FC Barcelona returned to winning ways by thrashing Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv 100-71 at Palau Blaugrana in Round 25 on Wednesday

Kevin Punter leads Barcelona past Maccabi, 100-71

FC Barcelona returned to winning ways by thrashing Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv 100-71 at Palau Blaugrana in Round 25 on Wednesday. Barca improved to 14-11 in the standings while Maccabi dropped to 6-19 with its sixth road loss in a row.

Kevin Punter led the winners with a season-high 28 points. Jabari Parker and Willy Hernangomez each added 14, while Dario Brizuela and Chimezie Metu scored 11 apiece for Barca. Jasiel Rivero paced Maccabi with 16 points, Rokas Jokubaitis added 14 and Roman Sorkin 12.

Game Videos

Sorkin got Maccabi going with a mid-range jumper, which Youssoupha Fall bettered with a three-point play. Levi Randolph sank a mid-range shot and Jokubaitis erased Tomas Satoransky's dunk with a jumper. After Parker struck from downtown, Rivero answered with a jumper. Punter's layup made it 10-8. Jokubaitis scored again and Sorkin added a put-back layup for a 10-12 Maccabi edge. Parker sank back-to-back triples and Punter added a driving layup. Sorkin took over with an alley-oop slam and matched Punter's jumper with a layup. Hernangomez and Jokubaitis traded layups before John DiBartolomeo's three-pointer put Maccabi in charge, 22-23. Hernangomez followed a dunk with a jumper and Trevion Williams answered from downtown before Brizuela's layup made it 28-26 after 10 minutes. 

Brizuela dunked early in the second quarter and matched DiBartolomeo's three-pointer with his own shot from beyond the arc for a 33-29 Barca edge. Brizuela kept pacing the hosts before Rivero rescued the visitors with a three-point play. Punter beat the shot clock with a bomb from downtown at the other end and Parker took over with a coast-to-coast layup and a jump hook that made it 41-32. Rivero stepped up with a reverse layup and Randolph added a jumper to bring Maccabi closer, 42-36, at halftime.

Game News

Blatt struck from beyond the arc right after the break. Fall stepped up with a put-back layup and Punter bettered Rokas Jokubaitis's driving basket with a bomb from downtown that gave Barca a 47-41 edge. Punter took over with 7 quick points, boosting his team's lead to 54-44. After Sorkin scored around the basket, Alex Abrines dunked off a steal. Rivero's layup gave Maccabi hope at 56-49. Satoransky made a jumper and Abrines struck from downtown for a 61-51 Barca lead. Jokubaitis beat Fall's defense with a reverse layup, but Hernangomez scored down low and Brizuela's triple kept the hosts out of trouble, 66-53. DiBartolomeo splashed his third three-pointer and Rivero scored twice around the basket. Metu and Justin Anderson gave the hosts a 74-60 lead after 30 minutes.

Metu and Juan Nunez each struck from beyond the arc to make it a 20-point game (80-60) early in the fourth quarter. Metu improved on Rivero's close basket with his third three-pointer and Hernangomez's dunk broke the game open at 85-62 with over 7 minutes left. Williams buried a mid-range jumper but by the time Punter buried back-to-back three-pointers, everything was said and done. Both teams sat out their most important players for Friday's Round 26 game and the Barca fans had plenty of time to celebrate their team's no-doubt-about-it victory.

A 58-point second half paved the way to Barca's 14th win

FC Barcelona v Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv (2025-02-05T19:30:00.000Z)

On the night that saw Mike James reach 5,000 career points, AS Monaco Basket notched its third straight win in the EuroLeague by beating Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz 92-85.

Mike James reaches historic milestone as Monaco defeats Baskonia, 92-85

On the night that saw Mike James reach 5,000 career points, AS Monaco notched its third straight win in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague by beating Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz 92-85. Despite leading by as many as 16 points at halftime, Baskonia turned the game around and led 79-80 with 4:11 minutes left, but a strong finish by Monaco – led by Mike James and Nick Calathes – allowed the Monegasque side to grab the win. Monaco is now 16-9 while Baskonia drops to 10-15.

Mike James led all scorers in the game with 19 points – and he reached the 5,000-point mark for his career when he moved to 11 on the night. Alpha Diallo added 15 points, Matthew Strazel and Georgios Papagiannis both netted 12, and Mam Jaiteh scored 10. Nick Calathes also finished with 8 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists. For Baskonia, Trent Forrest had a team-high 15 points, followed by Donta Hall with 13, Chima Moneke and Luka Samanic on 12 each, and Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot and Nikos Rogkavopoulos on 10 apiece.

The fans inside Salle Gaston Medecin were treated to a show in the early going as Petr Cornelie and Papagiannis combined for three big dunks to give Monaco an 8-3 lead. Samanic and then Luwawu-Cabarrot stepped up to help Baskonia tie it at 10-10, and Forrest gave the visitors their first lead at 12-14. Hall reminded the Monaco fans of his talent with an alley-oop to set a 12-16 score, but baskets by Calathes, Papagiannis and Diallo made it 23-18 at the end of the first quarter.

Jaiteh made an instant impact after starting the second quarter, blocking Rogkavopoulos and scoring twice in succession against Hall as Monaco’s run extended to 11-0, ensuring it was 27-18. Baskonia was finding it difficult to keep pace with Monaco, which was showing great energy on defense and moving the ball excellently on offense. Strrazel, Jaiteh and Terry Tarpey gave Monaco its first double-digit lead at 35-23. James then appeared with a sidestep three and a layup, moving to 7 points personal, as Monaco went 15 points ahead at 46-31. Diallo’s three-pointer was the last score of the half, making it 51-35 at the break.

