Turkish Airlines EuroLeague fans, we have our 39th winner in this season's EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge! George Kleidonas beat everyone else in Game 3 of the EuroLeague Playoffs with his team 'PAO94', which had a Fantasy Challenge score of 211.35.

EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge Playoffs Game 3 winner

Turkish Airlines EuroLeague fans, we have our 39th winner in this season's [EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge](https://euroleaguefantasy.euroleaguebasketball.net/)! George Kleidonas beat everyone else in Game 3 of the EuroLeague Playoffs with his team 'PAO94', which had a Fantasy Challenge score of 211.35.

George had the following starting lineup: Sasha Vezenkov of Olympiacos Piraeus as team captain, then Kendrick Nunn of Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens, Mike James of AS Monaco, Nigel Hayes-Davis of Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul, and Willy Hernangomez of FC Barcelona. His sixth man was Alberto Abalde of Real Madrid. The rest of the bench consisted of Barcelona's Kevin Punter, Real Madrid's Eli Ndiaye, Panathinaikos's Panagiotis Kalaitzakis, and Olympiacos's Tyler Dorsey. His team's head coach was Barcelona play-caller Joan Penarroya.

The prize for finishing first in Round 39 is a free VIP Euroleague TV subscription for the 2025-26 season, so congratulations, George!

Marko Djukic and his team 'Kughat' remains the leader of the [EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge](https://euroleaguefantasy.euroleaguebasketball.net/) overall standings with 6,679.89 points.

Trades are now open for the 40th round of the [EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge](https://euroleaguefantasy.euroleaguebasketball.net/), which is Game 4 of the EuroLeague Playoffs, and there are an unlimited number of trades.

The first game of Game 4 tips off on Thursday, May 1 at 21:00 CEST as Real Madrid hosts Olympiacos, marking the next round's deadline.

Make new teams now or improve your existing ones and try to become our next round winner!

EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge offers weekly prizes to the top team manager. 

Kendrick Nunn and Konstantinos Mitoglou were the star men for Panathinaikos BC as it beat Anadolu Efes in Game 3 to take a 2-1 lead in its series in the EuroLeague Playoffs.

Nunn and Mitoglou bounced back to carry Panathinaikos at Efes in Game 3

Harried and hustled out of his rhythm in the opening two playoff games against [Anadolu Efes Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/anadolu-efes-istanbul/ist/), [Kendrick Nunn](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/kendrick-nunn/012774/) came back with a vengeance in Game 3 to inspire reigning Turkish Airlines EuroLeague champs [Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/panathinaikos-aktor-athens/pan/).

Nunn poured in a game-high 25 points to give the competition’s holder [a huge 77-81 win](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/panathinaikos-beats-efes-77-81-in-game-3-to-edge-closer-to-final-four/) over the home team and a 2-1 lead in the series ahead of Friday’s potentially decisive Game 4, with a win guaranteeing the Greek giant a berth at the 2025 Final Four in Abu Dhabi.

Unlike in Game 1 and 2, when he was clearly rattled by relentlessly aggressive defense from his markers, Nunn did not force the issue from three-point range this time. Instead of firing a barrage of tough shots from deep, having made just 4 of 16 in the opening two acts, Nunn relied on his enviable ball-handling skills to hurt Efes from inside.

The livewire guard weaved his way through traffic to sink one layup after another as well as some sweet mid-range jumpers, complementing that with a perfect 7 of 7 from the foul line to drive the Greens to the verge of promised land.

In his postgame comments, Nunn – who shot 9 of 13 from two-point range – acknowledged the bruising encounter was set to produce more thrills and spills, with all three games played so far going down to the wire and keeping fans on the edge of their seats throughout.    

“The last stretch was tough,” said Nunn. “It was a battle, they made a run and it really came down to the last two minutes of the game. We didn’t get as many stops as we wanted but we converted on the offensive end and knocked down some crunch free throws.”

