 Facu Campazzo, Zvezda: 'We will fight until the end' 

### Dusko Ivanovic, Zvezda head coach

"We had a lot of patience to let our moments come, especially in the second half. We won the game thanks to very good defense in the final quarter.

"We’re on the right track as we’ve finally come to realize what our most efficient weapons are and how we should be playing. Aggressive defense and patient offense. We played various types of defense tonight and the players were focused when we switched defense. That’s complicated and sometimes it's littered with mistakes, but tonight it was flawless."

### Alex Mumbru, Valencia head coach

"We made a lot of turnovers at important moments, when we were closing in on Zvezda. After they broke away it was impossible to turn the game around. 

"In the first half, there were moments when we played well but we also committed several turnovers which resulted in conceding 6 or 7 points in a row. In the second half, we folded while they played really well, aggressive defense in the fourth quarter bordering fouls and our offense suffered as a result. Congratulations to them for winning.”

### Filip Petrusev, Zvezda player

"We played with energy. We made some mistakes, especially in the first quarter when they scored some easy points, but we were solid in defense for the rest of the game. We have to forget this one, practice tomorrow and get ready for the next game. We have three games left, we want to win all three and see what happens."

### Facundo Campazzo, Zvezda player

"We need every win from now until the end of the season. This win is very important because we didn't have any other options and \[reaching the playoffs\] is not in our hands. We will fight until the end, and winning today means a lot to us ahead of the trip to ASVEL. We were smart in every possession as we shared the ball and played for the guy who was on fire in a particular moment. We also took advantage of playing here in front of our fans. That's our extra energy."

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Facu Campazzo, Zvezda: 'We will fight until the end'

Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade v Valencia Basket (2023-03-29T17:00:00.000Z)

Zalgiris Kaunas recorded an important victory on Wednesday evening in its bid to reach the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Playoffs, as it defeated AS Monaco 79-70 in front of another sellout crowd at Zalgirio Arena. This win improved Zalgiris to 16-15, yet it remains in ninth position in the standings as Cazoo Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz in eighth holds the tiebreaker. Monaco dropped to 20-11 and, should Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul beat Real Madrid, it could see its chances of home-court advantage come under threat.

Zalgiris keeps playoff dream alive, downs Monaco, 79-70

Zalgiris Kaunas recorded an important victory on Wednesday evening in its bid to reach the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Playoffs, as it defeated AS Monaco 79-70 in front of another sellout crowd at Zalgirio Arena. This win improved Zalgiris to 16-15, yet it remains in ninth position in the standings as Cazoo Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz in eighth holds the tiebreaker. Monaco dropped to 20-11 and, should Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul beat Real Madrid, it could see its chances of home-court advantage come under threat.

 

Ignas Brazdeikis led the way for Zalgiris with 22 points, while Laurynas Birutis and Arnas Butkevicius both had 10 points each. Isaiah Taylor and Tomas Dimsa contributed 9 points apiece, too. For Monaco, Donatas Motiejunas and Jordan Loyd had a team-high 13 points each. Elie Okobo also reached double figures with 10 points.

Playing back in his hometown of Kaunas, Motiejunas started the game off hot and scored 9 of Monaco's first 11 points as the visitors went 9-11 ahead. That was about as good as it got Monaco, though, as Zalgiris fought back through Butkevicius, who scored 5 points in a hurry to flip the script, 17-11. Monaco was lackadaisical with the ball and committed as many as 6 turnovers in the first quarter, while Zalgiris was shooting the lights out, going 6-of-7 from two-point range (85.7% 2FG) and 5-of-7 from deep (71.4% 3FG) en route to a 28-19 advantage after 10 minutes.

 

Monaco began the second quarter in the best way possible, with Okobo knocking down a three to make it 28-22, but the guard then committed his second foul – an unsportsmanlike foul at that – which sent Kevarrius Hayes to the line, 30-22. The visitors kept trying to eat into deficit bit by bit, enjoying several trips to the free-throw line, but an inspired Brazdeikis hit a three-pointer to keep Monaco at arm's length, 37-28. Zalgiris, meanwhile, continued to find its way to the basket, with Dimsa scoring an uncontested layup to make it a 9-point ballgame, 48-39, just before the break. Monaco trailed 48-41 at halftime, but the gap perhaps should have been more as Zalgiris completely dominated.