Despite Vassilis Spanoulis stressing the importance of defense with his halftime comments, Baskonia started the second half with a 9-1 to make it a contest once more at 52-44. Diallo’s layup and James’s three, which saw him move to 4,999 career points, gave Monaco a welcome boost at 57-46, then James went 1 for 3 from the line to eventually move to the 5,000-point landmark and set a 58-49 score. A three-point play by Hall inspired Baskonia at 63-57, with Moneke netting four points to make it a one-possession ballgame. Hall then blocked Diallo on one end and had a put-back dunk down the other to tie the game at 63-63. Yet, Strazel’s jumper and fast-break layup gave Monaco a four-point lead, 67-63, entering the final frame.

Strazel kept going in the fourth by draining a corner three, 70-63, but Baskonia was refusing to roll over. Moneke got the friendly roll on a triple and Forrest’s two free throws made it 70-68. When Rogkavopoulos scored a layup to set a 73-70 score, that was followed by two free throws by Hall and a Forrest layup as Baskonia went 73-74 ahead. Donatas Motiejunas’s three restored Monaco’s lead at 76-74, but Baskonia wrestled it back by edging 79-80 in front on a Rogkavopoulos layup, which came after an excellent offensive rebound by Hall. That would prove to be Baskonia’s last lead, though, as Calathes and James took over to guide Monaco to an eventual 92-85 victory.

Vassilis Spanoulis's team stays in third place in the standings

AS Monaco v Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (2025-02-05T18:00:00.000Z)

With his 11th point for AS Monaco against Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz on Wednesday night, Mike James has become the first player in Turkish Airlines EuroLeague history to reach 5,000 career points.

Mike James is the first player to reach 5,000 points in the EuroLeague

With his 11th point for [AS Monaco](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/as-monaco/mco/) against Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz on Wednesday night, [Mike James](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mike-james/005985/) has become the first player in Turkish Airlines EuroLeague history to reach 5,000 career points.

The [EuroLeague's all-time leading scorer](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/mike-james-becomes-the-euroleague-all-time-leading-scorer/) came into Round 25 of the 2024-25 season on 4,989 points for his career in 306 games, giving him a career average of 16.3 points per night. 

James finished the night with a game-high 19 points, giving him 5,008 points for his career in 307 EuroLeague appearances.

It was fitting that he broke the record in a game against Baskonia as he started his EuroLeague career with the Spanish club, playing there between 2014 and 2016.

One Hour of Basketball Brilliance | Mike James

James is a scoring machine, as he has shown with each of the five clubs he has suited up for in the EuroLeague. Here is how his scoring has been distributed:

- 467 points in 45 games with Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz
- 522 points in 37 games for Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens
- 595 points in 30 games with EA7 Emporio Armani Milan
- 1,112 points in 55 games with CSKA Moscow
- 2,293 points in 139 games with Monaco (prior to Round 25)

Surprisingly, James has only secured the Alphonso Ford Top Scorer Trophy on one occasion, [which came during his only season in Milan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/news/alphonso-ford-top-scorer-mike-james-milan/) in 2018-19. Yet his consistent rate of scoring has seen him write his name further into the EuroLeague history books and earned him many, many fans along the way.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">🏔 𝑨𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒐𝒑 👑<br><br>🔝 𝟓𝐊 𝐢𝐧 𝐄𝐮𝐫𝐨𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐠𝐮𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲, 𝐌𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐉𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐬 🐐<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/LZpBdKuyMG">pic.twitter.com/LZpBdKuyMG</a></p>&mdash; AS Monaco Basket 🇲🇨 (@ASMonaco_Basket) <a href="https://twitter.com/ASMonaco_Basket/status/1887215938992304420?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 5, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

James surpassed another EuroLeague legend in [Vassilis Spanoulis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/vassilis-spanoulis/juo/) to become the competition's all-time leading scorer last March, and the American now finds himself as the sole member of the 5,000-point club. 

Spanoulis called James to congratulate on passing him on the all-time scoring charts back in March of last year, but he was able to tell him in person on this occasion – this time as his head coach.

Still going strong at 34, James's legacy in the EuroLeague continues to be enhanced with each passing season. The question is, with [his deal at Monaco running until 2027](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/euroleague-mvp-mike-james-re-ups-at-monaco-for-three-more-years/), how long will it take James to reach 6,000 points? Knowing him, sooner than we think.

More Mike James News

The EuroLeague's all-time top scorer continues to enhance his legacy in the competition

FC Bayern Basketball fans can breathe a little easier as Devin Booker has not suffered serious damage to his knee. As the club confirmed on Wednesday afternoon, Booker twisted his knee and will be out for the next two weeks. 

Bayern star Devin Booker out for two weeks with minor knee injury

[FC Bayern Munich](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fc-bayern-munich/mun/) fans can breathe a little easier as [Devin Booker](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/devin-booker/007056/) has not suffered serious damage to his knee.

As the club confirmed on Wednesday afternoon, Booker twisted his knee and will be out for the next two weeks. 

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">No ligaments torn - <a href="https://twitter.com/DevinBooker31?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DevinBooker31</a> will only miss a couple of weeks of action after twisting his knee in our game against Berlin. <br><br>Get well soon, Book!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FCBB?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FCBB</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeBallTogether?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeBallTogether</a> <a href="https://t.co/CBX6Brbtkk">pic.twitter.com/CBX6Brbtkk</a></p>&mdash; FC Bayern Basketball (@FCBBasketball) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBBasketball/status/1887144581394788728?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 5, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The 33-year-old already missed [Bayern's Round 25 win over EA7 Emporio Armani Milan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/bayern-thrashed-milan-at-home-87-70/) and will therefore be out for the team's Round 26 clash at home to LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne on Thursday.

Given the EuroLeague will go on a two-and-a-half week hiatus, Booker should be back in time for Bayern's Round 27 fixture on the road at Paris Basketball on February 27.

