Name: Facundo Campazzo: 'We are a pretty good team as well'
Channel: Euroleague Basketball

[Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/partizan-mozzart-bet-belgrade/par/) headed into 2025 with its most convincing win of the season in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, a thumping [98-75 home rout of Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/rampant-partizan-blows-away-maccabi-98-75/), after shining at both ends of the court on Friday.

It came on the back of a [90-81 victory against visiting Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/partizan-gets-back-to-winning-ways-after-beating-fenerbahce-90-81/) in the previous round and stopped a two-game skid which had threatened to derail Partizan’s bid to reach the postseason. That happened after the Serbian outfit had clawed its way back into the postseason picture with five wins on the trot, following a dreadful 2-8 start to the regular season.

The demolition of Maccabi delivered everything a Partizan fan could ask for, as the hosts dished out a club-record 31 assists which underlined its free-flowing offense, with everyone sharing the ball and looking for an open teammate. At the other end, 15 steals and 8 blocks embodied ironclad defense which also forced 19 turnovers and exceptionally poor inside shooting from Maccabi, which sank a mere 12 of 34 from inside the arc.

A team PIR of 133 ranks as Partizan’s second-best all-round Turkish Airlines EuroLeague performance, as five players posted double digits in scoring and 10 out of 12 netted for the home team, which kept its fervent supporters on fire throughout the lop-sided contest.

“We knew we had to come out with a lot of energy because we also knew they were going to come out to play strong,” player of the game [Sterling Brown](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/sterling-brown/012720/) said in his postgame comments after pouring 21 points in a stellar individual display. “Everybody contributed and got the job done. We have to keep going and keep persisting, stand together and take it game by game.”

Playmaker [Carlik Jones](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/carlik-jones/013369/), who chipped in with a comprehensive tally of 11 points, 8 assists, 3 boards and 2 steals, concurred with Brown and praised a concerted team effort.

“It’s special how we played together for the full 40 minutes, how we shared the ball and defended well,” he said. “It’s a great way to start the new year and all we wanted is to get back to being ourselves. We want to keep being better versions of ourselves because we know that we can accomplish a lot this year.”

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="qme" dir="ltr">🖤🤍<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/CDGsSi78oD">pic.twitter.com/CDGsSi78oD</a></p>&mdash; KK Partizan Mozzart Bet (@PartizanBC) <a href="https://twitter.com/PartizanBC/status/1875322004167127431?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Head coach [Zeljko Obradovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/partizan-mozzart-bet-belgrade/par/obradovic-zeljko/) was also pleased with his team’s display which makes happy reading for a tough upcoming fixture list, with Partizan on the road for their next three games against [Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/panathinaikos-aktor-athens/pan/), [LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/ldlc-asvel-villeurbanne/asv/) and [EA7 Emporio Armani Milan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/ea7-emporio-armani-milan/mil/).

Obradovic also showed a lot of sympathy for Maccabi, which is confined to playing its home games behind closed doors in the Serbian capital’s Aleksandar Nikolic Hall. The venue is located just a few miles away from the imposing Belgrade Arena, where the Israeli giant felt the full force of a Partizan’s passionate home crowd on Friday night.

“We played a good game and I am very happy for my players and for our fans,” said Obradovic, the winner of a record nine EuroLeague titles. “It was an excellent atmosphere again but I do have to say that Maccabi looks very tired as they are playing their home games a long way from home for a second successive season.”

Maccabi head coach [Oded Kattash](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/maccabi-playtika-tel-aviv/tel/kattash-oded/?season=E2024) made no excuses for a crushing defeat. “I didn’t see it coming,” he said. “Right from the beginning we weren’t there in any aspect. A very bad game and a very bad night for us, not what we expected.”      

Game News

Following two defeats in a row, the Serbian side bounced back with two wins in a row thanks to a pair of impressive performances

Partizan firing on all cylinders again to keep postseason hopes alive

Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade v Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv (2025-01-03T19:30:00.000Z)

Panathinaikos BC started the new year in great fashion as it rolled over the visiting Virtus Bologna 111-90 in front of a sold-out OAKA on Friday night. It was the first home game after Mathias Lessort's serious injury, but the Greens have found the perfect replacement in the paint with Omer Yurtseven.

