Zalgiris Kaunas, in its first 'normal' EuroLeague week since Andrea Trinchieri took charge, beat Fenerbahçe Beko 98-75 in Round 22.

Zalgiris Kaunas made the most of practice time to shock Fenerbahçe Beko

Zalgiris Kaunas decided to change direction when 2023 came to an end, as it ousted Kazys Maksvytis and [named former Bayern Munich boss Andrea Trinchieri as his successor](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/zalgiris-appoints-andrea-trinchieri-as-new-head-coach/). Since that move, the Zalgiris players haven’t had much time to adjust to the Italian coach’s philosophy, with practices coming at a premium due to back-to-back double-round weeks in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague.

Trinchieri got off to the perfect start as Zalgiris downed ALBA Berlin 77-71 at home in his first game in charge, before a three-game road trip saw the Lithuanian side go 1-2. It lost in surprising fashion to LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne (93-79), then grabbed an impressive win at Valencia Basket (79-84) before coming undone at FC Barcelona (91-73).

### Making the most of this week

Back at Zalgirio Arena after a week that allowed Zalgiris to find some time to get together and practice more, it proved to be a terrific boost for Trinchieri’s men as they had an almost perfect game in [a 98-75 win against a title contender in Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/euroleague-live-blog-zalgiris-kaunas-vs-fenerbahce-beko/).

Local hero Sarunas Jasikevicius is back in front of his adoring faithful with high-flying Fenerbahce, who've won six of their last seven EuroLeague encounters. Meanwhile, Zalgiris wish for their power forward Rolands Smits to restore his prowess after being limited to just 5 points in a loss at Barcelona.

Zalgiris Kaunas-Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul | Round 22 Highlights | 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

Zalgiris started the game in style, punishing the visitors with a 10-0 run right from the off, and it never trailing the rest of the way before reaching a game-high 23 points lead at the end of the contest. The dominance of Zalgiris turned into a 123-74 advantage in PIR, based on much better shooting (60% vs. 34% on field goals) and a better ball circulation (25 assists vs. 13).

[Laurynas Birutis, who finished with a career-high PIR of 28,](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/laurynas-birutis-zalgiris-kaunas-came-up-big-against-fenerbahce-beko-again/) clearly identified why his team was able to display such a dominant performance. “We had a couple of good practices, tough ones. We got some time to implement some new things, new details. So I think we saw the result.”

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The fan&#39;s reaction says it all 🤌 <a href="https://t.co/LbxevZhROi">pic.twitter.com/LbxevZhROi</a></p>&mdash; BC Zalgiris Kaunas (@bczalgiris) <a href="https://twitter.com/bczalgiris/status/1748672934866981343?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 20, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### A satisfied Coach Trinchieri

Having just one game this week was something that provided Zalgiris with some room to recover and improve, as head coach Andrea Trinchieri acknowledged: “I'm very happy for my players, because we had this first small stint of free practices. And they were really super focused, trying to understand what I would propose for this game. And this was the result.

“They gave me their maximum concentration and we played a great game. We played the game with unbelievable energy. We played the game with team offense and team defense; we played the game where all the mistakes we made were down to \[using too much\] energy and for trying for our best.”

Now, the challenge is to build on many of the things Zalgiris showed against Fenerbahce. “That’s my goal”, Trinchieri assured. “I cannot promise, but this is what I will work on every day.” It certainly looks like good days are ahead for Zalgiris if it can match the level it showed in Round 22.

More Zalgiris News

The Zalgiris Kaunas players applaud the fans in attendance at Zalgirio Arena after beating Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul in Round 22 of the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season.

The Lithuanian side dominated its Turkish opponent in Andrea Trinchieri’s first single-game week since taking charge.

Zalgiris made the most of practice time to shock Fenerbahce

Zalgiris Kaunas v Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (2024-01-19T18:00:00.000Z)

Olympiacos B.C. needed to get back to winning ways in Round 22 and it did just that with an 89-72 win over Maccabi Tel Aviv B.C., which featured a historic performance from this week’s MVP of the Round, Nikola Milutinov.