Once the action resumed in the third quarter, buckets became slightly harder to come by, yet Zalgiris found a way to keep in front. In particular, the third quarter was determined by Birutis, as Zalgiris kept going to its big man against the undersized Donta Hall. Birutis had 2 points through the first 20 minutes, but he made his presence felt after the break to keep his side ahead, 56-49. It started to become a bit of a back-and-forth game in the latter stages of the quarter, 58-53, but a Lukas Lekavicius triple helped make it a 10-point affair, 63-53, soon after. Entering the last quarter, it was 65-53.

 

The final quarter saw Monaco raise its intensity on the defensive end in the opening minutes, with a Hall block leading to a Jaron Blossomgame three-pointer that cut the gap to 7 points, 65-58, but the visitors could not capitalize on free throws to trim the gap further. Birutis also kept causing damage for Zalgiris, taking his tally to 10 and making it a 10-point ballgame, 71-61, in the latter stages. Brazdeikis nailed a three-pointer to make it 74-61, and Zalgiris coasted to victory from there, going on to win 79-70.

Zalgiris Kaunas v AS Monaco (2023-03-29T16:00:00.000Z)

Real Madrid (21-9) and Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (18-12) have come head-to-head in some memorable games in the last decade, most notably facing each other three times in the Final Four between 2015 and 2018, and another classic could be in store at WiZink Center on Wednesday night (20:45 CET). With just four games remaining in the regular season, this contest will be a good test to see where both teams stand ahead of the playoffs.

Real Madrid, Fenerbahce meet with one thing on their minds

Real Madrid (21-9) and Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (18-12) have come head-to-head in some memorable games in the last decade, most notably facing each other three times in the Final Four between 2015 and 2018, and [another classic could be in store at WiZink Center on Wednesday night (20:45 CET)](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2022-23/real-madrid-fenerbahce-beko-istanbul/E2022/279/). With just four games remaining in the regular season, this contest will be a good test to see where both teams stand ahead of the playoffs.

Los Blancos punched their ticket to the postseason last week, yet they are still fighting to secure home-court advantage, something that none of the four qualified playoff teams have yet achieved. A win against Fenerbahce will see Real lock up home-court advantage in the playoffs. Also, there is the issue of seeding for Real, as it currently sits second in the standings; these final four games of the regular season will determine which team Chus Mateo's side has to play in a best-of-five series.

Fenerbahce, however, finds itself in fifth position, two wins behind AS Monaco in fourth. Being able to lean on home-court advantage in a possible Game 5 may now be beyond the team's reach, although Fenerbahce does hold the tiebreaker over Monaco. That is also the case with regard to Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv and Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade, both of whom are just one win behind head coach Dimitris Itoudis's side but do not have the tiebreaker in their favor. Should Fenerbahce beat Real and Zalgiris Kaunas lose to Monaco, it will be in the playoffs.

Lookback Real Madrid and Fenerbahce a classic challenge!

Real comes into Wednesday night's game after winning its last two contests and going 8-2 over its last 10, whereas Fenerbahce has blown hot and cold since Round 21, going 5-5. The Turkish team did manage to end a two-game losing streak last time out, though, as it defeated Zalgiris 87-79.

 

Although the tiebreaker is unlikely to come into effect between Real and Fenerbahce, their Round 11 matchup provides an interesting look into what could occur on Wednesday night. In early December, Los Blancos went into Istanbul and managed to come away with a 71-85 victory, as Dzanan Musa (18) and Walter Tavares (17) combined for 35 points. Gabriel Deck also ended the game in double figures with 12 points. Once again, this trio is likely to come to the fore for Real.

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul - Real Madrid | Round 11 | Highlights

Although Johnathan Motley had a game-high 20 points and Devin Booker added 15 for the hosts, Fenerbahce was unable to overcome its absences against Real. That day, for example, it was without Scottie Wilbekin, Dyshawn Pierre, Marko Guduric and Nemanja Bjelica, while Tyler Dorsey joined the team later in the season. This time, Wilbekin and Pierre will again miss out, but Guduruc, Bjelica and Dorsey will all be involved.