More Bayern News

He suffered a twisted knee during his team's German League game last weekend

FC Bayern Munich v LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne (2025-02-06T19:30:00.000Z)

Fresh off securing his fourth MVP of the Month trophy in the EuroLeague – and first since returning to Olympiacos BC this past summer – Sasha Vezenkov is keen to stress the team-first approach that has seen him become an idol among the Reds’ supporters.

Sasha Vezenkov, January MVP interview: ‘I want to dedicate this award to my team’

Fresh off securing his fourth MVP of the Month trophy in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague – and first since returning to [Olympiacos Piraeus](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/olympiacos-piraeus/oly/) this past summer – [Sasha Vezenkov](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/sasha-vezenkov/003469/) is keen to stress the team-first approach that has seen him become an idol among the Reds’ supporters.

In an exclusive interview with [Euroleague.net](http://Euroleague.net)’s Javier Gancedo, Vezenkov gave credit to his teammates, reflected on his record-breaking 45-point performance, the importance of [Olympiacos’s win at Zalgiris Kaunas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/olympiacos-rallies-to-down-zalgiris-85-92/) to start January, and much more.

The Olympiacos forward sat down with Euroleague.net’s Javier Gancedo for an exclusive interview

Round 25 of the 2024-25 EuroLeague season is here!

Game Center: Round 25

## Wednesday, February 5

### [AS Monaco 92-85 Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/as-monaco-baskonia-vitoria-gasteiz/E2024/222/)

On the night that saw Mike James reach 5,000 career points, Monaco notched its third straight win in the EuroLeague by beating Baskonia 92-85. Despite leading by as many as 16 points at halftime, Baskonia turned the game around and led 79-80 with 4:11 minutes left, but a strong finish by Monaco – led by Mike James and Nick Calathes – allowed the Monegasque side to grab the win. Monaco is now 16-9 while Baskonia drops to 10-15. Mike James led all scorers in the game with 19 points.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="fr" dir="ltr">✅ Victoire pour la <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RocaTeam?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RocaTeam</a> ! <br><br>Le match s&#39;est compliqué en fin de partie, mais l&#39;équipe a su souffrir et aller chercher la victoire 💪😍<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/HTi3RSDEtC">pic.twitter.com/HTi3RSDEtC</a></p>&mdash; AS Monaco Basket 🇲🇨 (@ASMonaco_Basket) <a href="https://twitter.com/ASMonaco_Basket/status/1887228520784408916?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 5, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Virtus Segafredo Bologna 71-81 Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/virtus-segafredo-bologna-partizan-mozzart-bet-belgrade/E2024/225/)

Partizan delivered a resurgent performance to overpower Virtus on the road, 71-81, improving its EuroLeague record to 13-12 after last week’s painful 71-73 home loss to archrival Crvena Zvezda. Virtus dropped to 7-18 as its slim hopes of reaching the business end of the competition took another blow in a bruising matchup, where the road fans roared Partizan to victory as the visitors rallied from a 23-17 first-quarter deficit. Sterling Brown paced Partizan on 20 points and livewire playmaker Carlik Jones scored 19. Tyrique Jones posted 12 points and as many rebounds while fellow big man Brandon Davies chipped in with 11, as the twin towers provided power in the paint. Tornike Shengelia led Virtus on 16 points and Isaia Cordinier added 13, but the support cast fell short.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="und" dir="ltr">POBEDA U BOLONJI!✊🏽<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KKPartizan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KKPartizan</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EuroLeague?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EuroLeague</a> <a href="https://t.co/j7kveEMbPe">pic.twitter.com/j7kveEMbPe</a></p>&mdash; KK Partizan Mozzart Bet (@PartizanBC) <a href="https://twitter.com/PartizanBC/status/1887253562746413148?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 5, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Paris Basketball 73-90 Olympiacos Piraeus](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/paris-basketball-olympiacos-piraeus/E2024/224/)

EuroLeague leader Olympiacos thrashed Paris 73-90 on Wednesday night at Adidas Arena. The visitors led throughout the game and absorbed Paris’s comeback attempt in the fourth quarter to claim the tiebreaker advantage. With this win, Olympiacos improved to 18-7, while Paris dropped to 14-10. January MVP Sasha Vezenkov led all scorers with 23 points, 17 of which were scored in the first quarter. Evan Fournier followed with 18 points and Nigel Williams-Goss netted 14, with Giannoulis Larentzakis and Nikola Milutinov adding 10 each off the bench. Nadir Hifi paced Paris with 19 points, TJ Shorts recorded 15, Kevarrius Hayes had 11 and Tyson Ward scored 10.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Final score 🏀 Paris Basketball - <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OlympiacosBC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OlympiacosBC</a> 73-90 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EveryGameMatters?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EveryGameMatters</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeAreOlympiacos?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeAreOlympiacos</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TogetherWeFight?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TogetherWeFight</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PBBOLY?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PBBOLY</a> <a href="https://t.co/NIY8nHkkAp">pic.twitter.com/NIY8nHkkAp</a></p>&mdash; Olympiacos B.C. (@Olympiacos_BC) <a href="https://twitter.com/Olympiacos_BC/status/1887250815699784004?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 5, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [FC Barcelona 100-71 Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/fc-barcelona-maccabi-playtika-tel-aviv/E2024/223/)

Barcelona returned to winning ways by thrashing Maccabi 100-71 at Palau Blaugrana in Round 25 on Wednesday. Barca improved to 14-11 in the standings while Maccabi dropped to 6-19 with its sixth road loss in a row. Kevin Punter led the winners with a season-high 28 points. Jabari Parker and Willy Hernangomez each added 14, while Dario Brizuela and Chimezie Metu scored 11 apiece for Barca. Jasiel Rivero paced Maccabi with 16 points, Rokas Jokubaitis added 14 and Roman Sorkin 12.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="ca" dir="ltr">FINAL! BONA VICTÒRIA, BARÇA! <a href="https://t.co/gxmdKWylxX">pic.twitter.com/gxmdKWylxX</a></p>&mdash; Barça Basket (@FCBbasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBbasket/status/1887248702865121410?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 5, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