Omer Yurtseven stepped up to lead Panathinaikos’s unstoppable offense

[Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/panathinaikos-aktor-athens/pan/) started the new year in great fashion as it [rolled over the visiting Virtus Segafredo Bologna 111-90](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/panathinaikos-excels-on-offense-to-beat-virtus-111-90/) in front of a sold-out OAKA on Friday night. It was the first home game after [Mathias Lessort's serious injury](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/all-euroleague-center-mathias-lessort-leaves-game-with-leg-injury/), but the Greens have found the perfect replacement in the paint with [Omer Yurtseven](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/omer-yurtseven/005353/).

The Turkish center enjoyed his third start of the season – his second in a row – and repaid coach Ergin Ataman's faith with an amazing performance that broke many of his previous highs in the competition. He finished with 27 points in less than 28 minutes, also adding 7 rebounds, 2 assists and 3 blocks for a total PIR of 34. His previous best marks in points, blocks and PIR were 16, 2 and 20, respectively.

“I feel good for the win and for contributing in a big way,” he celebrated after the game. “I was intentional about everything in the preparation and, you know, starting the game. Like you said, I was ready to go. So, I think that's what it took."

Yurtseven knew from the beginning that he had to step up for two reasons; first, to exploit Virtus’s absences in the paint ([Toko Shengelia](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/tornike-shengelia/001133/) and [Ante Zizic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/ante-zizic/004554/) couldn’t play), and second, to make Lessort proud.

“Absolutely, absolutely. Shout out to him, and we also miss \[Marius\] Grigonis as well,” the Turkish center recognized. “Hopefully, he'll be back with us soon, but yeah, I think every game we are missing him."

Yurtseven was not the only one who had a good night as [Juancho Hernangomez](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/juancho-hernangomez/012712/) also had a great offensive performance with 16 points – 11 in the first quarter – right before the announcement of his contract extension, which came after the final buzzer. Kendrick Nunn scored 27 points, too, with 11 in a row in the last period to break the game apart.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="und" dir="ltr">Η ΚΑΕ Παναθηναϊκός AKTOR ανακοινώνει την επέκταση της συνεργασίας της με τον Χουάντσο Ερνανγκόμεθ έως το καλοκαίρι του 2027.<br><br>______________________________________<br><br>Panathinaikos BC AKTOR is pleased to announce the extension of its partnership with Juancho Hernangomez until the… <a href="https://t.co/FKkGBxDtgM">pic.twitter.com/FKkGBxDtgM</a></p>&mdash; Panathinaikos BC (@Paobcgr) <a href="https://twitter.com/Paobcgr/status/1875289928793542822?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Overall, Panathinaikos scored a season-high 111 points, the third time in a row that the current Turkish Airlines EuroLeague champion has overcome the 100-point barrier in a home game. The Greens had [104 against Baskonia](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/nunn-shines-again-as-panathinaikos-demolishes-baskonia-104-69/) in Round 17 and [103 against EA7 Emporio Armani Milan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/nunns-39-points-leads-panathinaikos-past-milan-103-74/) two days before. This time, Panathinaikos dished 30 assists, which also marked a record in the current season.

“Altruistic is a strange word, but I would say yeah, we're pretty good teammates, sharing the ball and I think that just comes from wrapping it around," Yurtseven noted. "I think we all trust each other to make the shot, whatever the defense that the opponent throws at us. We just got to trust the next guy."

This win and this offensive explosion came on a night in which the OAKA crowd was out in full force, which created a great atmosphere that not only the players, but also the home coach, enjoyed.

“We started the new year with an amazing game. We started to show \[why\] we were the champions of 2024 and we started like a champion in 2025," Coach Ataman emphasized. “We played like a champion. \[It was a\] great atmosphere. I told before the game it’s not party time, it’s game time. Now at the end of the game, we can make a party until the next game."

The Turkish center had 27 points, 7 rebounds and 34 PIR to help the Greens finish with season highs in points (111) and assists (30)

Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens v Virtus Segafredo Bologna (2025-01-03T19:15:00.000Z)

On Friday, Sergio Llull added yet another milestone to his impressive roll of honors by becoming the player with the most appearances in EuroLeague history. 

Sergio Llull breaks all-time EuroLeague record for games played

On Friday, [Sergio Llull](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/sergio-llull/tgb/) added yet another milestone to his impressive roll of honors by becoming the player with the most appearances in Turkish Airlines EuroLeague history. Llull stepped onto the court with 2:50 minutes left in the first quarter of [Real Madrid](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/real-madrid/mad/)'s Round 19 [win against FC Bayern Munich](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/musa-hezonja-lead-real-madrid-past-bayern-88-76/), marking his 426th game in the competition.