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Family moments 💚<br><br>Full content on CLUB 1908 📲<br><br>👉 <a href="https://t.co/O0jvBD37wn">https://t.co/O0jvBD37wn</a><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://twitter.com/hashtag/LiveTheGreenMagic?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LiveTheGreenMagic</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Club1908?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Club1908</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OneClubOneApp?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OneClubOneApp</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RoadToAbuDhabi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RoadToAbuDhabi</a> <a href="https://t.co/vKUuaq8zbM">pic.twitter.com/vKUuaq8zbM</a></p>&mdash; Panathinaikos BC (@Paobcgr) <a href="https://twitter.com/Paobcgr/status/1917682681866805374?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 30, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

[Konstantinos Mitoglou](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/konstantinos-mitoglou/007866/), who netted a season-high 18 points after being scorned by his head coach Ergin Ataman that he needed to step up following a tough 76-79 home loss in Game 2, came up big as he drained a clutch three in the final minute which game the visiting team a 74-79 lead.

Mitoglou conceded that there was no room for error against an opponent as tenacious as Efes, with the home side rallying from a 13-point deficit in the fourth quarter before it was forced into submission in a heart-stopping finale.  

“We headed into the game aggressively and made all the right decisions to take a 13-point lead but Efes then came right back at us and one or two mistakes at our end was all it took for them to bounce back,” the power forward elaborated. “We expect the next game to be even tougher but our goal is to win it. I was confident taking those long-range shots, it’s something I work on every day,” added Mitoglou, who was 4 of 5 from downtown.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="und" dir="ltr">W ☘️💚<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://twitter.com/hashtag/LiveTheGreenMagic?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LiveTheGreenMagic</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Club1908?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Club1908</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OneClubOneApp?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OneClubOneApp</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RoadToAbuDhabi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RoadToAbuDhabi</a> <a href="https://t.co/gKtrq6YcHG">pic.twitter.com/gKtrq6YcHG</a></p>&mdash; Panathinaikos BC (@Paobcgr) <a href="https://twitter.com/Paobcgr/status/1917674869371609407?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 30, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Ataman, too, was pleased with his team’s valiant effort and the fact that the Greens stood firm in the wake of a ferocious Efes onslaught in the fourth quarter.

“We played a perfect game until the last quarter, but then again it’s not easy in the last quarter on the road,” said the Turkish tactician, who lifted back-to-back EuroLeague titles with Efes in 2021 and 2022.

“Efes played aggressive defense on the pick and roll so we made a lot of turnovers and they also hit some incredible shots. It’s a big win for us because Efes is an extremely good team and all the games in the series have been very tough. We are 2-1 up now but it’s not over and we’ll try to win on Friday again to qualify for the Final Four.”  

The home team’s head coach Luca Banchi was only too aware that simple errors in the home straight cost battling Efes, which must now win Game 4 to stay alive: “Another tough game in the series decided by fine margins and we know we have to be very demanding to ourselves because every single mistake can be punished,” he stated.

If the opening three chapters are anything to go by, Friday’s encounter is set to produce another epic clash between these two heavyweights.  

Game News

The duo recovered from poor performances in Game 2 to engineer a massive road win in Istanbul

Anadolu Efes Istanbul v Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens (2025-04-30T17:45:00.000Z)

Defending Turkish Airlines EuroLeague champs Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens ground out a priceless 77-81 road win over Anadolu Efes Istanbul in Game 3 to move a step closer towards reaching the 2025 Final Four in Abu Dhabi.

Panathinaikos beats Efes, 77-81, in Game 3 to edge closer to Final Four

Defending Turkish Airlines EuroLeague champs Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens ground out a priceless 77-81 road win over Anadolu Efes Istanbul in Game 3 of their quarterfinal playoff series to move a step closer towards reaching the 2025 Final Four in Abu Dhabi.

Player of the game Kendrick Nunn produced a monster performance, scoring 19 of his game-high 25 points to lead the Greens while Konstantinos Mitoglou chipped in with 18 points and 6 boards, including a clutch three down the stretch.

Kostas Sloukas netted 10 points as Panathinaikos won the battle of the boards 35-26, having racked up 15 offensive rebounds and shot 16 of 16 from the foul line. At the other end, Shane Larkin paced Efes on 17 points, Dan Oturu added 14 and Elijah Bryant netted 13 to go with 7 boards. Ercan Osmani scored 10 points for the hosts, all of them in the first quarter as Efes led 23-20 after 10 minutes.

