The seven most offensively efficient teams since the new year are either in the postseason already or knocking on the door.
Stats review: Postseason hopefuls with offensive momentum
Stats
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Following the conclusion of the season's last double-round week, the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Playoffs are now less than a month away. By this point, most teams have solidified their rotations, adjusted their playbook, and found the identity that they'll carry into the postseason. Some have found more of a rhythm than others, however, and that has become a very relevant factor in the standings.
The table below lists the teams that have been playing the best offensively, in terms of points per possession, since the calendar turned to 2024. Turkish clubs Anadolu Efes Istanbul and Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul have found finishing kicks that have completely changed the trajectories of their seasons.
After sitting at 7-13 in mid-January, Efes has clawed its way back into striking distance of a spot in the Play-In Showdown by getting healthy. Their rise in the standings has lined up with the return of Tibor Pleiss and Will Clyburn from extended absences. Pleiss added a dimension to this offense with his accuracy from beyond the arc while Clyburn has shot the ball dramatically better after his injury than he did before it. Creating more space for their teammates to operate, the impact of their efficient shooting has extended beyond their own production and is a big reason Efes is one of just two teams below seventh place in the standings to post a winning record over the last 10 games.
On the Asian side of the Bosphorus Strait, adjusting off-the-ball movements and establishing a stronger post presence have lifted Fenerbahce to at least the Play-In Showdown. After ranking only 12th in offensive efficiency as 2023 came to a close, Fenerbahce has surged all the way to third after Round 31 and find themselves only a few shots behind Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade and Real Madrid for the top spot in the season-long rankings. Fenerbahce sits sixth in the standings now and plays two of the three games remaining at home, where it has a league-best 14-1 record this season.
Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz has been the most consistent offensive team comparing its first-half performance up until the new year to its second-half performance since. Currently in ninth place, two wins ahead of 10th, Baskonia's steady output on offense has given it an edge in the jostling for the last two Play-In Showdown slots.
Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade has been nearly as consistent as Baskonia across the season, but a subtle decline in efficiency this year has proven costly and left them in 11th place following the last double-round week. Given its rank of 16th in defensive efficiency, Partizan plays with a razor-thin margin for error offensively that has left the team, for the moment, on the outside looking in.
The EuroLeague's new playoff format has matched up with the parity in the standings as well as could possibly be expected and it will be fascinating to see what role momentum plays in the regular season's final weeks.