Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv and Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade, two teams that reached last season's Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Playoffs, meet in Round 1 of the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season.

Live Blog: Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv vs. Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade

<incrowd-live-blog id="651ea2944be0bc2e42f1d194" client-id="EUROLEAGUE" server="standard"></incrowd-live-blog><script src="https://live-blog.incrowdsports.com/index.js"></script>

<script>
(function (document) {
  setTimeout(() => {
    const script = document.createElement('script');
    script.async = true;
    script.defer = true;
    script.src = 'https://live-blog.incrowdsports.com/index.js';
    document.body.appendChild(script);
  }, 1000);
})(document);
</script>

Lorenzo Brown of Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv (right) in action during the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season season opener at Menora Mivtachim Arena.

Brown leads Maccabi to rout of Partizan

Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv v Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (2023-10-05T18:05:00.000Z)

The first game of the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season sees Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade host LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne in Thursday's early tipoff.

EuroLeague Live Blog: Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade vs. LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne

<incrowd-live-blog id="651ea0b74be0bc2e42f1d190" client-id="EUROLEAGUE" server="standard"></incrowd-live-blog><script src="https://live-blog.incrowdsports.com/index.js"></script>

<script>
(function (document) {
  setTimeout(() => {
    const script = document.createElement('script');
    script.async = true;
    script.defer = true;
    script.src = 'https://live-blog.incrowdsports.com/index.js';
    document.body.appendChild(script);
  }, 1000);
})(document);
</script>

Novak Djokovic watches Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade in action during the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season opener.

Zvezda starts the season with a bang

Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade v LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne (2023-10-05T17:00:00.000Z)

After reaching the Final Four for the first time in club history last season, Monaco will attempt to kickstart another title challenge with a testing trip to Valencia, which also has high ambitions to keep on growing. Monaco head coach Sasa Obradovic has seen the majority of last season’s squad return, while the addition of four-time NBA All-Star Kemba Walker adds further firepower to an already sensational backcourt that contains Mike James, Elie Okobo and Jordan Lloyd. Valencia boss Alex Mumbru will look to contain that threat through several experienced new arrivals, including playmaker Stefan Jovic, all-action Semi Ojeleye and talented big man Brandon Davies.

### Alex Mumbru, Valencia head coach:

We want to have a good game at home. We know about the difficulty of this season's EuroLeague. It looked like last year would be the toughest, but this one I think it will be even more difficult with all the signings we have seen during the summer. I think our team is ready for this first game. We have not reached the point we are aiming for, but little by little we are getting there. We want to play a serious game, play good basketball and show that we will be a competitive team in this league. There are many good teams and the factos that has to make us different is working as a team. The group must be able to overcome the challenges of every game as a unit.

### Damien Inglis, Valencia player

This start of the season is a pleasure for me and we have been enjooying the ride these last six weeks. I can't wait to start playing in the EuroLeague. Monaco is a great team, but we are not scared. We must stick to the game plan and try to end up on top when the final buzzer rings.

Game Videos

After reaching the Final Four for the first time in club history last season, Monaco will attempt to kickstart another title challenge with a testing trip to Valencia, which also has high ambitions to keep on growing. 

Pre-game quotes: Valencia vs. Monaco

Valencia Basket v AS Monaco (2023-10-06T18:30:00.000Z)

Ergin Ataman's reign as Panathinaikos coach could not have had a more explosive start, with his Greens taking on archrival and last season's EuroLeague runner-up, Olympiacos Piraeus, on Friday night. Panathinaikos has practically an entirely new roster, but all eyes will be on Kostas Sloukas as the veteran playmaker debuts against the team he previously represented with distinction for 10 years over two separate spells. The backcourt duel between Sloukas and ex-teammate Thomas Walkup could go a long way towards determining the outcome of this mouth-watering matchup. Olympiacos, which will showcase new signings such as Ignas Brazdeikis and Nikola Milutinov, has dominated this derby recently with four straight wins, but there would be no way for Ataman to make an immediate impact than by changing that statistic on Friday.