Coming into Round 19, Llull was tied with four-time EuroLeague champion [Kyle Hines](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/kyle-hines/002812/), who retired this past summer, with 425 appearances. Two other players have gone past 400 games in EuroLeague history: [Kostas Sloukas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/kostas-sloukas/001926/) played his 406th game tonight, going past [Sergio Rodriguez](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/sergio-rodriguez/cvm/), who also retired during the 2024 offseason and totaled 405 EuroLeague appearances.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">History made here👀<br><br>When <a href="https://twitter.com/23Llull?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@23Llull</a> entered the court tonight👇<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EveryGameMatters?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EveryGameMatters</a> <a href="https://t.co/jHoMpLo70v">pic.twitter.com/jHoMpLo70v</a></p>&mdash; Turkish Airlines EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague/status/1875280422097289572?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

At age 37, Llull’s name is all over the EuroLeague and Real Madrid record books. He was already the all-time leader in three-point shots made with 662, having hit one during *Los Blancos’* win over Bayern. Most recently, Llull become the all-time leader in minutes played in the competition with over 9,410 minutes. Llull also fifth in scoring with 4,071 points and sixth in assists with 1,430.

He is also one of the bigger winners of his generation. He helped Real win three EuroLeague titles in 2015, 2018 and 2023, playing four more championship games in 2013, 2014, 2022 and 2024. Llull is tied with Sloukas for second place in most Final Four appearances (10), only trailing [Victor Khryapa](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/victor-khryapa/bcq/) (12).

In his 19 seasons with Real, Llull has led *Los Blancos* to eight Spanish League titles, seven Spanish Cups, nine Spanish Super Cups and the 2015 Intercontinental Cup title. Llull was chosen as the 2016-17 EuroLeague MVP, earning All-EuroLeague First Team honors, and was selected to the 2010-11 All-EuroLeague Second Team.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Today he can become the player with the most games played in the history of EuroLeague🌟<br><br>The very best of <a href="https://twitter.com/23Llull?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@23llull</a> from game 1 to game 425👇<a href="https://twitter.com/RMBaloncesto?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RMBaloncesto</a> I <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EveryGameMatters?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EveryGameMatters</a> <a href="https://t.co/nBWd1R2uLp">pic.twitter.com/nBWd1R2uLp</a></p>&mdash; Turkish Airlines EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague/status/1875183254615269523?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

What’s more, Llull is a two-time Spanish League Finals MVP, two-time Spanish Cup MVP and 2016-17 Spanish League MVP. He is also a World Cup winner, three-tine EuroBasket winners and two-time Olympic medalist with the Spanish national team.

With another EuroLeague title, Llull would become the first player to win four continental crowns with Real since Wayne Brabender (1968, 1974, 1978, 1980) more than four decades ago. Just a few days ago, on December 29, 2024, Llull also became the player with the most appearances in the Spanish League with 620. On January 9, 2024, he also became the player to wear Real's jersey the most times with 1,047 appearances.

And the best news for Real fans is that Llull is still going strong, willing to break more records and lift more titles.

He now appeared in 426 EuroLeague games, more than anyone else

Sergio Llull breaks EuroLeague record for games played

Real Madrid v FC Bayern Munich (2025-01-03T20:00:00.000Z)

Turkish Airlines EuroLeague 2024-25 Round 19

Game Center: The Istanbul derby highlights a five-game slate tonight

## Friday, December 27

### [Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul 84-76 Anadolu Efes Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/fenerbahce-downs-efes-in-rivalry-series-matchup-84-76/)

Fenerbahce started 2025 on the right foot by topping Anadolu Efes Istanbul 84-76 in Round 19's Rivalry Series game on Friday. Fenerbahce improved to 11-7 in the standings and has a 2-0 record against Efes, which dropped to 10-9. Tarik Biberovic and Marko Guduric led the winners with 17 points apiece. Guduric also contributed 6 rebounds and 7 assists. Nigel Hayes-Davis had 12 points while Devon Hall got 11 for Fenerbahce. Elijah Bryant led Efes with 16 points. Shane Larkin added 15 while Jordan Nwora and Vincent Poirier each had 12.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">2025 yılına galibiyetle başlıyoruz! 💛💙<br><br>Tebrikler Fenerbahçe Beko! 👏<br><br>Maç Sonucu | Fenerbahçe Beko 🆚 Anadolu Efes: 84-76 <br><br>Skor dağılımımız: Guduric 17, Biberovic 17, Hayes-Davis 12, Hall 11, Mays 9, Melli 7, Sertaç 6, Pierre 3, Colson 1, Birch 1. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/YellowLegacy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#YellowLegacy</a> <a href="https://t.co/6QSS7pkKOT">pic.twitter.com/6QSS7pkKOT</a></p>&mdash; Fenerbahçe Beko (@FBBasketbol) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBBasketbol/status/1875268218669166972?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Paris Basketball 79-90 FC Barcelona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/barcelona-holds-off-paris-79-90/)