## Tuesday, February 4

### [Anadolu Efes Istanbul 79-73 Real Madrid](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/anadolu-efes-istanbul-real-madrid/E2024/217/)

Efes Istanbul its second consecutive home victory by downing Real Madrid at Basketball Development Center. Efes improved to 12-13 in the standings and took a 2-0 record on the season against Real, which dropped to 13-12. Elijah Bryant led the winners with 21 points and Vincent Poirier added 15 plus 8 rebounds. Mario Hezonja paced Real with 18 points.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">👊 Evimizde bir galibiyet daha!<br>Anadolu Efes 79 - 73 Real Madrid | Maç Sonucu<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BenimYerimBuras%C4%B1?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BenimYerimBurası</a> <a href="https://t.co/tZU2IIMyu0">pic.twitter.com/tZU2IIMyu0</a></p>&mdash; Anadolu Efes SK (@AnadoluEfesSK) <a href="https://twitter.com/AnadoluEfesSK/status/1886859028032315599?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 4, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Zalgiris Kaunas 73-53 ALBA Berlin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/zalgiris-kaunas-alba-berlin/E2024/218/)

Kaunas ended its three-game losing slide by thrashing ALBA Zalgirio Arena. The hosts led from start to finish, grabbing a well-earned victory thanks to a solid defensive display throughout the game. Zalgiris improved its record to 12-13, with last-placed ALBA falling to 4-21. Ignas Brazdeikis led all scorers with a season-high 21 points and Edgaras Ulanovas netted 10. For ALBA, Matteo Spagnolo, Matt Thomas and Yanni Wetzell scored 10 points each, with the latter completing a double-double by collecting 10 rebounds.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The double-round week starts with a convincing victory for Zalgiris! 💚<br><br>(Presented by: Go3) <a href="https://t.co/Pyls1ETaWd">pic.twitter.com/Pyls1ETaWd</a></p>&mdash; BC Zalgiris Kaunas (@bczalgiris) <a href="https://twitter.com/bczalgiris/status/1886868490893603326?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 4, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade 73-66 LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/crvena-zvezda-meridianbet-belgrade-ldlc-asvel-villeurbanne/E2024/219/)

Crvena Zvezda built on last Friday’s Belgrade derby win by downing ASVEL 73-66 on Tuesday night. Ioannis Sfairopoulis’s team is now 15-10 and remains in the top six, while Pierric Poupet’s squad dropped to 11-14. Should it come down to it, Zvezda now has the tiebreaker after winning by seven points, having lost by three (77-74) in Lyon earlier this season. Isaiah Canaan led Zvezda in scoring with 11 points, followed by Codi Miller-McIntyre and Nikola Kalinic with 10 apiece. Center Joel Bolomboy had 7 points and 10 rebounds. For ASVEL, Theo Maledon netted 13 points and Ben Bentil added 12.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="sr" dir="ltr">ПОБЕДА ЦРВЕНО-БЕЛИХ 🔥<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/kkcz?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#kkcz</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeAreTheTeam?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeAreTheTeam</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EveryGameMatters?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EveryGameMatters</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/sportmts?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@sportmts</a> <a href="https://t.co/5cto9vA885">pic.twitter.com/5cto9vA885</a></p>&mdash; KK Crvena zvezda Meridianbet (@kkcrvenazvezda) <a href="https://twitter.com/kkcrvenazvezda/status/1886884883026542976?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 4, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens 91-90 Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/panathinaikos-aktor-athens-fenerbahce-beko-istanbul/E2024/220/)

Panathinaikos claimed a thrilling home win over Fenerbahce to improve to 15-10, while the visitors slipped to 16-8. Kostas Sloukas paced the Greens with 23 and Kendrick Nunn chipped in with 17 points and 7 assists. At the other end, Nigel Hayes-Davis led Fenerbahce on 21 points but the visiting team’s hero turned villain in the last few moments of the game, when he missed a three-pointer and then fouled Nunn at the halfway line with 1.1 seconds remaining and put him on the foul line, with the game tied 90-90.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">What a game👀<br><br>It&#39;s a <a href="https://twitter.com/Paobcgr?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Paobcgr</a> W in Round 25✔️<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RivalrySeries?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RivalrySeries</a> <a href="https://t.co/kxSeMbP03H">pic.twitter.com/kxSeMbP03H</a></p>&mdash; Turkish Airlines EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague/status/1886888155430662167?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 4, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [FC Bayern Munich 87-70 EA7 Emporio Armani Milan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/fc-bayern-munich-ea7-emporio-armani-milan/E2024/221/)

Bayern recorded its third consecutive win by downing Milan at SAP Garden. Bayern improved to 15-10 in the standings while Milan dropped to 13-12. Vladinir Lucic led the winners with 16 points. Niels Giffey added 16 and Johannes Voigtmann 13. Zach LeDay paced Milan with 17 points. 

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Another big win at home! 🥳 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BAYEA7?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BAYEA7</a></p>&mdash; FC Bayern Basketball (@FCBBasketball) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBBasketball/status/1886895327065899043?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 4, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

There were seven home winners across Tuesday and Wednesday's games

Game Center: Olympiacos, Partizan win on the road; Monaco, Barcelona triumph at home

Virtus Segafredo Bologna v Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (2025-02-05T19:30:00.000Z)

Paris Basketball v Olympiacos Piraeus (2025-02-05T19:30:00.000Z)

FC Bayern Munich v EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (2025-02-04T19:45:00.000Z)

Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens v Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (2025-02-04T19:15:00.000Z)

Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade v LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne (2025-02-04T19:00:00.000Z)

Zalgiris Kaunas v ALBA Berlin (2025-02-04T18:00:00.000Z)

Anadolu Efes Istanbul v Real Madrid (2025-02-04T17:30:00.000Z)

Here, you can find all the latest injury news surrounding all registered players in the 2024-25 EuroLeague season.