Round 22 MVP: Nikola Milutinov, Olympiacos B.C.

Olympiacos Piraeus needed to get back to winning ways in Round 22 and it did just that with an 89-72 win over Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv, which featured a historic performance from this week’s MVP of the Round, [Nikola Milutinov](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nikola-milutinov/003941/).

The Serbian center etched his name into the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague’s history books with his display against Maccabi, as he finished the game with 20 points and 20 rebounds. Notably, Milutinov became just the fourth player this century – and the first since March 2007 – to record a double-double of at least 20 points and 20 rebounds. He made 8-of-13 two-point shots and 4-of-5 free throws, in addition to recording 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 block and 6 drawn fouls. Milutinov's PIR of 40 was the highest of any player in Round 22, earning him the eighth MVP of the Round honor of his career and his second this season.

Olympiacos Pireus needed to get back to winning ways in Round 22 and it did just that with an 89-72 win over Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv, which featured a historic performance from this week’s MVP of the Round, Nikola Milutinov.

Nikola Milutinov | RS Round 22 MVP | 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

[Mike James](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mike-james/005985/) of AS Monaco had the second-best PIR in this round, 32, as his team beat league leader Real Madrid 98-74. The 33-year-old James had an incredible all-round performance, posting 15 points, 6 rebounds, 12 assists, 5 steals and drawing 3 fouls. 

Coming in third spot is [Devon Hall](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/devon-hall/011205/), whose 30 PIR couldn’t prevent EA7 Emporio Armani Milan from falling 84-72 at Valencia Basket. Hall, like James, did a bit of everything for his team, amassing 17 points, 7 rebounds, 5 rebounds, 2 steals and 5 drawn fouls. 

Three players round out the list of best performers in Round 22, as they all had a 29 PIR: [Rodrigue Beaubois](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/rodrigue-beaubois/006590/) of Anadolu Efes Istanbul, [Daniel Hackett](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/daniel-hackett/001844/) of Virtus Segafredo Bologna and [Chris Jones](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/chris-jones/010568/) of Valencia. Beaubois had 21 points, 3 rebounds, 5 assists and 1 steal in a 98-74 win against FC Barcelona; Hackett recorded 19 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 1 steal in a 73-63 triumph over LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne; and Jones amassed 15 points, 5 rebounds and 6 rebounds against Milan.

Round 22 MVP: Nikola Milutinov, Olympiacos Piraeus.

The Serbian center secured his second MVP of the Round honor this season with a PIR of 40.

Round 22 MVP: Nikola Milutinov, Olympiacos Piraeus

Markus Howard, Nikola Milutinov, Paris Lee, Mike James, P.J. Dozier and Matthew Costello led the main statistical categories in Round 22 of the 2023-24 EuroLeague season.

Individual highs: P.J. Dozier, KK Partizan, 6 steals

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

Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz's [Markus Howard](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/markus-howard/011948/) led all players with 32 points in Round 22, which marked the third time this season he scored 30 or more points. AS Monaco star [Mike James](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mike-james/005985/) is the leading scorer this season at 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)

[Nikola Milutinov](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nikola-milutinov/003941/) pulled down 20 rebounds in this round, an Olympiacos Piraeus club record and the most by any player in the competition in more than a decade. [Chima Moneke](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/chima-moneke/012201/) of Baskonia is the league’s new top rebounder with 7.4 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)

LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne point guard [Paris Lee](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/paris-lee/011225/) had a career-high 12 assists, with only [James](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mike-james/005985/) matching that round-high mark. Real Madrid playmaker [Facundo Campazzo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/facundo-campazzo/005928/) leads the way in assists with 6.8 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)

[P.J. Dozier](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/perry-dozier-jr/012742/) of Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade led all players in Round 22 with 6 steals, the most by any player this season. [Lee](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/paris-lee/011225/) tops the charts in steals with 2.0 per game.

