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.
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.