stay together as a team.”

League-leading Real strive to end their surprising three-game losing streak with a trip to dangerous Virtus, one of three tied for fifth. The Italians has lost four of its last six and are again to count on Toko Shengelia for leadership, whereas the reigning-champs long for a return to form for Facu Campazzo.

Virtus Segafredo Bologna-Real Madrid | Round 29 Highlights | 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

Reading from the same script, playmaker Facundo Campazzo repeated his coach’s mantra as he added: “We can lose games or win games, but effort, hustle, team mentality is the first thing for this team. We are a very dangerous team when we pass the ball and have a generous game.”

 

Real’s top scorer was Guerschon Yabusele, who reflected his team’s efficiency as he made 6 of his 7 field goal attempts to finish with 15 points alongside 7 rebounds. 

 

And although the French forward was happy enough with the victory, he illustrated the runaway league leader's no-nonsense approach by keeping his feet on the ground as he said: “It was a good day for us today. 

 

“I think it was a really important game for us to come back after those losses. Bologna is a tough team so for sure to get the win here was not easy, but we got the job done. We’ve gotta go home and finish the job.”

 

*Los Blancos* are back... and they mean business.

More Real Madrid News

Guerschon Yabusele of Real Madrid celebrates during his team's win at Virtus Segafredo Bologna in Round 29 of the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.

Chus Mateo's squad got back on track in Round 29

Virtus Segafredo Bologna v Real Madrid (2024-03-15T19:30:00.000Z)

FC Bayern Basketball Devin Booker shined on a night that saw Pablo Laso record his 250th EuroLeague win as a head coach.

Devin Booker shined as Coach Laso celebrated milestone EuroLeague win

FC Bayern Munich kept its hopes of reaching the postseason very much alive with a gritty 64-58 home win over Zalgiris Kaunas in Round 29 of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season, largely thanks to yet another big performance from towering center Devin Booker.

The outcome also meant a sweet milestone for Bayern’s head coach Pablo Laso, who celebrated his 250th win in Europe’s premier club competition and was unaware of the accomplishment until the flash post-game interview.

“I didn’t even know, but \[it\] sounds very good,” said Laso, who coached Real Madrid between 2011 and 2022, winning two EuroLeague titles with the club. “I am very happy for the number but also for the victory, I thought our effort was very good. Defensively, we did a very good job leaving a EuroLeague team under 60 points.”

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Congratulations <a href="https://twitter.com/pablolaso?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@pablolaso</a> for 250 <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EuroLeague</a> wins as head coach!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FCBB?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FCBB</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeBallTogether?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeBallTogether</a> <a href="https://t.co/k1SuAexuoH">pic.twitter.com/k1SuAexuoH</a></p>&mdash; FC Bayern Basketball (@FCBBasketball) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBBasketball/status/1768751553806991426?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 15, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Booker was a menace all over the court as he mixed three-pointers with trademark points in the paint, outmuscling his markers time and again to rack up 20 points and 6 rebounds. He restricted the visiting team’s big man Laurynas Birutis to just 6 points as Zalgiris struggled to make shots against Bayern’s mobile and aggressive defense, prompting Booker to point out that rebounding was the key.

Bayern picked up 34 boards and 26 were on the defensive end, with Zalgiris only finding its range from downtown late in the game when the hosts were able to run the clock down.

“It all started with the defense,” commented Booker. “They are a team who loves to shoot so we just had to collect the misses. Before the game, Coach stressed how important it was to play defense. The first half was pretty solid and we stayed with it for the most part. We let up a little bit towards the end, but the good defense transitioned into offense.”

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">. <a href="https://twitter.com/DevinBooker31?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DevinBooker31</a> was ballin tonight 😤<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FCBB?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FCBB</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeBallTogether?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeBallTogether</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BAYZAL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BAYZAL</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EuroLeague</a> <a href="https://t.co/9dBXXzHWKz">pic.twitter.com/9dBXXzHWKz</a></p>&mdash; FC Bayern Basketball (@FCBBasketball) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBBasketball/status/1768770353860341980?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 15, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Guard Nick Weiler-Babb was another key performer for Bayern with 10 points, 4 boards and 3 assists, although he had a torrid time guarding Keenan Evans who paced Zalgiris with a game-high 21 points. Evans briefly rekindled the visitors’ hopes of turning the match on its head with 8 straight points in the dying minutes, but Zalgiris fell short of completing the comeback.