### Ergin Ataman, Panathinaikos head coach

"Olympiacos is one of the biggest candidates to take the EuroLeague title. Last year they lost in the last second. For sure, it's hard to start against such an opponent. Of course, for a team that is a new team like us, with 11 new players, it is hard. But we have a good team, players with character. We lost to them in the SuperCup, but we know that is not our level. Tomorrow we will have 20,000 supporters, but it will be a tough game. Against Olympiacos it is hard on the road and at home, but it will be also difficult for them. All coaches like to start the season against a not so strong opponent, but that's what the calendar said, and this is a home court game. This season we want to win all the games at home and we have to start with this derby."

### Giorgos Bartzokas, Olympiacos head coach

"For sure, it is going to be a different game compared to the Greek SuperCup final. First of all, it is tough to play at Panathinaikos' home court, especially for us because of the atmosphere. It’s the begging of the season and we are optimistic. We have faith in our team. We hope that we will play well and that we will start the season with a win. We need to control the game and play good defense, because defense will give us potentials for primary and secondary fastbreaks. We expect that they will be more aggressive, will hesitate less and will be more determent, because they want to respond on what was written, what was said and what really happened on the SuperCup. They have a good roster, a good coach and I believe that this time they will be more ready to face us."

### Mathias Lessort, Panathinaikos player

"It's the beginning of something new here. Everybody is excited, and having a game like this to start the season it's exciting. We start the EuroLeague against Olympiacos, and we want to show something different to what happened last weekend. We do not need time to fight on the court. We made a lot of mistakes, on both ends, but the message is to go out there and fight with the help of all this people pushing us.".

### Nigel-Williams Goss, Olympiacos player

"I think that this game will be different than the previous one on the SuperCup. Obviously, every EuroLeague game is a little bit different outside of the Domestic League. Plus, when you win like that, the team that loses will come out with more energy and more effort. About the keys... I think it’s always your composure. You are not getting to cut up in the atmosphere, keeping your mind focused on the things you want to do as a team and give yourself a good chance to win."

Ergin Ataman's reign as Panathinaikos coach could not have had a more explosive start, with his Greens taking on archrival and last season's EuroLeague runner-up, Olympiacos Piraeus, on Friday night.

Pre-game quotes: Panathinaikos vs. Olympiacos

Panathinaikos Athens v Olympiacos Piraeus (2023-10-06T18:15:00.000Z)

A fascinating opening round concludes in suitable style with a high-octane Spanish derby, as reigning champ Real Madrid begins its title defense with the trip north to Baskonia. The teams are likely to have very different points of offensive emphasis, with Baskonia relying on the backcourt scoring skills of Markus Howard while Real attempts to establish inside dominance through towering big man Walter Tavares. Chus Mateo’s Real has embarked upon unusually little transfer activity this summer, with 13 members of the title-winning roster returning, while Baskonia – again led by Joan Penarroya – will look for instant impact from newcomers such as Nico Mannion, Chima Moneke and Khalifa Diop.

### Chus Mateo, Real Madrid head coach

Baskonia has a similar style to last year's. They play tough defense and they want to run, two aspects that they put to good use at home. They kept a big chunk of last season's core, especially inside and with Markus Howard, an offensive referent who can unbalance any game. We will try to do a good job as a team. Last year we could not defeat Baskonia, but we'll try to start the EuroLeague on the right foot because is it a competition I respect a lot and we want to be as high as possible in the standings.

### Sergio Llull, Real Madrid player

The EuroLeague is special every year. It is a tough competition that motivates us because you play against the best teams in Europe. Baskonia is a very tough team that plays great defense. We know the atmosphere we will find at the Buesa Arena and I am sure it will be packed. At home they feel more confident, they have talented players and we will have to play a complete game, being focused all 40 minutes, if we want to have options to win.

A fascinating opening round concludes in suitable style with a high-octane Spanish derby, as reigning champ Real Madrid begins its title defense with the trip north to Baskonia. 

Pre-game quotes: Baskonia vs. Real Madrid

Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz v Real Madrid (2023-10-06T18:30:00.000Z)

Check out five bold predictions from EuroLeague.net staff members for Round 1 of the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season. 