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

Baskonia's [Matthew Costello](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/matthew-costello/010444/) had a career-best 4 blocks, the most of any player in Round 22. Real’s [Walter Tavares](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/walter-tavares/005791/) is averaging a league-best 1.6 rejections 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)

There were six double-doubles in Round 22: [Milutinov](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nikola-milutinov/003941/) (20 points, 20 rebounds), [Moneke](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/chima-moneke/012201/) (13 points, 12 rebounds), [James](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mike-james/005985/) (15 points, 12 assists), Zalgiris Kaunas’s [Laurynas Birutis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/laurynas-birutis/005504/) (16 points, 10 rebounds), and ASVEL’s duo of [Lee](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/paris-lee/011225/) (14 points, 12 assists) and [Youssoupha Fall](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/youssoupha-fall/006568/) (17 points, 12 rebounds).

P.J. Dozier in action for Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade against Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens in Round 22 of the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season.

Round 22 saw many Turkish Airlines EuroLeague stars deliver great individual performances. These are the players who led all the main statistical categories.

Individual highs: P.J. Dozier, Partizan, 6 steals

Turkish Airlines EuroLeague fans, we have our ninth winner in the 2023-24 EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge! Dimitrios Efstathiou beat everyone else in Round 22 with his team 3rd week wonder, which had a Fantasy Challenge score of 274.90.

EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge Round 22 winner

Turkish Airlines EuroLeague fans, we have our ninth winner in the 2023-24 [EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge](https://euroleaguefantasy.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/home)! Dimitrios Efstathiou beat everyone else in Round 22 with his team 3rd week wonder, which had a Fantasy Challenge score of 274.90.

Dimitrios had the following starting lineup: Nikola Milutinov of Olympiacos Piraeus as team captain, Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz duo Chima Moneke and Vanja Marinkovic, Virtus Segafredo Bologna's Daniel Hackett and AS Monaco's Mike James.

His sixth man was Youssoupha Fall of LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne, while the rest of the bench was made up of Olympiacos forward Kostas Papanikolaou, Monaco’s Alpha Diallo, EA7 Emporio Armani Milan’s Devon Hall and Real Madrid’s Mario Hezonja. His head coach was Valencia tactician Alex Mumbru.

The prize for finishing first in Round 22 is a free subscription to Euroleague TV for the 2024-25 season, so congratulations, Dimitrios!

Ilias Preveza is the new overall leader of the EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge standings with 3,965.90 points. Remember, the grand prize for the winner of the EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge come the end of the season is a VIP package for the winner and a friend to attend the 2025 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four, including flights, four hotel nights and VIP tickets.

Trades are now open for Round 23. There are three trades allowed before each round until the end of the regular season, but at two more points this season – following Rounds 26 and 31 – there will be unlimited trades until the next round commences.

The first game in Round 23 sees Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul take on Virtus Segafredo Bologna at Ulker Sports And Event Hall, with this game scheduled to tip off at 18:45 CET on Thursday, January 25. This contest marks 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 22nd winner in this year's EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge! 

Valencia Basket found a couple of extra gears late on to defeat Olimpia Milano, despite trailing by double digits in the latter stages of the third quarter of their EuroLeague matchup.

Valencia Basket took advantage of Olimpia Milano’s second-half collapse

EA7 Emporio Armani head coach Ettore Messina could not hide his anguish after his team fell apart in the second half of [an 84-72 defeat at Valencia Basket](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/euroleague-live-blog-valencia-basket-vs-olimpia-milano/), with the hosts overturning a 32-40 halftime deficit to chalk up what could turn out to be a priceless Round 22 regular-season win.

The Spanish side improved to 11-11 while Milan dropped to 9-13 and suffered a severe blow in its bid to make the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Playoffs, prompting Messina to criticize his men after the final buzzer.