 

We are now at the business end of the season and both teams have the possibility to achieve their short-term goals with a win on Wednesday night, so a fantastic game is likely to be in store. It is almost always worth tuning in when these two behemoths go at it, and this game is no different. Will Real wrap up home-court advantage or Fenerbahce make the playoffs? Find out from 20:45 CET!

Real Madrid v Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (2023-03-29T18:45:00.000Z)

Star forward [Mario Hezonja](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mario-hezonja/003108/) had a stellar 2021-22 season at UNICS Kazan and during the summer of that year joined Real Madrid, the winningest team ever in European basketball. In his first season with Los Blancos, Hezonja has staked out a solid role among a star-studded roster and feels right at home.

"When I look at my teammates, they also have this hunger for winning," Hezonja says. "That's very important for me."

When building the team for the new season, Real head coach Chus Mateo tried to bring a couple of new names to the core of a team that has been playing together for several years now, in order to keep injecting new life into a roster that has one of the highest average ages in the league. So far, the bench boss is pleased with the results.

"I think he's a great, young player," Mateo says. "We expect him to contribute all his virtues to help this team grow."

Hezonja is one of 13 players in the modern era to have switched sides in the archrivalry between Real and FC Barcelona. He started his career as a youngster in the Catalan team and after returning from the NBA to play for Panathinaikos Athens and then UNICS, he landed in the Spanish capital.

"It's an honor to be part of the best team in history in Europe," Hezonja says. "It shapes your mindset. You just want more. You don't want to stop."

In the prime of his career at age 28, Hezonja is ready for the challenge of becoming one of the cornerstones that will take Real Madrid into the future.

Focus on: Mario Hezonja, Real Madrid

Mario Hezonja, Real: 'You just want more'

Anadolu Efes Istanbul displayed the type of basketball that led it to the EuroLeague throne the past two years to dismiss EA7 Emporio Armani Milan 89-69 on Tuesday. With its back against the wall, Efes had a performance that fans were used to seeing from the reigning champs, a fearless, confident offense behind a tough-nosed defense, all resulting in a win that has kept the team's playoff chances alive.

Tag-team offense led Efes to see another day

Anadolu Efes Istanbul displayed the type of basketball that led it to the EuroLeague throne the past two years [to dismiss EA7 Emporio Armani Milan 89-69 on Tuesday](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2022-23/anadolu-efes-istanbul-ea7-emporio-armani-milan/E2022/271/). With its back against the wall, Efes had a performance that fans were used to seeing from the reigning champs, a fearless, confident offense behind a tough-nosed defense, all resulting in a win that has kept the team's playoff chances alive.

Coach Ergin Ataman used a shortened rotation with only seven players getting substantial minutes during the first three quarters. In the end, six players played 25 or more minutes, and five scored 12 or more points, with the team's Big Three leading the way.

Shane Larkin paced Efes with 18 points, shooting 4-for-8 from long range; Will Clyburn scored 16 on 4-for-6 three-point shooting and also had 5 steals, while Vasilije Micic netted 15 points on 3-for-8 from three-point land. What the trio also did was play tag-team offense, taking turns in carrying Efes's offense.

Vasilije Micic, Will Clyburn, Shane Larkin Top 2 Pts, 3 Pts vs. AX Armani Exchange Milan, 03/28/2023

Micic, Clyburn, Larkin led Efes past Milan

Clyburn went first, scoring 11 first-quarter points. He knocked down his first 3 three-point attempts, including back-to-back triples in an 8-0 run that saw Efes take the lead for good late in the first quarter.

Larkin followed with 11 second-quarter points, also netting 3 triples, helping increase the margin to 15 points by halftime.

In the end, it was Micic's turn. When Milan got within 68-53 early in the fourth, he scored 8 points in just over 3 minutes, including a pair of triples, to restore a 20-point margin and allow Coach Ataman to rest his stars the rest of the way.

"I don't know if I must be happy after the basketball we played tonight, or worried", coach Ataman said after the win, hinting his players displayed the kind of basketball they are capable of playing now that they are in a dire situation. 

"We only played with this kind of aggressiveness, we shared the ball, we always found good shot selection and we showed the fight, but only \[now\] when we are in big trouble for the playoffs."