EuroLeague injury report: Round 25

Follow all the latest injury information for registered players in the 2024-25 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

Martin Hermannsson and Justin Bean are ruled out for ALBA's game at Zalgiris on Tuesday, the club has confirmed.

- Gabriele Procida did not play in Round 24.
- Matt Thomas did not play in Round 24.
- Ziga Samar has left the club to join Gran Canaria on loan.
- [Justin Bean](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/justin-bean-out-three-months-with-broken-wrist/) is out until early February after breaking his wrist.

### Anadolu Efes Istanbul

Shane Larkin is questionable for Efes's game against Real Madrid on Tuesday, the club has confirmed.

- Stanley Johnson last played in Round 22.

### AS Monaco

Monaco has not yet sent an injury report for its game against Baskonia on Wednesday.

- Elie Okobo (heel) last played in Round 22.
- Jordan Loyd is out until mid-February with a hamstring injury. He last played in Round 22.

### Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz

Baskonia has not yet sent an injury report for its game at Monaco on Wednesday.

- Nikos Rogkavopoulos did not play in the Spanish League last weekend.
- Luka Samanic did not play in the Spanish League last weekend.
- [Tadas Sedekerskis has been out since Round 19 with a thigh muscle injury](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/baskonia-tadas-sedekerskis-suffers-thigh-injury/).

### Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade

Crvena Zvezda has not yet sent an injury report for its game against ASVEL on Tuesday.

- Branko Lazic last played in Round 15.
- Mike Daum, who last played in Round 18, has undergone knee surgery, the club confirmed on January 9.

### EA7 Emporio Armani Milan

Nikola Mirotic, Josh Nebo and Fabien Causeur are ruled out for Milan's game at Bayern on Tuesday, the club has confirmed.

- Giampaolo Ricci did not play in Round 24, but he is available in Round 25.
- Diego Flaccadori did not play in Round 24, but he is available in Round 25.
- Ousmane Diop last played in Round 19, but he is available in Round 25.
- [Nikola Mirotic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/leg-injury-sidelines-milans-nikola-mirotic/) announced on January 19 that he will be out for at least two weeks.
- Fabien Causeur last played in Round 18.
- [Josh Nebo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/josh-nebo-to-be-reevaluated-in-3-4-weeks/) suffered another injury in Round 17 and is expected to miss extended time, according to coach Ettore Messina.

### FC Barcelona

Nico Laprovittola and Jan Vesely are out while Justin Anderson is questionable for Barcelona's game against Maccabi on Wednesday, the club has confirmed.

- Jan Vesely did not play in Round 24.
- Justin Anderson did not play in Round 24.
- [Nico Laprovittola](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/nico-laprovittola-to-undergo-knee-surgery/) was ruled out for the season due to an ACL and meniscus injury.

### FC Bayern Munich

Devin Booker and Shabazz Napier are both ruled out for Bayern's game against Milan on Tuesday, the club has confirmed.

- Devin Booker suffered a knee injury in the German League last weekend. He is undergoing tests.
- Shabazz Napier missed Rounds 23 and 24.
- Elias Harris missed Rounds 23 and 24.

### Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul

Wade Baldwin and Scottie Wilbekin are ruled out for Fenerbahce's game at Panathinaikos on Tuesday, the club has confirmed.

- [New signing Jilson Bango](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/fenerbahce-beko-signs-center-jilson-bango/) has not yet been registered.
- [Wade Baldwin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/wade-baldwin-out-with-hamstring-injury/) has not played since suffering a hamstring injury in Round 16.
- [Scottie Wilbekin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/fenerbahce-confirms-the-worst-scottie-wilbekin-has-torn-his-acl/) tore his ACL in Round 1 and is out.

### LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne

ASVEL has not yet sent an injury report for its game at Crvena Zvezda on Tuesday.

- [Charles Kahudi](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/charles-kahudi-out-for-four-weeks-with-groin-injury/) last played in Round 14.
- [Mbaye Ndiaye ](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/mbaye-ndiaye-ldlc-asvel-out-for-several-months-with-knee-injury/)has ruptured the cruciate ligaments in his right knee and is likely out for the season.

### Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv

Jaylen Hoard will miss Maccabi's game at Barcelona on Wednesday, the club has confirmed.

- Jaylen Hoard is out for two to four weeks with a hamstring injury, the club announced on January 29.

### Olympiacos Piraeus

Luca Vildoza, Thomas Walkup, Keenan Evans and Moses Wright are ruled out for Olympiacos's game at Paris on Wednesday, the club has confirmed.

- Keenan Evans has been registered. He has not played this season after undergoing knee surgery last May.
- Luca Vildoza suffered an ankle injury in Round 24.
- Thomas Walkup (back) last played in Round 20.
- [Moses Wright](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/moses-wright-out-for-the-season-with-health-issue/) is out for the season with a health issue.

### Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens

Marius Grigonis, Omer Yurtseven and Mathias Lessort are ruled out for Panathinaikos's game against Fenerbahce on Tuesday, the club has confirmed.

- [Omer Yurtseven](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/panathinaikos-loses-center-yurtseven/) suffered a leg injury on January 20, which will sideline him for six to eight weeks.
- [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 will miss several months.
- Marius Grigonis (lower back surgery) has not played since Round 4.

### Paris Basketball

Paris has not yet sent an injury report for its game against Olympiacos on Wednesday.

- Daulton Hommes has not yet played this season.

### Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade

Partizan will be without Frank Ntilikina, Vanja Marinkovic and Mitar Bosnjakovic (cold) once again for its game at Virtus on Wednesday.

- Aleksej Pokusevski did not play in Round 24, but is available in this game.
- Frank Ntilikina last played in Round 20.
- Vanja Marinkovic has not played since Round 16 due to an Achilles injury.
- Mitar Bosnjakovic last played in Round 16.