Game Videos

Having trailed after the opening 10 minutes, Panathinaikos roared back with a 6-17 run which propelled the Greens into a 31-37 lead on the back of effervescent shooting from Sloukas and Mitoglou as Nunn was tightly marked and given no breathing space in the backcourt.

The regular season’s MVP, who struggled in the opening two games, beat the halftime buzzer with one of his many audacious layups to give the visitors a 39-45 lead at the interval before carrying on at full throttle in the third quarter.

Nunn scored his team’s opening 6 points after the break, firing Panathinaikos into a double-digit lead as Efes stalled on offense and looked bereft of ideas. With Mitoglou hitting yet another three and Nunn adding four more points to his tally, Panathinaikos romped away into a 50-63 advantage late in the third quarter and looked set for some plain sailing in the final 10 minutes.

However, Efes had other ideas. The home side closed the gap to 64-65 with a fierce 14-2 run prior to Nunn making a three-point play, briefly halting the Turkish giant’s charge. Moments later, however, a sublime Larkin floater made it 72-72 and with the rivals all square, the stage was set for a highly dramatic climax.

Mitoglou came up big with a massive spot-up three which allowed Panathinaikos to take a decisive 74-79 lead and although Thompson replied swiftly at the other end, Nunn sealed the contest with a pair of ice-cool free throws to silence a vociferous home crowd.   

The reigning champs prevailed in a tense finish to take a 2-1 lead in the series 

Panathinaikos beats Efes, 77-81, in Game 3 to edge closer to Final Four 

Willy Hernangomez was a crucial figure as FC Barcelona beat AS Monaco Basket in Game 3.

Barcelona found new ways to attack Monaco's defense in Game 3

[FC Barcelona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fc-barcelona/bar/) came into Game 3 of its best-of-five playoff series [against AS Monaco](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/barcelona-beats-monaco-in-game-3-to-stay-alive-100-89/) knowing that it was win-or-go-home time. In Games 1 and 2, Monaco protected its home court with consecutive double-digit wins in the principality to take control of the series – and it looked almost unstoppable for large portions of both contests, too.

Heading into Wednesday night, Barcelona knew it needed to raise its intensity and capitalize on second-chance opportunities. In Game 1, Barca outrebounded Monaco 30-39, pulling down 13 offensive rebounds, but coach [Vassilis Spanoulis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/as-monaco/mco/spanoulis-vassilis?season=E2024)'s team limited its opponent to just 18-of-36 two-pointers (50% 2FG). Barca finished the game with 11 assists and as many as 18 turnovers.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="und" dir="ltr">🌟 M𝐖P 🌟 <a href="https://t.co/sRRCy40qmg">pic.twitter.com/sRRCy40qmg</a></p>&mdash; Barça Basket (@FCBbasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBbasket/status/1917672806252437875?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 30, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Barca won the battle of the boards against Monaco in Game 3, 32-27, pulling down 14 offensive rebounds, but was way more effective in the paint at Palau Blaugrana. The hosts made 26-of-42 two-pointers (61.9% 2FG) and found a go-to guy in [Willy Hernangomez](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/willy-hernangomez/003196/), who was everywhere. 

Hernangomez had 7 offensive rebounds in Game 3, hitting 8-of-9 two-pointers. In the two previous games in Monaco, Hernangomez averaged 5.5 points, 1.5 rebounds and a PIR of 5.5 in less than 10 minutes per night. By finding a new offensive weapon, Barca managed to balance its offense and everything flowed better.

Youssoupha Fall and Willy Hernangomez helped FC Barcelona outrebound AS Monaco by 32-27.

Barcelona got more second-chance points in Game 3

In Monaco, Barca combined for 15-of-43 three-pointers in Games 1 and 2 (34.9% 3FG). With Hernangomez being a constant threat in the paint, Monaco was forced to double-team him, and Barca was smart enough to circulate the ball really well. The hosts finished the game with 21 assists and just 8 turnovers, hitting 12-of-26 shots from beyond the arc (46.2% 3FG). Monaco shot the ball really well (62.5% 2FG, 48.1% 3FG) but took nine less field-goal attempts (68-59) with the same exact number of free-throw attempts (15) than Barcelona.