To reach the playoffs, Efes does not hold matters in its own hands. It needs to keep winning, but also needs plenty of help, especially in form of Cazoo Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (16-15) losing twice, and Zalgiris Kaunas (15-15) and Valencia Basket (14-16) each losing once.

On Tuesday night, the reigning champions led by Micic, Larkin and Clyburn, showed the type of basketball that could see them hold up their end of the bargain.

Anadolu Efes Istanbul v EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (2023-03-28T17:30:00.000Z)

Cazoo Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz ground out a vital 93-87 home win over ALBA Berlin thanks to a massive effort from center Maik Kotsar and guard Darius Thompson, who carried the team in the wake of another tough night for the Spanish side’s top performer Markus Howard.

Maik Kotsar and Darius Thompson came up big for Baskonia

Cazoo Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz ground out a vital 93-87 home win over ALBA Berlin thanks to a massive effort from center Maik Kotsar and guard Darius Thompson, who carried the team in the wake of another tough night for the Spanish side’s top performer Markus Howard.

Kotsar sank a career-high 23 points to go with 10 rebounds for a PIR of 40 while Thompson chipped in with 21 points and 11 assists, helping Baskonia fight back from a 19-0 run by the visitors in the first half.

Kotsar was especially instrumental in the win as he shined at both ends of the court, using his size to good effect in various ways. Kotsar was a menace in ALBA’s paint as he shot 9 of 11 from the floor and 5 of 6 from the foul line, while he also picked up 3 assists, 2 steals and as many blocks to propel the comeback.

Kotsar was his usual humble self after the game, having stressed he was only doing his job. When asked what he saw as his crucial contribution, he said: “I’d like to think it was pick-and-roll defense. Boxing out and just doing a big man’s job. It was a much-needed win, the whole team fought really hard,” Kotsar said in a post-game interview.

Thompson followed up on his good performance in the previous round’s defeat at Crvena Zvezda with an outstanding second-half display against ALBA. With Howard, who only netted 3 points at Zvezda, misfiring again as he finished on 2 of 10 from the floor, Thompson led the backcourt effort with some crunch shots which put wind in Baskonia’s sails.

Thompson revealed just how much Baskonia had struggled recently as the team - which at one point topped the standings - is now involved in a frantic several-way dogfight to make the playoffs.

“Every win in the EuroLeague is huge. We played with energy in the second half. The last few games we weren’t our normal selves and we hadn’t been having fun so the key was to enjoy the game and play hard,” he said.

Baskonia next faces Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul at home on Friday in what will surely be a blockbuster, with so much to play for.

Maik Kotsar, Darius Thompson came up big for Baskonia

Cazoo Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz v ALBA Berlin (2023-03-28T18:30:00.000Z)

Nico Laprovittola made sure Barca cruised to an important victory against Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade in front of an incredible basketball atmosphere at Stark Arena in Round 31.

Laprovittola's career night in Belgrade

FC Barcelona registered a good-as-gold 80-89 road win against Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade in front of an incredible basketball atmosphere at Stark Arena in Round 31. Nico Laprovittola made sure Barca cruised to an important victory.

Laprovittola stepped up early, burying a couple of three-pointers in a 2-8 opening run. At the end of the first quarter, he had 11 points and allowed Barca to take a 21-25 lead. His team managed to boost its margin to 49-61 but once former teammate Dante Exum brought Partizan within 70-73 midway through the fourth quarter, Laprovittola sank a critical three-pointer to stop the hosts' comeback. He also made 6 free throws in the final 76 seconds to make sure Barca walked away with a victory.

Nicolas Laprovittola of FC Barcelona had a career-high PIR of 32 against Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade in Round 31.

Laprovittola leads Barca in Belgrade

Laprovittola ended up amassing a career-high PIR of 32. He finished the game with 25 points, his best mark since Round 15, by making 4 of 5 three-pointers and 11 of 13 free throw attempts. Laprovittola added 7 assists and 8 fouls drawn. 

He praised Partizan's fans after the game: "It is always a challenge when we play two games in the same week, and I think, to start the week like this, in this atmosphere. I think these are some of the best fans in the league and we prepared to play against them and against Partizan, and I think we made a good job."