### Real Madrid

Real Madrid has not yet sent an injury report for its game at Efes on Tuesday.

- Serge Ibaka, who returned to action in Round 23, did not travel to Istanbul, [according to Movistar's Pilar Casado](https://x.com/pilarcasado/status/1886385514871218553).
- [New signing Dennis Smith Jr.](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/real-madrid-baloncesto-signs-ex-nba-guard-dennis-smith-jr/) has been registered and featured in the Spanish League last weekend.
- [New signing Bruno Fernando](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/bruno-fernando-signs-for-real-madrid-baloncesto/) made his EuroLeague debut in Round 24.
- [Gaby Deck](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/real-madrid-loses-gabriel-deck-to-torn-hamstring/) last played in Round 18 and is sidelined with a torn hamstring.

### Virtus Segafredo Bologna

Virtus has confirmed that Will Clyburn and Ante Zizic remain out for the game against Partizan on Wednesday.

- [New signing Justin Holiday](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/virtus-inks-former-nba-champ-holiday-to-short-term-deal/) has not yet been registered.
- Ante Zizic last played in Round 19.
- [Will Clyburn is out until mid-March](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/will-clyburn-virtus-bologna-out-at-least-10-weeks-with-foot-injury/) due to a foot injury.

### Zalgiris Kaunas

Zalgiris has not yet sent an injury report for its game against ALBA on Tuesday.

- Dovydas Giedraitis is out for a few weeks with a knee injury, the club said on January 29.
- Tomas Dimsa, who has not been registered, remains out with a shoulder injury.

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

Injury report, Round 25: Vildoza, Walkup missing for Olympiacos; Vesely out for Barcelona

Check out what the coaches and players are saying ahead of Round 25 of the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.

Pregame quotes hub: Round 25

## Wednesday, February 5

### AS Monaco vs. Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (19:00 CET)

**Vassilis Spanoulis, AS Monaco head coach**

"We're taking it one game at a time. This year in the EuroLeague, there's no room for error, so we can't afford to relax. \[Elie Okobo\] is almost back, but we'll decide day by day. \[The five-game winning streak in all competitions\] gives us confidence, but this is the EuroLeague and anything can happen. It's a battle in which you have to find solutions, even when the scenario is not going well."

**Donatas Motiejunas, AS Monaco center**

"We're at a crucial point in the season, the teams are playing their best basketball, we're on a good trajectory in terms of play and results, and we want to confirm that. Concentration is imperative, Baskonia play very fast basketball, they have very good shooters. We prepare each game as if it were the last of the season. The way we beat a big club like Real is the kind of performance we want to reproduce. From a personal point of view? Last week was complicated for me (he had a sinus infection), but I'm feeling better now."

**Pablo Laso, Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz head coach**

"We're going to have to do a lot of things right if we want to get a good result. Monaco has been EuroLeague favorites for several years now. They've got some very unbalanced one-on-one players like Mike James, Okobo, Loyd, Cornelie and Motiejunas. And at the '1', there's one of my favorite players, Nick Calathes. He's a player who knows how to read games perfectly, he knows how to impose the right rhythm, and he's an excellent defender. That's why they're great candidates to win the EuroLeague title."

### Virtus Segafredo Bologna vs. Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (20:30 CET)

**Dusko Ivanovic, Virtus Segafredo Bologna head coach**

"Partizan is a combative and athletic team, they have proven it often, especially in the last few games. They play very well defensively, tough, with constant defensive switches, plus they have several players with enough experience to manage the last decisive possessions."

**Rayjon Tucker, Virtus Segafredo Bologna guard**

"It will be a very tough game because Partizan is a very good team, with many strengths. From our side it will be necessary to make a good impact because on the court there will be a fight, as always in the EuroLeague. The goal is to play as a team, hard and with determination."

**Zeljko Obradovic, Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade head coach**

"We have a double round in the EuroLeague ahead of us. Our motivation remains the same, and every game is extremely important for us. The first key thing to note is that Virtus changed their coach a few rounds ago. They are adjusting their roster, but they already have Dusko Ivanovic's recognizable style - lot of aggression, running, and defensive adjustments. We tried to respond with training yesterday, and we will continue preparing today based on what awaits us in tomorrow’s game."

**Iffe Lundberg, Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade guard**

"I expect us to win. We need to approach this game as if it were a final. It’s always nice to see familiar faces, as I’ll be playing against my former club. I have many great memories in that arena, so it will be special. But above all, winning is what matters most, and we have to do whatever it takes to get the job done."

### Paris Basketball vs. Olympiacos Piraeus (20:30 CET)

**Georgios Bartzokas, Olympiacos Piraeus head coach**

"The truth is that if there was only one match where we should have all the guards available, that match would definitely be the one against Paris because we must defend players who are very creative and good shooters. But Paris is more than that… They are very good at offensive rebounds, on defense transition, and generally are a team with good structure in its game. We have to stick to our game plan and not carry on from their high pace. We have to be very good on offense as well as on defense in order to get the win."

**Kostas Papanikolaou, Olympiacos Piraeus forward**

"We play against a good team with a special game style. We will miss players, but from time to time all the teams face the same problem. We have to do our best in order to overcome the absences of Thomas Walkup and Luca Vildoza. We also must be focused and dominant on rebounds. We need to stick together and do our best in order to get the win."

### FC Barcelona vs. Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv (20:30 CET)

**Joan Penarroya, FC Barcelona head coach**

"\[Maccabi\] has dangerous players and is a team capable of having big runs. We want to play a good game to get rid of this bad taste and give our fans a reason to be behind the team."

**Joel Parra, FC Barcelona forward**

"I'm confident that us players can reverse this situation. We hope to reengage our fans and ask for forgiveness in the form of a victory."