“We had an 11-point lead (early in the third quarter) and at that moment we stopped playing completely,” the trophy-laden tactician, who has four EuroLeague titles to his name, said in his post-game comments. “It became a horror festival and we have to take full responsibility because we really threw away an opportunity.”

<center>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">𝙑𝘼𝙈𝙊𝙎𝙎𝙎𝙎<br><br>Remontada en la segunda parte y... ¡¡Volvemos a ganar en la <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EuroLeague</a>!! 🧡<br><br>¡¡QUEREMOS<br>SEGUIR <br>LUCHANDO!! 🔥<br><br>🏆 J22 <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EuroLeague</a><a href="https://twitter.com/valenciabasket?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@valenciabasket</a> 84<br>🆚 <a href="https://twitter.com/OlimpiaMI1936?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@OlimpiaMI1936</a> 72<br>🤝 <a href="https://twitter.com/Luanvi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Luanvi</a> <br><br>Esta es para ti, Dejan 🧡 <a href="https://t.co/OBqFkPPb9i">pic.twitter.com/OBqFkPPb9i</a></p>&mdash; Valencia Basket Club (@valenciabasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/valenciabasket/status/1748457828803580213?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 19, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

There will be little substance for counterpoint among Milan’s players to Messina’s scathing remarks, as the visitors got ripped apart when it seemed they were firmly in the driving seat.

### A disappointing finish by Milan

Having led 34-45 early in the third quarter, the visitors stretched their lead to 46-56 with 3:56 left in the period. They spilled it all in just over 2 minutes as Valencia engineered a 13-0 run and then held on for a 61-59 lead heading into the fourth.

Then, with the score tied 70-70 midway through the final period, Valencia found two extra gears while Milan, over-reliant on [Shabazz Napier](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/shabazz-napier/011224/) and [Devon Hall](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/devon-hall/011205/), came to a screeching halt.

Player of the game [Chris Jones](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/chris-jones/010568/), who paced Valencia alongside former Milan center [Brandon Davies](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/brandon-davies/007870/) with 15 points apiece, credited the home team’s emphatic win on outstanding second-half defense.

“We came out in the second half and picked it up on defense, we got the stops and we got the result we wanted,” Jones commented. “I’ve got great teammates. We moved the ball very well today and got some open looks, I am just happy we got the win.”

Davies added: “We’ve got to give ourselves credit as we stepped up defensively when we needed to.”

An unfortunate defeat to Real Madrid condemned Valencia to three consecutive narrow losses, leaving them on the perimeter of the top-ten. They host a Milan group habouring similar aspirations and endeavouring to repeat the feat of a comprehensive 83-52 win when the teams met in November 2023.

Valencia Basket-EA7 Emporio Armani Milan | Round 22 Highlights | 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

### Valencia put the clamps on Napier, Hall

Valencia’s defense after the interval was undoubtedly the key factor, as Napier and Hall got stifled out in the last 5 minutes of the game and the support cast failed to step up to the plate. Valencia also fired on all cylinders at the other end of the court, finishing the game on 11-of-26 shooting from downtown after making just 3-of-12 in the first half.

The home team won the battle in the paint, having racked up 36 boards to Milan’s 31, with Davies making life difficult for his former teammates, [Kyle Hines](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/kyle-hines/002812/) and [Johannes Voigtmann](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/johannes-voigtmann/007201/). The Milan pair amassed a combined total of 2 points and 5 rebounds between them, with Valencia forward Semi Ojeleye also doing a grand job for the hosts as he racked up 14 points and 7 boards.

More Valencia News

Nate Reuvers of Valencia Basket celebrates a made three-pointer against EA7 Emporio Armani Milan in Round 22 of the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season.

The Italian team threw away a 10-point lead in just over 2 minutes and then got outscored 14-2 in the home stretch.

Valencia took advantage of Milan’s second-half collapse

Valencia Basket v EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (2024-01-19T19:30:00.000Z)

Panathinaikos B.C. went up a gear on both offense and defense in the fourth quarter to beat KK Partizan 84-71 in Round 22 of the 2023-24 EuroLeague season.