"We have another opportunity on Friday to keep going in this series against a great, great team, so we are going to keep working and try to beat them again here at home," Hernangomez said after the game. "It's going to be super tough, but we are able to do it, for sure. I was trying just to give my best to help the team. Whatever the coach needs me to do, like all year, I try to do my best."

Long story short, Barca found a go-to scoring threat in the paint, took a better care of the ball and earned the right to stay alive against Monaco.

Coach Penarroya took advantage of the last few days to create a winning game plan

FC Barcelona v AS Monaco (2025-04-30T17:00:00.000Z)

FC Barcelona survived its first do-or-die situation in the 2025 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Playoffs by downing AS Monaco 100-89 at Palau Blaugrana in Game 3 of their best-of-five series on Wednesday. 

Barcelona beats Monaco in Game 3 to stay alive, 100-89

FC Barcelona survived its first do-or-die situation in the 2025 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Playoffs by downing AS Monaco 100-89 at Palau Blaugrana in Game 3 of their best-of-five series on Wednesday. Monaco has a 2-1 lead in the series. Barca hosts Game 4 on Friday. 

Willy Hernangomez led the winners with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Jabari Parker added 16 points, Dario Brizuela and Kevin Punter each added 14, while Justin Anderson had 10 for Barca. Mike James led Monaco with 20 points and 12 assists. Elie Okobo added 19 points, Alpha Diallo 16, Jaron Blossomgame 12 and Daniel Theis 10 for the guests.

Tomas Satoransky got Barca going with a jumper that Diallo bettered with a corner triple for a 2-3 Monaco lead. Anderson answered from downtown and Parker added back-to-back bombs from beyond the arc that boosted Barca's lead to 11-6. James joined the three-point shootout, then Youssoupha Fall answered with a put-back layup before Okobo's stop-and-pop jumper kept Monaco within 13-11. James hit a floater and found Diallo for a three-pointer. Hernangomez stepped up for Barca, but Blossomgame took over with a tip-in before Mam Jaiteh's layup boosted the guests' lead to 16-20. James kept pacing Monaco, yet Anderson single-handedly kept Barca as close as 21-24. Brizuela and Matthew Strazel traded three-pointers to fix the score at 24-27 after 10 minutes. 

 

Alex Abrines hit a jump hook in the lane early in the second quarter. Hernangomez dunked and Brizuela found Joel Parra for a one-handed slam that made Monaco call a timeout at 30-27. Abrines ignited the crowd with a three-pointer, Hernangomez added a jumper, then Brizuela's coast-to-coast layup boosted the hosts' lead to 39-27. Hernangomez capped a 17-0 run with a tip-in, as Monaco went scoreless for over 5 minutes until Diallo downed a close jumper. Abrines and Diallo traded triples, and Brizuela scored in penetration, but Theis's dunk gave Monaco hope at 46-34. Satoransky stepped up with a driving layup that Diallo bettered with a three-pointer. Blossomgame buried a floater before Brizuela's three-pointer restored a double-digit Barca lead, 51-39, at halftime.

Okobo struck from beyond the arc immediately after the break. Hernangomez hit a jump hook and Kevin Punter scored off a steal to keep Barca out of trouble, 55-42. Okobo sank a jumper and Diallo dunked in a 0-7 Monaco run that Theis capped with a triple, good for a 55-49 deficit. Hernangomez kept pacing his team with a tip-in that Anderson followed with a driving layup for a 59-49 Barca lead. Punter bettered Theis's layup with a three-pointer, Parker also struck from downtown but James also buried back-to-back triples for a 65-57 score. A red-hot James bettered Brizuela's layup with another three-pointer and went on to trade baskets with Fall to keep Monaco within 69-62. Punter scored again, Blossomgame hit a jump hook and Jaiteh's layup gave Monaco hope at 71-66. Parker beat the third-quarter buzzer with a wild three-pointer that restored a 74-66 Barca lead.