**Rokas Jokubaitis, Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv guard**

"We know Barcelona is not in the best moment, so they will approach this game even more serious. It is never easy to play there, I know that from my experience. We don’t have many games left in the EuroLeague regular season, but we need to have the best game possible. I don’t know how it will feel, I spent three years there. I got a very good relationship with the fans and the club. I will be nervous a little bit, but I am excited to go back to Barcelona."

## Tuesday, February 4

### Anadolu Efes Istanbul vs. Real Madrid (18:30 CET)

**Luca Banchi, Anadolu Efes Istanbul head coach**

"We are starting the double-game week with Real Madrid game. This game will be the first of a cycle of very important games that we want to approach with a great aggressiveness and concentration. Our opponent shows collective effort, starting from the defensive end. They have rhythm and play high-paced basketball, with many individual talents. It is enough to understand what type of challenge we have in front of us, but we are conscious that with general effort in general participation we can have a great game against them. I think we are facing some problems that can probably limit some players, but we have all the options to find alternatives and to respond against one of the most powerful teams in this league."

**PJ Dozier, Anadolu Efes Istanbul guard**

"We are looking forward to another opportunity to compete at a high level. I think we are taking steps in the right direction and continue to find our identity. We have all the pieces it takes to win."

**Chus Mateo, Real Madrid head coach**

"This week we face two teams that come with different dynamics and I think we have options against both of them. I don't trust their recent victories and defeats. We will fight to win both games. Now we are focused on Anadolu Efes and I don't think we should trust their streak going into tomorrow's game. We will try to compete to reach the end with a chance to win and we will try to make up for the defeat we suffered against them at home. We will try to play a serious game, a good game, and pull it off on a complicated court."

**Walter Tavares, Real Madrid center**

"We know it's very difficult to play away and even more so in Turkiye against Efes, but we have the experience of having won important away games and I hope that will help us and unite us more to add another victory. Efes is going to play with a lot of desire because they are playing at home and against Real Madrid, which is always a source of extra motivation. They will be prepared and will try to do their best to win, just like us. A win would be very important because the standings are very tight, there is a lot of equality and any victory we can get will help us to be at the top."

### Zalgiris Kaunas vs. ALBA Berlin (19:00 CET)

**Israel Gonzalez, ALBA Berlin head coach**

"With Sylvain Francisco and Lonnie Walker, Zalgiris has two players in its team who are exceptionally strong one-on-one. We have to be wide awake in these matchups and also work against them in team defense. In addition, they have a lot of basketball IQ in their team with \[Edgaras\] Ulanovas and the other Lithuanian players. Also, the fans in Kaunas give them a real home-court advantage. We must push our energy and focus to the limit to give ourselves the chance to win."

**Matteo Spagnolo, ALBA Berlin guard**

"Zalgiris is a really good and well-prepared team. We need to match their energy and prevent them from building up their confidence. Besides that, we’ll have to be able to respond to their runs. Especially Francisco and Walker can get hot quickly with their drives to the baskets or three-pointers. The rebounding duel is another factor that will be crucial."

### Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade vs. LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne (20:00 CET)

**Ioannis Sfairopoulos, Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade head coach**

"An important game for us. ASVEL is quite an athletic team, they play very well. They have three wins in the last five rounds. We expect a tough game. They have a wide roster. It is extremely important for us to stay focused on our plan, I want to play the game in our rhythm. Control of the rebounds will be important. They have two or three players who control the ball, organize the offense, such as Theo Maledon, Nando De Colo and Paris Lee. They are the main creators and scorers. They have more ways to attack, but we are ready and we know what to do defensively. On offense, we have to be smart and find the right solutions."

**Dejan Davidovac, Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade forward**

"We expect a difficult game, ASVEL is known as a team that plays with a lot in contact, they can be tricky, they are still fighting for the play-in spots. They changed the roster, now Ben Bentil is here, some players are coming back from injuries. They have a pretty strong roster, it will be difficult, for sure. We are trying to understand each other as well as possible, we have now played together a lot, it is time we all connect. We look good now, especially on defense."

### Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens vs. Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (20:15 CET)

**Ergin Ataman, Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens head coach**

"We must win all our remaining home games. That is the reality for us. If we fail to do so, we can forget about the Final Four or even the playoffs. Winning is our only option. That is one reality. The other is that our opponent is in excellent form. They have won their last six EuroLeague games. Just last week, they came here and convincingly defeated Olympiacos, the team currently leading the standings. So, it will be a very challenging game. We must be highly aggressive and prepared for a game that feels like a derby – similar to our game against Olympiacos two weeks ago. Our situation in the EuroLeague is quite critical at the moment, and we need to start the game with intensity."

**Panagiotis Kalaitzakis, Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens guard**

"We lost the last game in Italy, a game we should have won, especially considering that EA7 Emporio Armani Milan was missing several key players. I agree with the coach that we cannot afford to lose another home game, starting with the ones coming up this week. We need to be ready. We have prepared well, we feel good. These are two must-win games for us."

**Saras Jasikevicius, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul head coach**

"Panathinaikos is in real need of the win, so they're gonna come out with a great intensity. OAKA will try to push them ahead. So first of all, we have to match their intensity, then we need to understand the defensive coverage that they throw at us, prepare our good offenses, and try to understand where we can hurt them. Also defensively, their guards present really big difficulties with their talent, their pick-and-roll creation and their isolation creation."

**Devon Hall, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul guard**

"We're going into a tough environment. Obviously, they are a very good team. So we just gotta be solid, stick to our plan and rules. Today, we'll try to work on it."

### FC Bayern Munich vs. EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (20:45 CET)

**Gordie Herbert, FC Bayern Munich head coach**

"We hope that Devin \[Booker\] will avoid the worst-case scenario. Until then, others have to step up, and we all need to stick together. We've been through this situation before when Vlado \[Lucic\] and Niels \[Giffey\] were missing. That brought us together, and it's always a moment when the guys from the bench have to step up. Milan is a tough challenge either way because they are a high-level team with outstandingly talented players like \[Zach\] LeDay and \[Shavon\] Shields. Coach Messina is one of my favorite coaches, but it's also clear: This is a very important game for both teams."