 Bold predictions for EuroLeague Round 1 

### Shane Larkin could blow it up in Barcelona

#### *by Frank Lawlor*

I am not sure how bold this is when [Shane Larkin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/shane-larkin/007200/) has averaged 19.4 points and a 22.3 PIR in 16 career games against FC Barcelona. He scored at least 17 points in 12 of those games, five of them in the playoffs or Final Four, and has a personal 11-5 mark against Thursday’s hosts. Larkin has talked about flipping the narrative after Anadolu Efes Istanbul missed the playoffs last season despite seeking a EuroLeague title three-peat. The new season's first game would be prime time to set that tone, and Larkin, for one, couldn't have asked for a better opponent, even on the road.

### Birthday boy Tornike Shengelia gets unleashed

#### *by Igor Petrinovic*

With the way summer transfers played out for Virtus Segafredo Bologna, its versatile veteran forward [Tornike Shengelia](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/tornike-shengelia/001133/) has once again become a centerpiece of a EuroLeague team. Shengelia, a former All-EuroLeague First Team honoree, had a couple of up-and-down seasons mostly triggered by injuries that forced him to miss 11 games in each of the last two campaigns. A workhorse who averaged more than 30 minutes per game during his time with Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz, Shengelia is in great shape after a successful World Cup with Georgia. And if domestic games are any indication, he looks like he fits perfectly into the ideas of a new Virtus head coach Luca Banchi. On Thursday, the night of his 32nd birthday, I expect Shengelia to show he has plenty of gas left in his tank and be a real problem for Zalgiris Kaunas, leading Virtus to a home win in their season opener.

After a one-year absence in which he lef Virtus Segafredo Bologna to the BKT EuroCup title, Toko Shengelia returned to the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague in the 2022-23 season.

Toko Shengelia: 2022-23 EuroLeague highlights

### Valencia's Davies clicks all the boxes in Round 1

#### *by Javier Gancedo*

Valencia Basket hosts AS Monaco is what is expected to be a high-scoring game. It should be a very special game for Valencia center [Brandon Davies](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/brandon-davies/007870/) for many reasons. First, he plays against one of his former teams. Davies played for Monaco in the 2016-17 season, right before he and his former team entered the EuroLeague. He helped Monaco win the 2017 French Leaders Cup title. Davies was chosen to the 2018-19 All-EuroLeague First Team with Zalgiris Kaunas and to the 2020-21 All-EuroLeague Second Team with FC Barcelona. After a season with EA7 Emporio Armani Milan, Davies arrives to Valencia to lead his new team. It is the first game of the season in front of his new fans at La Fonteta, so Davies should be ready for a really solid performance against a big powerhouse like Monaco.

### Olympiacos, Milutinov will roll in famous derby

#### *by Frankie Sachs*

What's bold about this? Well, as of Monday morning, the odds-makers had Panathinaikos as a 3.5-point favorite, although that number has shrunk a bit since. The Game is at OAKA. Then, of course, there is the 75-51 walloping the Greens suffered at the hands of Olympiacos on Saturday in the Greek SuperCup final and the fact that head coach Ergin Ataman will use that loss as something to rally Panathinaikos around. Predictions about this game basically come down to how much you believe that game was an aberration and how quickly [Kostas Sloukas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/kostas-sloukas/001926/) and co. can turn things around. Watch out for Olympiacos center [Nikola Milutinov](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nikola-milutinov/003941/), who with 11 rebounds can catch Panathinaikos legends Mike Batiste for 22nd place on the EuroLeague career charts with 1,117.

### Fenerbahce to lay down a marker in Round 1

### *by Geoff Gillingham*

One of the standout games in Round 1 pits Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul against EA7 Emporio Armani Milan. Both Fenerbahce and Milan have improved their rosters in the offseason, but I expect the Turkish side to put on a show in its home opener at Ulker Sports and Events Hall. Entering Year Two under head coach Dimitris Itoudis, Fenerbahce is still able to call upon [Nigel Hayes-Davis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nigel-hayes-davis/008962/), [Dyshawn Pierre](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/dyshawn-pierre/010560/), [Johnathan Motley](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/johnathan-motley/011157/), [Scottie Wilbekin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/scottie-wilbekin/006661/) and [Marko Guduric](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/marko-guduric/004004/), while it has also added [Yam Madar](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/yam-madar/011052/), [Nate Sestina](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nathan-sestina/011980/), [Sertac Sanli](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/sertac-sanli/002968/) and [Georgios Papagiannis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/georgios-papagiannis/005844/) to its array of options. It will be a tough test against Milan, that’s for sure, but I expect a high-level performance from Coach Itoudis’s Fenerbahce that should get the team’s fans dreaming of a Final Four appearance in Berlin next May.