Fourth-quarter perfection powered Panathinaikos B.C. past KK Partizan

For the first three quarters of [Friday’s crunch clash between Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens and Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/euroleague-live-blog-panathinaikos-bc-vs-kk-partizan/), it was impossible to predict which way the game would end up falling. 

With multiple ties and lead changes, and few statistical differences between the teams, it looked likely that the showdown would have the same conclusion as their Round 11 meeting: overtime. On that occasion, Partizan came out on top in the extra period, 92-87.

### Panathinaikos went to another level

But then Panathinaikos produced a near-perfect fourth quarter at both ends of the floor, turning a 58-58 stalemate into an 84-71 victory by doing everything head coach Ergin Ataman could have asked for – and more.

On the back of a club record-breaking comeback against Maccabi, Zeljko Obradovic makes his latest return to Athens with playoff-chasing Partizan, while Panathinaikos' Mathias Lessort is also facing a former club and is attempting to build on an accomplished performance that earned him an MVP award.

Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens-Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade | Round 22 Highlights | 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

The 26-13 final period was started by aggressive drives to the basket that drew shooting fouls, with [Kostas Sloukas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/kostas-sloukas/001926/) and [Kendrick Nunn](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/kendrick-nunn/012774/) going a combined 4-of-4 on free throws before [Mathias Lessort](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mathias-lessort/003842/) netted underneath the basket. At the same time, the Greens’ energetic defense held Partizan scoreless for the first 2 minutes of the quarter, allowing the hosts to enjoy a 6-0 run. 

That set the tone for the rest of the game as, roared on by a sold-out OAKA crowd, Panathinaikos never allowed Partizan to get closer than 4 points the rest of the way, gradually stretching the lead as [Dinos Mitoglou](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/konstantinos-mitoglou/007866/) added to the efforts of his teammates with a series of strikes from the foul line.

### The Greens are on a roll

The Greek team, which consolidated its position in the top four by improving to 14-8, fed off the energy of the crowd to keep piling on the pressure at both ends of the floor, allowing the victory to be sealed long before the final buzzer confirmed the team’s ninth home win of the season.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="in" dir="ltr">OAKA RULES 🌋☘️<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeTheGreens?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeTheGreens</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/paobcaktor?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#paobcaktor</a> <a href="https://t.co/nEOHGmena5">pic.twitter.com/nEOHGmena5</a></p>&mdash; Panathinaikos BC (@paobcgr) <a href="https://twitter.com/paobcgr/status/1748462160877957603?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 19, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Although the points tally of 26 in the fourth quarter was impressive, Coach Ataman preferred to focus on his team’s ability to limit Partizan to just 13 points – and only 4 field goals – in the final 10 minutes.

“In the last quarter, when we improved our defense, we started to find fastbreak and transition points,” said Ataman. "And then we had a chance to break the game. 

“They didn’t let us play our regular game but we survived until the last quarter, and then we made a great job, the correct way to win the game.”

The correct way not only to win the game, but also perhaps to continue the Greens’ march to the Final Four for the first time since 2012.

More Panathinaikos News

Kendrick Nunn of Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens is surrounded by three Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade players in Round 22 of the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season.

The Greens outscored the visitors 26-13 in the final period.

Fourth-quarter perfection powered Panathinaikos past Partizan

Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens v Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (2024-01-19T19:15:00.000Z)

A Mike James-inspired performance helped AS Monaco Basket thrash Real Madrid Baloncesto 98-74 in Round 22 of the 2023-24 EuroLeague season.

Monaco Basket tore Real Madrid Baloncesto apart at both ends in surprise blowout

Real Madrid came into its game at AS Monaco with just two tight losses to its name, while Friday night’s hosts had been reeling. But Monaco showed why it has the talent to return to the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four with [a 98-74 blowout home win](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/euroleague-live-blog-as-monaco-basket-vs-real-madrid-baloncesto/) thanks to a magical [Mike James](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mike-james/005985/) and a tough defensive performance.