Nonetheless, Weiler-Babb heaped praise on Evans, a player whose skills he’s been all too familiar with for quite a while. “He’s a heck of a player, I’ve known him since I was a kid in high school,” Weiler-Babb said in his post-game interview. “We played together for a year and it’s always good to see a guy like that from our home state do so well. He is a high-caliber player and tough to guard.”

FC Bayern Munich-Zalgiris Kaunas | Round 29 Highlights | 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

Zalgiris head coach Andrea Trinchieri lamented over his team’s poor performance on the offensive end as well as the visiting outfit’s inability to match Bayern’s aggression for the lion’s share of the contest.

“It was a very physical game and for three quarters we didn’t understand how to play against this number of contacts,” stated the Italian tactician. “We missed too many open shots and at the end of the day, Bayern deserved the win.”

More Bayern News

Devin Booker of FC Bayern Munich shoots over the outstretched Edgaras Ulanovas of Zalgiris Kaunas in Round 29 of the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.

Bayern’s big man put in another impressive shift in a crunch victory over Zalgiris

Booker shined as Coach Laso celebrated milestone EuroLeague win

FC Bayern Munich v Zalgiris Kaunas (2024-03-15T19:30:00.000Z)

Paris Lee drained a three-pointer with 4.8 seconds left to wrap up a morale-boosting win for LDLC ASVEL against Anadolu Efes S.K.

Paris Lee game-winner rewarded ASVEL for strong performance against Efes

Paris Lee came up big when it mattered most as the LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne guard delivered the game-winning three-pointer to reward his team for an impressive performance against Anadolu Efes Istanbul, although the French side almost let it slip away.

ASVEL had seen its 18-point fourth quarter lead melt down to one with 29 seconds let before Lee waited in the corner for Nando De Colo’s pass and buried the shot with 4.8 seconds left to wrap up an 84-80 victory.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="fr" dir="ltr">LE BIG SHOT DE PARIS LEE POUR LA WIN ! 🤯🤯🤯🤯<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LDLCASVEL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LDLCASVEL</a> <a href="https://t.co/Ri4UquLkJG">pic.twitter.com/Ri4UquLkJG</a></p>&mdash; LDLC ASVEL (@LDLCASVEL) <a href="https://twitter.com/LDLCASVEL/status/1768749915524547013?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 15, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

"That’s what we expect from him – to make big shots,” ASVEL forward Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot said of Lee, who had missed the game last week due to illness and did not start against Efes. “He just came back and we know he needs time to get his wind back. But he played great. He let the game come to him and made the big shot.”

### A morale-boosting victory

Lee’s triple saved ASVEL from giving away the game and it gave his team a second straight home win, as well as a 4-6 record in the 10 games since Pierric Poupet took over as head coach before Round 20.

“My players stayed together and they were focused. That made the difference,” said Poupet, who was an assistant coach under both previous coaches this season. “We played great for 34-35 minutes to give us a little advantage. I’m just proud of them. They deserved the win. And they deserve to enjoy the night.

“We all have to prove that ASVEL can be a EuroLeague team. Since January, we have done a good job bouncing back all together. We want to get more wins. But we need to stay humble, work and see what happens.”

ASVEL showed it has the personnel to dominate a game. For big chunks of the game, Efes had no answer for the big man duo of Youssoupha Fall and Mbaye Ndiaye. The former scored 8 points in the first quarter alone and ended with 10 points, 4 rebounds and 2 blocks. The 25-year-old Ndiaye, meanwhile, chipped in 8 points, 5 rebounds and 2 blocks of his own.

Those two helped ASVEL win the battle of the glass 39-24, including 10 offensive rebounds, for a 13-8 advantage in second-chance points.

The October 2023 meeting between saw Efes prevail behind 19 points from Will Clyburn, who looks to be recovering his best form after scoring 17 and 21 in his last two, while ASVEL has been boosted by the return of Nando De Colo, who has scored 15 and 13 points in his previous two games back from injury.

LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne-Anadolu Efes Istanbul| Round 29 Highlights | 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

ASVEL’s 15 turnovers nearly cost the team the win – including a fourth-quarter stretch of four turnovers within 62 seconds. Efes committed just 7 turnovers and built a 25-8 advantage in points off turnovers.

In the end, Luwawu-Cabarrot scored 21 points to lead the team and Deshaun Thomas collected 20 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists for a PIR of 27, besting by 17 his top PIR this season and outdoing his previous high in points for ASVEL by 9.

“I am proud of my teammates for believing in me and trusting me and giving me the ball where I needed it,” commented Thomas, who joined the team in early January and made his debut in Round 22.

ASVEL has already been eliminated from making the postseason, but Poupet’s team can still play the role of spoiler. Four of ASVEL’s five remaining opponents are in the top 10 and the other, Valencia Basket, is currently in 11th place.

More ASVEL News

Paris Lee of LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne beats the club's drum after his side beat Anadolu Efes Istanbul in Round 29 of the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.

The French side held off a late comeback attempt from the visitors to come away with the victory

Paris Lee game-winner rewarded ASVEL for strong performance

LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne v Anadolu Efes Istanbul (2024-03-15T19:00:00.000Z)

Real Madrid is one step closer to its clear goal since the season started – to repeat as EuroLeague champion.

 Reigning champ Real Madrid is first to the playoffs! 

An unprecedented start to the season has led to Real Madrid punching the first ticket to the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Playoffs earlier than any other club.

The defending champions made sure they will return to the playoffs with a 74-89 road win over Virtus Segafredo Bologna on Friday night to amass a 23-6 record with five games left in the regular season.

If by qualifying in Round 29 Real hasn't quite matched the fastest arrival to the playoffs by any team in a 34-game regular season, in previous years the race was for eight spots, making mathematical qualification easier. This year, with just six guaranteed spots due to the new Play-In Showdown, teams need to clinch a spot in the top six to be assured of reaching the best-of-five playoffs.

Real's next goal will be to clinch a top-four finish to guarantee itself home-court advantage in the playoffs.

**The champs took off early**

Head coach Chus Mateo's charges have taken direct aim at a title repeat from the get-go this season, only missing a 17-0 start in the regular season's first lap by a single point on a last-gasp turnover in overtime on the road. Otherwise, Real was flawless in the 2023 half of the regular season, winning 16 games by an average of 13.8 points.

Since then, Real has gone 9-5, including a 130-126 victory in the longest EuroLeague game ever, featuring four overtimes, against Anadolu Efes Istanbul; a 96-86 home win vs. Valencia Basket after one overtime; and a 106-101 shootout home victory against Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv.

Real won its first 14 home games, matching its longest such streak in the EuroLeague this century, but was beat there twice in a row by double digits before alighting in Bologna to seal its playoff spot.

The longest game in EuroLeague history

**Huge playoff experience**

Of course, Real will go into the playoffs, which start on April 23, with a wealth of postseason experience. Real will participate in the best-of-five playoffs for a 10th consecutive season, having broken through to the Final Four in seven of the previous nine occasions, including all six when it held home-court advantage.

Last season, Real became the first team ever to overcome a 0-2 deficit to survive a playoff series when it won the last three games against Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade.

Besides returning 12 players who proceeded to win the EuroLeague title last season, Real has multiple EuroLeague champions in Rudy Fernandez, Sergio Llull and Sergio Rodriguez, who've lifted the continental trophy three times each, as well as Facundo Campazzo, Fabien Causeur and Walter Tavares, who have done so twice each.

With home-court advantage in its sights already, Real's subsequent goal will be to finish in first place, the position it has held throughout the season. Should that happen, even though it has been the first qualifier, Real will be the last team to learn its playoff opponent, which will only happen after the final game of the Play-In Showdown on April 19, four days before the playoffs are set to start.

2023-24 EUROLEAGUE PLAYOFF TEAMS

The Spanish powerhouse is one step closer to its clear goal since the season started – to repeat as EuroLeague champion.