Two very much in-form teams go head to head as third-place Monaco (21-11) welcomes 11th-place Zalgiris (14-18) for a key meeting in their respective postseason ambitions.
Game Facts: Monaco vs. Zalgiris
Victory is the only option for both teams, and Zalgiris will be confident after winning three in a row, partly thanks to Edmond Sumner stepping up in the backcourt to support the always productive Keenan Evans. Similarly, Monaco has benefitted from perennial leader Mike James receiving back up from Elie Okobo, who scored 16 points in last week's French derby win over ASVEL. James, unsurprisingly, was the key performer when Monaco took a 79-83 victory at Kaunas in December, netting 25 points. In the paint, Kaunas native Donatas Moteijunas will look to win the physical battle for Monaco against compatriot Laurynas Birutis.
AS Monaco
Streaks
Mike James has scored in double figures in 32 straight games.
Elie Okobo has made at least 1 three-point shot in six straight games.
Season rankings
Mike James leads the league in scoring with 18.8 points per game.
James ranks second in average index rating with 20.1 per game.
James is tied for eight in assists with 5.0 per game.
John Brown is tied for 10th in steals with 1.2 per game.
James is tied for 10th in steals with 1.2 per game.
James is tied for seventh in average three-pointers made with 2.4 per game.
Yakuba Ouattara ranks sixth in three-point shooting at 48.9% per game.
Monaco has committed a league-low 9.9 turnovers per game.
Monaco ranks third with 11.4 offensive rebounds per game.
Monaco has forced 13.5 turnovers per game, which it tied for the league lead.
Records/Milestones
Mike James became the all-time leading scorer in Round 28. He has 4,523 career points.
James is third all-time with 4,607 index rating points. Jan Vesely of FC Barcelona is second with a PIR of 4,782 and counting.
James is in third place all-time in free throws made with 973. Nando De Colo is second with 1,079 and counting.
James is ranked ninth all-time with 1,245 career assists. Dimitris Diamantidis is eighth with 1,255.
James ranks seventh all-time with 524 three-pointers made. Milos Teodosic of Crvena Zvezda is sixth with 574 and counting.
Donta Hall leads the all-time charts in two-point accuracy at 74.9%.
Donatas Motiejunas set a EuroLeague single-game record with 18 defensive rebounds on December 7, 2011, when playing for Asseco Prokom Gdynia against Union Olimpija Ljubljana. In that game, Motiejunas pulled down a total of 21 rebounds, the most rebounds in a single game by any active player.
Zalgiris Kaunas
Streaks
Keenan Evans has scored at least 10 points in eight straight and 19 of his last 20 games.
Evans has posted a double-digit PIR in eight straight and 19 of his last 20 games.
Evans has made at least 1 three-pointer in 15 straight games.
Evans has made 14 consecutive free throws.
Edmond Sumner had made at least 1 three-point shot in seven of his last eight games.
Edgaras Ulanovas had at least 1 steal in 11 of his last 12 games.
Season rankings
Keenan Evans ranks fourth in scoring with 17.4 points per game.
Evans ranks seventh in average index rating with 18.7 per game.
Evans is tied for fifth in steals with 1.3 per game.
Evans ranks sixth in average three-pointers made with 2.5 per game.
Zalgiris leads the league in three-point shooting at 39.9%.
Records/Milestones
Edgaras Ulanovas tied for fourth all-time alongside Vassilis Spanoulis with 254 games started. Paulius Jankunas is third with 283 starts.
Ulanovas needs 1 three-point shot made to reach 200 for his career.
Lukas Lukavicius needs 20 points to reach 2,000 for his career.