Parra hit a triple early in the fourth quarter which Satoransky followed with a layup in transition for a 79-67 Barca lead. Okobo followed a driving basket with a three-pointer before bettering Hernangomez's layup with another bomb from beyond the arc. Okobo remained unstoppable and got help from Theis to give Monaco hope, 85-80, with under 6 minutes left. Hernangomez took over with an off-balance put-back layup, Theis split free throws and Punter hit all three free-throw attempts for a 90-81 Barca lead. Strazel and Parra exchanged jumpers, and Theis buried a floater, but Punter kept Barca fully in charge, 93-85, with 2:45 left. Parker sealed the outcome with a fast-break dunk with a couple of minutes remaining.

Willy Hernangomez led the Blaugrana with a monster performance


All the latest injury news surrounding all registered players ahead of Game 3 of the 2025 EuroLeague Playoffs.

EuroLeague Playoffs injury report: Game 3

Follow all the latest injury information for registered players in the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Playoffs, 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!

## Game 3: Wednesday, April 30

### FC Barcelona vs. AS Monaco (19:00 CEST)

#### Barcelona

- **Jan Vesely is ruled out for Game 3**.
- Nico Laprovittola, Juan Nunez and Chimezie Metu are all out long-term.
- Dame Sarr will not be part of Barcelona's roster for the remainder of this season, [the club has announced](https://x.com/FCBbasket/status/1912872378666807417).

#### Monaco

- **Monaco has not yet sent an injury report ahead of Game 3**.
- Nick Calathes missed the first two games of the series.
- Georgios Papagiannis and Juhann Begharin did not dress in Games 1 or 2, but both played in a French League game on Sunday.

### Anadolu Efes Istanbul vs. Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens (19:45 CEST)

#### Efes

- **Rodrigue Beaubois**, who suffered an injury in Round 33, is [expected to be out for at least another two weeks](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/rodrigue-beaubois-out-for-at-least-six-weeks-with-calf-tear/), and is confirmed to be **the only Efes player not available for Game 3**.

#### Panathinaikos

- **Panathinaikos has not yet sent an injury report ahead of Game 3**.
- Ioannis Papapetrou, who was sidelined with an injury in Games 1 and 2, travelled with the team to Istanbul.
- [Mathias Lessort](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/all-euroleague-center-mathias-lessort-leaves-game-with-leg-injury/) suffered a broken fibula in Round 17 and is still working his way back from injury.
- Marius Grigonis (lower back surgery) has not played since Round 4.

## Game 3: Tuesday, April 29

### Paris Basketball vs. Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (20:30 CEST)

#### Paris

- **Paris has not yet sent an injury report ahead of Game 3**.
- Maodo Lo is out for 'several weeks' with a hamstring injury, [the club's website stated on March 24](https://parisbasketball.com/en/2025/03/medical-statement-from-paris-basketball/).
- Daulton Hommes is out for 'several months' with a hand injury, [the club's website stated on March 24](https://parisbasketball.com/en/2025/03/medical-statement-from-paris-basketball/).

#### Fenerbahce

- **Nicolo Melli** and **Sertac Sanli** join long-term absentee Scottie Wilbekin in **being unavailable for Game 3**, the club has confirmed.

### Real Madrid vs. Olympiacos Piraeus (21:00 CEST)

#### Real Madrid

- **Real Madrid has not yet sent an injury report ahead of Game 3**.
- Eli Ndiaye, who last played in Round 28, [has been dealing with a shoulder issue](https://x.com/pilarcasado/status/1909957418328502603).

#### Olympiacos

- **Evan Fournier and Tyler Dorsey are unavailable for Game 3**, the club confirmed.
- Keenan Evans, who has recently returned from a long-term injury, is yet to make his season debut.

Stay up to date with the latest information provided by the EuroLeague clubs

Playoffs injury report, Game 3: Vesely out for Barça

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul v Paris Basketball (2025-04-24T17:45:00.000Z)

Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens v Anadolu Efes Istanbul (2025-04-24T18:30:00.000Z)

AS Monaco v FC Barcelona (2025-04-25T17:00:00.000Z)

Olympiacos Piraeus v Real Madrid (2025-04-25T18:30:00.000Z)

## Wednesday, April 30, 2025

### [FC Barcelona 100-89 AS Monaco](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/fc-barcelona-as-monaco/E2024/319/)