Bold predictions for EuroLeague Round 1

Take a look at the Team Captains' survey for 2023-24!

Team Captains' survey for 2023-24

Two Turkish Airlines EuroLeague signings stood out above the rest, with Facu Campazzo’s return to Real Madrid and Nikola Mirotic’s move to EA7 Emporio Armani Milan seeing them each earn 16.67% of the votes.

There are many excellent coaches in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, but a returning face in Pablo Laso, now of FC Bayern Munich, is the coach the team captains most enjoy facing.

Nikola Mirotic had to deal with a lot of off-the-court noise last year, but the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague team captains expect him to bounce back in style in EA7 Emporio Armani Milan’s uniform.

Three players – Mike James of AS Monaco, Shane Larkin of Anadolu Efes Istanbul and Walter Tavares of Real Madrid – are viewed as being the three toughest players to come up against in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague.

Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade’s fans created an incredible atmosphere at Stark Arena week after week last year, and 22.22% of the team captains admitted that they loved going there for Turkish Airlines EuroLeague games.

Just like every year, we have approached the 18 captains of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague teams with a few questions for their predictions for the new season. Here are their anwers.

Olympiacos Piraeus duo Shaquielle McKissic and Luke Sikma offered their thoughts on facing Panathinaikos Athens ahead of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Round 1 clash between the two teams on Friday night.

Olympiacos's McKissic, Sikma are ready for 'the best rivalry in the world'

Watching the Greek derby between Olympiacos Piraeus and Panathinaikos Athens is enough for any basketball fan to fall in love. Now, imagine being a player in the middle of it

Reds guard [Shaquielle McKissic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/shaquielle-mckissic/007853/) has taken on the Greens seven times in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, while new signing [Luke Sikma](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/luke-sikma/006589/) will get his first taste of the derby at EuroLeague level when the two face off in Round 1 on Friday night. It's fair to say that the two are excited.

"It was always something that was on my \[wish\] list: to be able to compete in these crazy rivalry games," said Sikma. "I've only watched it on TV, but now to be able to experience it first hand, it's going to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience."

"For me, these are always the biggest games of the year," added McKissic. "I think the amount of weight that the country puts on this rivalry makes it the best rivalry in the world, so it's either go hard or go home."

### Advice for playing in the Greek derby

Olympiacos has dominated this rivalry in the EuroLeague in recent times, with the Reds and McKissic having gone 6-1 in their last seven meetings with the Greens. For the 33-year-old, there's only one piece of advice he would offer to newcomers in this derby: get a good night's sleep.

"Until you get on the court and you feel the fans cheering and that vibration inside of you, it's kind of hard to prepare somebody for that," McKissic commented. "You should get some good sleep before, that's about it. That's probably the best advice, because once the ball goes up you have no idea what's going to happen."

### Playing in the Greek derby for the first time

Understandably, Sikma – one of five signings by Olympiacos this summer – is raring to get involved. The good thing is that he has plenty of teammates that have experienced this derby many times before, including two of the new additions, Nigel Williams-Goss and Nikola Milutinov, who returned to the club in the offseason.

"It's going to be a great atmosphere, a lot of energy," stated Sikma. Fans will be going crazy. As a competitor, it's the games you want to play."

The 34-year-old American has been able to compete in the German derby in the EuroLeague over the last four years, having represented ALBA Berlin in its battles with FC Bayern Munich, but he notes that it is rivalries such as the Greek derby that enhance the power of the EuroLeague.

"It's what makes the EuroLeague the EuroLeague – to have these rivalries that go back so long and run so deep," Sikma noted. "To be able to play those games every year and see that energy and that rivalry alive each time you play is what makes the EuroLeague great."

Panathinaikos hosts Olympiacos at 19:15 CET on Friday, October 6, at OAKA.

The two Olympiacos Piraeus players will feature in the Greek derby against Panathinaikos Athens on Friday night.

Here you can find all the latest injury news surrounding all registered players in the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season to get your Fantasy Challenge teams up to date.