*Los Blancos*’ two losses prior to Round 22 were by 1 point in overtime at Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul in Round 11 and then by 5 points at FC Barcelona in El Clásico in Round 18.

### Contrasting emotions at the final buzzer

Monaco was not impressed and handed Real just its eighth loss by 24 points or more in EuroLeague history, and its heaviest defeat in three years.

“We worked for that one. Shout out to the guys,” said [Jordan Loyd](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/jordan-loyd/009754/), who led Monaco with 19 points, tying his season high. “We played amazing – on defense and offense. This is what we are supposed to do. I know we haven’t been consistent this year, but we are just going to look to build off a win like this.”

Real's Injured anchor Walter Tavares may be missed after dominating the paint with a club-record 19 rebounds in an overtime victory over Valencia. They journey to a stuttering Monaco roster that appears to be clinging onto a place in the top ten after losing three of the last four and in need of consistency.

AS Monaco-Real Madrid | Round 22 Highlights | 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

Monaco’s offense started on fire as Sasa Obradovic’s squad scored 33 points in the first quarter against the number one team in defensive index rating, which was fourth in points allowed at 77.8 points per game.

The hosts did not stop scoring there, however, as Monaco’s MVP candidate James was outstanding with 15 points, 6 rebounds, 12 assists and 5 steals. The team shot 65.7% on two-pointers and 43.3% from long range, in addition to making 25 assists. That would be impressive on any night, but it’s even more so against a Real defense which led the league in both defensive shooting percentages: 49.2% on twos and 31.5% on threes.

“It was a great team win over 40 minutes,” Coach Obradovic commented afterwards.

But it wasn’t just an offensive show for Monaco, as the team held Real to its third-fewest points this season. The Spanish side was restricted to 51.5% on two-pointers and 29.0% from long range with just 10 assists. Notably, Chus Mateo’s players committed an eye-popping 19 turnovers.

“They played much better than us, much tougher than us. They were very good from the beginning to the end. We were surprised by their defense. They played amazing defense and we were not able to solve it,” explained Coach Mateo, whose team came into the game leading the league in index rating (110.0), scoring (89.7) and assists (21.5), and was second in two-point shooting (58.6%) and sixth in shooting from long range (37.8%).

### An important win for Monaco

Monaco had come into the game having lost three of the last four and was fighting to stay in the playoff picture.

When asked if it was special to beat Real Madrid, James said: “To be honest, no. We just need wins right now. We can’t look at who we are playing. We just have to look at the game, get ready and try to get wins. It’s so close in the standings; if we can get ourselves going on a little run, I think it will help us out a lot.”

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="ht" dir="ltr">🗣 𝑴𝑽𝑷 🗣 𝑴𝑽𝑷 <a href="https://twitter.com/TheNatural_05?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheNatural_05</a> 👑<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RocaTeam?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RocaTeam</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EveryGameMatters?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EveryGameMatters</a> <a href="https://t.co/u1F0fTDqUt">pic.twitter.com/u1F0fTDqUt</a></p>&mdash; AS Monaco Basket 🇲🇨 (@ASMonaco_Basket) <a href="https://twitter.com/ASMonaco_Basket/status/1748460009040540108?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 19, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

James also said his team did not feel like an underdog in the game, especially since Monaco had a 6-3 record at home this season.

“We’re a EuroLeague team, we went to the Final Four last year and we have a home game. So I felt that we had everything to lose. We just had a lot of energy and came ready to play,” he added.

Loyd noted that Monaco will definitely look to take something from this win.

“When you make a statement like this against one of the best teams, if not the best team right now, it’s always positive. We know it’s just one game, though. We have to just keep building.”

More Monaco News

Mike James of AS Monaco gets away from Facundo Campazzo of Real Madrid in Round 22 of the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season.