Barcelona survived its first do-or-die situation in the 2025 EuroLeague Playoffs by downing Monaco 100-89 at Palau Blaugrana in Game 3 of their best-of-five series on Wednesday. Monaco has a 2-1 lead in the series. Barca hosts Game 4 on Friday. Willy Hernangomez led the winners with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Jabari Parker added 16 points, Dario Brizuela and Kevin Punter each added 14, while Justin Anderson had 10 for Barca. Mike James led Monaco with 20 points and 12 assists. Elie Okobo added 19 points, Alpha Diallo 16, Jaron Blossomgame 12 and Daniel Theis 10 for the guests.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="ca" dir="ltr">Doncs ens veiem divendres, culers 😉 <a href="https://t.co/DNBfZefCht">pic.twitter.com/DNBfZefCht</a></p>&mdash; Barça Basket (@FCBbasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBbasket/status/1917655298526892255?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 30, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Anadolu Efes Istanbul 77-81 Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/anadolu-efes-istanbul-panathinaikos-aktor-athens/E2024/320/)

Defending EuroLeague champs Panathinaikos ground out a priceless 77-81 road win over Efes in Game 3 to move a step closer towards reaching the 2025 Final Four in Abu Dhabi. Player of the game Kendrick Nunn produced a monster performance, scoring 19 of his game-high 25 points to lead the Greens while Konstantinos Mitoglou chipped in with 18 points and 6 boards, including a clutch three down the stretch. Kostas Sloukas netted 10 points. At the other end, Shane Larkin paced Efes on 17 points, Dan Oturu added 14 and Elijah Bryant netted 13 to go with 7 boards. Ercan Osmani scored 10 points for the hosts, all of them in the first quarter as Efes led 23-20 after 10 minutes.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Final Score ☘️<a href="https://twitter.com/AnadoluEfesSK?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AnadoluEfesSK</a> - <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/paobcaktor?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#paobcaktor</a> 77-81<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeTheGreens?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeTheGreens</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LiveTheGreenMagic?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LiveTheGreenMagic</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Club1908?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Club1908</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OneClubOneApp?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OneClubOneApp</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RoadToAbuDhabi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RoadToAbuDhabi</a> <a href="https://t.co/90iP3k1L9M">pic.twitter.com/90iP3k1L9M</a></p>&mdash; Panathinaikos BC (@Paobcgr) <a href="https://twitter.com/Paobcgr/status/1917669367484948610?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 30, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

## Tuesday, April 29, 2025

### [Paris Basketball 88-98 Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/paris-basketball-fenerbahce-beko-istanbul/E2024/321/)

Fenerbahce sealed its progress to the Final Four by overcoming Paris Basketball, 88-98, in an overtime battle to complete a series sweep. A back-and-forth first half ended with Fenerbahce leading, 40-46. The second half was even closer, and concluded with TJ Shorts scoring the last 4 points of regulation to force overtime. But Tarik Biberovic netted the first 7 points of the extra period, and Fener didn’t look back. Paris was inevitably led by Shorts with a joint career-high 29 points, while Nadir Hifi scored 24. Biberovic powered Fener with 21 points, Nigel Hayes-Davis added 18 and Marko Guduric scored 14.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">AİT OLDUĞUMUZ YERDE, FINAL FOUR’DAYIZ! 😎<br><br>Tebrikler Fenerbahçe Beko! 👏<br><br>Normal Süre Sonucu | Paris Basketball 🆚 Fenerbahçe Beko: 88-98<br><br>Skor dağılımımız: Biberovic 21, Hayes-Davis 18, Guduric 14, Hall 9, Baldwin 8, McCollum 8, Pierre 8, Bango 6, Birch 4, Colson 2.… <a href="https://t.co/oq6HJTpIi4">pic.twitter.com/oq6HJTpIi4</a></p>&mdash; Fenerbahçe Beko (@FBBasketbol) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBBasketbol/status/1917319602326950118?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 29, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Real Madrid 80-72 Olympiacos Piraeus](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/real-madrid-olympiacos-piraeus/E2024/318/)