Laprovittola had a career night in Belgrade

Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade v FC Barcelona (2023-03-28T18:30:00.000Z)

Cazoo Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz is accustomed to breaking down its opponents with a fast-flowing offense, but it was a massive defensive effort that carried the Spanish side to a lifeline 93-87 home win over ALBA Berlin on Tuesday.

 Baskonia took a road less traveled to victory

Cazoo Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz is accustomed to breaking down its opponents with a fast-flowing offense, but it was a massive defensive effort that carried the Spanish side to a lifeline 93-87 home win over ALBA Berlin on Tuesday.

Trailing 44-48 at halftime, Baskonia stifled out ALBA in the second half and forced a furry of mistakes by the visitors, which ended the contest with 14 turnovers - 4 more than the home side.

Baskonia was also efficient from the foul line, having made 24 of 30 free throws while the visitors netted 9 of 11. Relentless half-court pressure in the second half drew a barrage of tough shots from ALBA, which finished on 12 of 33 from three-point range. Some of those shots only came through in the last minute of the game, which was only enough to keep the deficit down.

Crucially, Baskonia sank 24 of 39 shots from inside the arc while ALBA was 21 of 38 on two-pointers, with the two sides dishing out 21 assists each. They were also pretty evenly matched in rebounds, as Baskonia racked up 37 boards – one more than ALBA.

In the end, it came down to gritty defending which propelled a 9-0 Baskonia run in the closing stages, turning an 80-81 deficit into an 8-point lead for the home side, which then closed out the contest.

Baskonia took a road less traveled to victory

Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv won its fifth straight game on Tuesday evening, beating Virtus Segafredo Bologna 111-80 at Menora Mivtachim Arena. In what was an offensive masterclass from head coach Oded Kattash's side, it was a performance that saw several players come to the fore; this was a true team effort.

Team effort proved key as Maccabi downed Virtus

Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv won its fifth straight game on Tuesday evening, beating Virtus Segafredo Bologna 111-80 at Menora Mivtachim Arena. In what was an offensive masterclass from head coach Oded Kattash's side, it was a performance that saw several players come to the fore; this was a true team effort.

 

After starting off hot and finding itself 15 points ahead at the end of the first quarter, 28-13, Maccabi kept its foot on the gas in the second as it went into halftime with a 29-point lead, 62-33. Those 62 points are the most that Maccabi has ever scored in a half, as its previous best was the 61 it had against AIK Athens in 2004 and Besiktas Istanbul in 2013.

 

By the time the final buzzer sounded on Tuesday evening, seven Maccabi players had reached double digits for points: Darrun Hilliard with 16, Wade Baldwin and Lorenzo Brown with 14 apiece, Roman Sorkin with 13, Josh Nebo with 12, Bonzie Colson with 11 and Jarell Martin with 10. When a team gets scoring across several players like this, they are going to be hard to stop.

 

Then there is the way in which the players moved the ball, racking up an all-time Turkish Airlines EuroLeague high of 38 assists in the win against Virtus. The unselfish play of Maccabi made it almost unstoppable on the offensive end, with Brown dishing 8 assists and Baldwin recording 7. Hilliard and Jake Cohen had 5 helpers each, while Josh Nebo had 4 to his name.

 

Typically, PIR is a good indicator of how a team has performed, and Maccabi blew Virtus out of the water in this regard, having a combined PIR of 153, compared to the total PIR of 87 for those on Virtus's squad. The hosts also had eight players record a PIR of 12 or higher, which has only happened on three occasions in the past: for Benetton Basket against ALBA Berlin in 2001-02; for FC Barcelona against LCLC ASVEL Villeurbanne in 2009-10; and for Olympiacos against Virtus in this current season, 2022-23.

 

Overall, Maccabi's fans not only enjoyed another wonderful night at Menora Mivtachim Arena, where the team is 13-2 this season, but they witnessed a team-first performance that should put Coach Kattash's side in good stead heading into the playoffs. Maccabi is not yet guaranteed a place in the postseason, but another display like this against EA7 Emporio Armani Milan on Thursday should be enough to see it get over the line.

Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv v Virtus Segafredo Bologna (2023-03-28T16:00:00.000Z)