Latest EuroLeague injury news

Follow here all the latest injury information for registered players in the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season as reported by the clubs and get your [EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge](https://euroleaguefantasy.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/home?_ga=2.101462721.1199459303.1696273873-903329349.1669636775) teams up to date!

**ALBA Berlin**

[Yanni Wetzell will be out for around six weeks due to an ankle injury](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/albas-yanni-wetzell-out-six-weeks/), ALBA announced earlier this week.

Christ Koumadje (knee) is questionable for Round 1 against Bayern.

Elias Rapieque suffered a broken hand in a German League game and will be out for six weeks.

Marcus Eriksson is out indefinitely with plantar tendonitis.

Anton Nufer, Dorian Grosber and Amon Doerries are not activated for Round 1.

**Anadolu Efes Istanbul**

Erten Gazi, Salih Altunas, Melih Tunca, Efe Demirel and Burakcan Yildizli are not activated for Round 1.

**AS Monaco**

[Jordan Loyd is out following a mid-August back surgery](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/monaco-loyd-2-3-months-out/).

Kemba Walker will not play in Round 1.

Mam Jaiteh is questionable ahead of the game in Valencia.

**Cazoo Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz**

There are no reported injuries.

**Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade**

Nemanja Bjelica will not play in Round 1 against ASVEL due to a leg injury.

Dejan Davidovac is doubtful for Round 1.

**EA7 Emporio Armani Milan**

[Maodo Lo will be out of action for the next three weeks](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/maodo-lo-olimpia-milano-out-for-three-weeks/) with a thigh injury, Milan announced.

[Billy Baron will miss at least the next six weeks](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/billy-baron-olimpia-milano-elbow-surgery/) as he will undergo additional cleaning following elbow surgery on Monday, October 9.

Devon Hall is available but questionable to play in Round 1 against Fenerbahce.

Kyle Hines has yet to play a game for Milan this season, but he is available for Coach Messina in Round 1.

**FC Barcelona**

There are no reported injuries.

**FC Bayern Munich**

Vladimir Lucic is unavailable for Bayern's hope opener against ALBA on Thursday.

Niels Giffey is doubtful to play in Round 1 due to illness.

**Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul**

Metecan Birsen and Hamza Mestoglu are inactive for Round 1.

**LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne**

David Lighty (chest) and Charles Kahudi (personal) did not travel for Round 1.

**Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv**

[Wade Baldwin will miss the season-opener](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/maccabis-baldwin-out-for-opening-night/) against Partizan with a back injury.

Josh Nebo is questionable for Thursday game with a foot injury.

**Olympiacos Piraeus**

Moustapha Fall is not available for the Round 1 game vs. Panathinaikos.

[Late signing Ignas Brazdeikis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/olympiacos-acquires-brazdeikis-from-zalgiris/) had his first training session with Olympiacos on Tuesday.

**Panathinaikos Athens**

Konstantinos Mitoglou is due out for up to 20 days with an injury and will miss Round 1.

Ioannis Papapetrou has missed practice and is doubtful to face Olympiacos.

**Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade**

Tristan Vukcevic is not active for Round 1.

**Real Madrid**

Gabriel Deck has yet to play this season.

Walter Tavares has missed Real's last two domestic games.

**Valencia Basket**

[Martin Hermannsson underwent knee surgery](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/valencias-martin-hermannsson-is-recovering-after-knee-surgery/) in mid-September and is expected out for three months total.

Xabi Lopez-Arostegui is not available for Round 1.

**Virtus Segafredo Bologna**

Virtus is expected to have a full roster available for its opener vs. Zalgiris.

**Zalgiris Kaunas**

Dovydas Butka is inactive for Round 1.

Turkish Airlines EuroLeague injury report for the 2023-24 season.

Check out all the injuries and absences expected in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague before the Fantasy Challenge deadline.

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul v EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (2023-10-06T17:45:00.000Z)

Virtus Segafredo Bologna v Zalgiris Kaunas (2023-10-05T18:30:00.000Z)

FC Bayern Munich v ALBA Berlin (2023-10-05T18:30:00.000Z)

FC Barcelona v Anadolu Efes Istanbul (2023-10-05T18:30:00.000Z)