Real Madrid made it 2-1 in its series against Olympiacos by defeating the Reds 80-72 at Movistar Arena on Tuesday night. A 0-13 run allowed the visitors to take a 38-44 lead into the third quarter, but *Los Blancos* held Olympiacos to just 18 points in the second half and grabbed a hard-fought victory. Walter Tavares netted a team-high 15 points, with Dzanan Musa and Mario Hezonja scoring 14 each. Sasha Vezenkov led all scorers with 21 points, Nigel Williams-Goss scored 17 and Saben Lee added 11.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="und" dir="ltr">🏁 FP: <a href="https://twitter.com/RMBaloncesto?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RMBaloncesto</a> 80 - 72 <a href="https://twitter.com/Olympiacos_BC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Olympiacos_BC</a><a href="https://twitter.com/UnicajaBanco?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@UnicajaBanco</a> <a href="https://t.co/U8lYmbxIVe">pic.twitter.com/U8lYmbxIVe</a></p>&mdash; Real Madrid Basket (@RMBaloncesto) <a href="https://twitter.com/RMBaloncesto/status/1917322006049010174?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 29, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Fenerbahce became the first team to make it to the Final Four on Tuesday

Game Center: PAO takes 2-1 lead in series with Efes; Barça fights back to win Game 3

Real Madrid v Olympiacos Piraeus (2025-04-29T19:00:00.000Z)

Paris Basketball v Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (2025-04-29T18:30:00.000Z)

With a defensive-minded approach, Real Madrid showed in Game 3 that it can cause problems for Olympiacos BC in Game 4.

Real Madrid discovered a blueprint to build on ahead of Game 4

A return to basics is often considered as the best solution when a team finds itself with its back against the wall, and that was the situation for [Real Madrid](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/real-madrid/mad/) at halftime [against Olympiacos Piraeus on Tuesday night](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/real-madrid-beats-olympiacos-80-72-in-game-3-to-trim-series-deficit/). 

The hosts hit the ground running and took a 28-21 lead into the second quarter, but the Reds bounced back and outscored *Los Blancos* 10-23 to make it 38-44 after 20 minutes.

Enter Real Madrid’s most powerful weapon in this last stretch of the season. The hosts’ defense suffocated Olympiacos’s offense, holding the visitors to just 12 and 16 points in the last two quarters. This was just the third time that Georgios Bartzokas’s men have scored fewer than 73 points in one game this season. 

“Our defense was very good,” coach Chus Mateo told EuroLeague TV after the game. “We stayed together in the bad moments and we grew up as a team.”

Real Madrid recorded 11 steals and scored as many as 16 points off turnovers throughout the game. All players who stepped on to the floor, including starters and second unit, were locked in on defense, with [Sergio Llull](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/sergio-llull/tgb/), [Mario Hezonja](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mario-hezonja/003108/), [Dzanan Musa](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/dzanan-musa/006540/) and [Walter Tavares](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/walter-tavares/005791/) registering 2 steals each. Four of their steals came in the crucial fourth quarter, dealing a big blow to the guests.

“We know that the playoffs are \[about\] defense and not offense,” Tavares stressed. “If we play defense, on offense we have more confidence to make the plays, make the shots.”

Ten of Olympiacos’s 14 turnovers came after the break, with the guests struggling to share the ball in their bid to find open looks. 

“We turned the ball over 10 times in the last 20 minutes and all of that was transition points that we gave them,” Bartzokas admitted in the post-game press conference.

Despite losing Game 2 in Piraeus, Real Madrid held Olympiacos to just 77 points, laying a solid foundation to build on. A few adjustments on both ends and [Evan Fournier](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/evan-fournier/013380/)’s absence due to injury allowed the hosts to tighten up their defense. 

Boosted by the crowd at Movistar Arena, Real Madrid didn’t allow Olympiacos to produce the signature free-flowing offense that helped it clinch top spot in the regular-season standings.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">👏 ¡Seguimos! 👏 <a href="https://t.co/9BNh7Jg3f8">pic.twitter.com/9BNh7Jg3f8</a></p>&mdash; Real Madrid Basket (@RMBaloncesto) <a href="https://twitter.com/RMBaloncesto/status/1917326775631180272?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 29, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The two teams will have less than a couple of days to work on their adjustments before they take to the floor on Thursday night, when Real Madrid will look to even the series while Olympiacos will aim for a victory that would clinch them a spot at the Final Four.