Los Blancos suffered their worst defeat in the EuroLeague in three years.

Monaco tore Real Madrid apart at both ends in surprise blowout

AS Monaco v Real Madrid (2024-01-19T19:00:00.000Z)

Laurynas Birutis had an excellent night for Zalgiris Kaunas against Fenerbahçe Beko in Round 22, having also experienced joy against the Turkish team during the last EuroLeague season.

Laurynas Birutis came up big against Fenerbahce… again

Laurynas Birutis enjoyed a magic night at Zalgirio Arena on Friday night, as he and his Zalgiris Kaunas teammates enjoyed [a blowout 98-75 victory against the visiting Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/euroleague-live-blog-zalgiris-kaunas-vs-fenerbahce-beko/). Zalgiris was impressive all game long, starting with a strong 10-0 run in less than 3 minutes that set the foundations for a convincing home victory after three straight games on the road.

In particular, Fenerbahce had no answer for Birutis, who finished with a double-double of 16 points and 10 rebounds in 22 minutes on the floor. Once his night was done, he had accrued a PIR of 28, which was his career-best mark. The 26-year-old was one of the main contributors for a team that enjoyed a double-digit lead for almost the entire game and never allowed its opponent to get closer than 6 points.

Laurynas Birutis had a 16-point, 10-rebound double-double as Zalgiris Kaunas beat Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul 98-75 win against Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul in Round 22 of the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season.

Birutis's highlights vs. Fenerbahce

“We came out with the right mentality,” Birutis revealed after the game. “We were physical, moving the ball well. Of course, we got some up and downs. We let \[Scottie\] Wilbekin play an amazing game, but overall, we did a pretty good job on defense.”

### Birutis likes playing Fenerbahce

What was rather curious was the fact that Birutis’s previous career high came against the same team at the same venue just one season ago, when Zalgiris also blew out Fenerbahce 86-66 on June 23, 2023. On that occasion, the Lithuanian center went for 15 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals, good for a PIR of 27.

Asked about his good displays against the Turkish powerhouse, Birutis answered: “I don’t know. I just try to always do my best, it doesn’t matter who I’m playing against.”

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Laurynas + Keenan = 54 EFF 🤯 <a href="https://t.co/9a5GsPFmhv">pic.twitter.com/9a5GsPFmhv</a></p>&mdash; BC Zalgiris Kaunas (@bczalgiris) <a href="https://twitter.com/bczalgiris/status/1748447433502179654?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 19, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### An interesting comparison

Andrea Trinchieri, who only took over Zalgiris four games ago, has already identified Birutis as one of his main weapons on the court and had a funny comparison dedicated to him.

“He is a very smart player. It’s a joy to coach him,” he recognized. “He has a great touch. He has the hands of a piano player. I never saw a 2.15-meter piano player, so we have a 2.15 piano player.

“I just have to convince him that he is good. I’m asking him a little more things; to also be a facilitator. He has this floater that is his signature shot and we are trying to use him as much as we can.”

No doubt once the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague calendar is announced, Birutis will be looking for Zalgiris’s home clash with Fenerbahce. After all, it’s a fixture he has really stood out in over the last two seasons.

Laurynas Birutis shoots a shot for Zalgiris Kaunas against Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul in Round 22 of the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season.

The Lithuanian center has averaged a 27.5 PIR when facing the Turkish club at home in the last two seasons.

Valencia Basket went to another level in the second half to beat Olimpia Milano 84-72 in Round 22 of the 2023-24 EuroLeague season.

Valencia Basket subdues Olimpia Milano, 84-72

<incrowd-live-blog id="65a920bf8927b942d11b324c" client-id="EUROLEAGUE" server="standard"></incrowd-live-blog><script src="https://live-blog.incrowdsports.com/index.js"></script>

Chris Jones of Valencia Basket is defended by Devon Hall of EA7 Emporio Armani Milan in Round 22 of the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season.

In the final minutes of the game, Alex Mumbru's side took control of the contest.