**Oscar da Silva, FC Bayern Munich forward**

"We are in a good position when it comes to big men and now have to compensate for Book's injury as a team. Milan and Villeurbanne are roughly on par with us based on the current standings. Two wins would be perfect, but Milan is already a really strong team. I hope our fans will support us as incredibly as they have all season."

**Ettore Messina, EA7 Emporio Armani Milan head coach**

"It is obviously a very important game, but at this point, with 10 games remaining in the schedule, every single game is going to be crucial. Bayern is capable to play up-tempo especially on its home court, they are aggressive defensively and can use multiple solutions offensively with the many shooters they have. For, a good transition defense, rebounding control and a good shooting selection will go a long way in determining the outcome."

Pregame quotes hub: 'This year in the EuroLeague, there's no room for error'

The long-term absence of injured big men is hurting Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens but the defending Turkish Airlines EuroLeague champion got a combined 40 points  veteran guard Kostas Sloukas and top scorer Kendrick Nunn to defeat Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul 91-90 in Round 25

Panathinaikos dug deep to overcome adversity on Tuesday

The long-term absence of injured big men is hurting [Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/panathinaikos-bc-athens/roster/pan/?season=2024-25) but the defending Turkish Airlines EuroLeague champion has been able to rely on its vast resources in battling the void in the paint.

Against [Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/fenerbahce-beko-istanbul/roster/ulk/?season=2024-25), veteran guard [Kostas Sloukas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/kostas-sloukas/001926/) and top scorer [Kendrick Nunn](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/kendrick-nunn/012774/) stepped up to the plate by combining for 40 points as the Greens made 10 of 22 shots from downtown, while forward [Juancho Hernangomez](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/juancho-hernangomez/012712/) also came up big with a tally of 15 points and 8 boards in the [91-90 home win](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/panathinaikos-edges-fenerbahce-91-90-in-a-titanic-tussle/).

[Wenyen Gabriel](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/wenyen-gabriel/013383/), the only natural center remaining on the roster after injuries sidelined [Mathias Lessort](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/mathias-lessort/003842/) and [Omer Yurtseven](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/omer-yurtseven/005353/), made a flying start as he racked up 8 points and 3 boards in the first quarter, but ultimately it was Sloukas and Nunn who did the damage.

Sloukas scored a game-high 23 points and picked up 5 rebounds while Nunn added 17 points - 13 of them in the second half, as Panathinaikos ground out a fortuitous win in the dying seconds. Nunn also dished out 7 assists while Sloukas marshaled Panathinaikos superbly from start to finish, playing a big part on defense too as he managed a crucial late steal that allowed the Greens to force the final twist.

Hernangomez, who also made some clutch shots in the third quarter, elaborated just how pivotal the backcourt firepower was in making up for the absence of muscle in the paint, adding that team spirit was just as crucial with Lessort, Yurtseven and [Kostas Anthetokoumpo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/kostas-antetokounmpo/011221/) unavailable.

It’s the ‘next man’ mentality,” the versatile Spanish forward said in his postgame comments.

“Omer, Mathias and Kostas are huge players for us, but they are not here and that means we have to do more things. As for Sloukas and Nunn, they are a great duo and when they go out there they do their magic.”

Nunn, who’s been struggling from long range recently, turned facilitator in the opening three quarters before sinking a pair of clutch threes in the fourth as he went the distance despite playing much of the second half on 4 personal fouls. Nunn’s effort prompted head coach Ergin Ataman to point out how vital the shooting guard’s presence was.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">And that moment, we knew…<a href="https://twitter.com/kos_slou?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@kos_slou</a> 😤💚<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://t.co/WSdK8oqbbL">pic.twitter.com/WSdK8oqbbL</a></p>&mdash; Panathinaikos BC (@Paobcgr) <a href="https://twitter.com/Paobcgr/status/1886905448839750122?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 4, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

“Nunn was held to 4 points until the fourth quarter but that kind of a player will find a way to score and that’s why I kept him on the court throughout despite him being on 4 fouls. He sank a pair of critical shots which put us up by 5 points in the last 2 minutes,” the Turkish tactician told the postgame press conference, having also emphasized the importance of winning when his team’s performance left a lot to be desired.

“I am not entirely satisfied with the tactical and technical level of the basketball that we played,” he said. “Every time we had a chance to take control of the game, we committed turnovers and missed open shots and we gave them a chance to win. But we played aggressive defense on their last two possessions and then we got lucky as they committed an unnecessary foul with one second left. It’s important to be able to win a game like that without playing well.”

The result lifted Panathinaikos into fourth place with a 15-10 record ahead of [Thursday’s home game](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/panathinaikos-aktor-athens-anadolu-efes-istanbul/E2024/229/) against Ataman’s former club [Anadolu Efes Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/anadolu-efes-istanbul/roster/ist/?season=2024-25) and the 59-year-old coach, who won back-to-back titles with Efes in 2021 and 2022 before taking over the Greens in 2023, was clear that there was no room for error in the home straight of the regular season.

“It’s extremely important to win all our home games for the remainder of the season, starting with Efes on Thursday,” Ataman said. “They are a very good team, as they have shown by [beating Real Madrid](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/efes-stops-real-at-home-79-73/) \[79-73 on Tuesday\]. We are missing some big players but we can compensate for that by using the home-court advantage, feeding on the atmosphere our fans create.”

With a dramatic climax to the regular season looming as the battle for the top spots intensifies, Ataman will be keen to complete a week’s double over Turkish opposition in a bid to keep Panathinaikos on course to earn home-court advantage in the playoffs.

The reigning champion thrived on perimeter power and fan support to beat Fenerbahce 