“We've just got to get one more win,” Musa told EuroLeague TV. “We know that it’s not going to be easy on Thursday. They will adjust, they will be better, but I think that we now have the formula of how we want to play, how we want to approach these games and I think that if we do the right thing, we can tie the series.”

The blueprint is there for Real Madrid, which has lost just five games at home this season. One of those defeats came at the hands of Olympiacos, with Tuesday’s loss for the Reds being their first loss on Spanish soil this season. 

With Game 4 just around the corner, Real Madrid can look back on its players’ effort and hustle in the second half of Game 3 and draw inspiration as it looks to take the series back to Greece.

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul forward Nigel Hayes-Davis played 2 games for Team USA at Etihad Arena last summer throughout its preparations for the Olympic Games in Paris

Nigel Hayes-Davis is hoping for a happy return to Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi is a new and unfamiliar venue for the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, with the 2025 Final Four helping to expose the continent’s elite basketball competition to a wider audience by heading away from European shores for the first time.

One player, however, does have some prior experience from the Etihad Arena, because [Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fenerbahce-beko-istanbul/ulk/) forward [Nigel Hayes-Davis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nigel-hayes-davis/008962/) appeared at the venue in two international games last year.

Although he didn’t make the final roster, Hayes-Davis was with Team USA throughout its preparations for the Olympic Games in Paris, including showcase meetings with Serbia and France last July.

With superstars such as LeBron James, Steph Curry and Jayson Tatum taking most of the court time, Hayes-Davis had little opportunity to shine as he played for just 3 minutes across the two encounters. But it was still an understandably memorable experience, which he fondly remembered in the immediate aftermath of Fenerbahce’s [series-clinching overtime win](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/fenerbahce-advances-to-final-four-with-ot-win-at-paris-88-98/) over [Paris Basketball](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/paris-basketball/roster/prs/) on Tuesday.

“It’s a beautiful full circle,” he told EuroLeague TV. “I’ve already been there in that gym, got two wins in that gym, so hopefully I can repeat that \[at the Final Four\]. That would be a beautiful thing.”

Nigel Hayes-Davis highlights vs. Paris Basketball

Hayes-Davis performed to his usual high standards in Game 3 on Tuesday, contributing 18 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds and 1 steal for a game-high PIR of 24. But this Fenerbahce team is built on collective cohesion rather than individual brilliance, and he was eager to underline the team ethic as he said: “The team stepped up, a lot of guys stepped up in a lot of ways, that maybe didn’t play all year. Like [Dyshawn \[Pierre\]](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/dyshawn-pierre/010560/) stepped up with great, huge minutes for us.

“Now we get some rest and look forward to get ready to go to Abu Dhabi and try to finish the job. Very happy for the guys, some guys haven’t been to the Final Four, so I’m happy they get to experience it because it’s a tremendous experience.”

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="ht" dir="ltr">MVP MVP MVP! 🔥 <br><br>👉 <a href="https://twitter.com/NIGEL_HAYES?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NIGEL_HAYES</a>! 👏 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/YellowLegacy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#YellowLegacy</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bug%C3%BCndenYar%C4%B1naHaz%C4%B1r?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BugündenYarınaHazır</a> <a href="https://t.co/5om4mZl30D">pic.twitter.com/5om4mZl30D</a></p>&mdash; Fenerbahçe Beko (@FBBasketbol) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBBasketbol/status/1917350608438452505?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 29, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Victorious coach Saras Jasikevicius, who was dumped, fully suited, into the bath as his players - led by Hayes-Davis - enjoyed their postgame celebrations in the locker room, believes his team’s progress is well deserved as a reward for their recent performances – but warns that more must follow.

“I have to take off hats to my players,” Jasikevicius noted. “The last couple of months, we’ve been playing good basketball, our level of concentration and basketball went up. This is the most important and that will give us more chances of winning the whole thing.

“Everybody knows how difficult it is, how many good teams will be in Abu Dhabi. So tonight is a party, but next day we’re back to work because we need to keep getting better. Final Four is another level up, and another level up you’ve got to play better.”

With a 6-2 finish to the regular season and a playoff sweep of dangerous Paris, this Fenerbahce team is clearly heading in the right direction. Whether that will take them all the way to the summit, we’ll find out soon.

The Fenerbahce forward played in the UAE last summer for Team USA