Barcelona got back to winning ways, controlling things for the majority of the night in the French capital and downing Paris 79-90 on Friday. Barcelona snapped a two-game losing skid and improved to 10-9 on the season, while Paris lost its fourth straight game and now holds an 11-7 record, but holds the tiebreaker against Barcelona due to its 16-point win in Round 10. Barcelona took the lead for good in the first quarter with a 0-8 run and led by as many as 14 points on several occasions in the second half. Paris rallied, but never got closer than 4 points. Willy Hernangomez starred with 23 points and 10 rebounds. Chimezie Metu had 13 points, Tomas Satoransky and Kevin Punter netted 12 apiece, while Jabari Parker scored 11 in the victory. TJ Shorts led Paris with 20 points, Maodo Lo scored 18, Nadir Hifi had 14 and Tyson Ward 13 points in defeat.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="ca" dir="ltr">𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐋!! COMENCEM L&#39;ANY AMB VICTÒRIA! <a href="https://t.co/JG84Pgzc8j">pic.twitter.com/JG84Pgzc8j</a></p>&mdash; Barça Basket (@FCBbasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBbasket/status/1875292398441685329?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens 111-90 Virtus Segafredo Bologna](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/panathinaikos-excels-on-offense-to-beat-virtus-111-90/)

Panathinaikos celebrated the new year with a convincing 111-90 win against Virtus. The Greens opened a double-digit margin at halftime, 64-42, thanks to a superb performance by Juancho Hernangomez and Omer Yurtseven, but had to wait until Kendrick Nunn took over with 11 points in 2 minutes midway through the last quarter to effectively wrap up the victory. The Greens chained together their fourth win in a row to improve to 12-7, while Virtus slipped to 5-14 after snapping a two-game winning streak. Yurtseven led the winners with career highs in points (27) and PIR (34). Nunn also scored 27 points, having knocked down 5 three-pointers, while Hernangomez finished with 16 points and 7 rebounds, Lorenzo Brown contributed 12 points and Cedi Osman poured in 11. Virtus, which was without Toko Shengelia and Ante Zizic inside, had Will Clyburn with 25 points as its top scorer. Momo Diouf scored 15, Andrejs Grazulis chipped in with 12 and Isaia Cordinier added 11 and 5 assists in the losing effort.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Final Score ☘️ <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/paobcaktor?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#paobcaktor</a> - <a href="https://twitter.com/VirtusSegafredo?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VirtusSegafredo</a> 111-90 <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/P6lAyzZXP1">pic.twitter.com/P6lAyzZXP1</a></p>&mdash; Panathinaikos BC (@Paobcgr) <a href="https://twitter.com/Paobcgr/status/1875287002280817144?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade 98-75 Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/rampant-partizan-blows-away-maccabi-98-75/)

Partizan celebrated its biggest win of the season in the EuroLeague as the Serbian side demolished visiting Maccabi 98-75, with Sterling Brown leading the charge on 21 points. Brandon Davies added 16 points for Partizan, Duane Washington netted 13 and Carlik Jones racked up 11 to go with 8 assists, with Frank Nkilitina scoring 10 in a flowing team effort at both ends of the court, as the hosts improved to 9-10. At the other end, Tamir Blatt paced Maccabi with 16 points, John Di Bartolomeo scored 15 and Jaylen Hoard chipped in with 12 points for Maccabi, which dropped to 5-14.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="und" dir="ltr">Bravo crno-beli!🖤🤍<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/dTE7y23fFJ">pic.twitter.com/dTE7y23fFJ</a></p>&mdash; KK Partizan Mozzart Bet (@PartizanBC) <a href="https://twitter.com/PartizanBC/status/1875292698657354069?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Real Madrid 88-76 FC Bayern Munich](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/musa-hezonja-lead-real-madrid-past-bayern-88-76/)

Real Madrid grabbed its fourth consecutive victory by downing Bayern 88-76 at Movistar Arena in Round 19 on Friday. Real improved to 10-9 in the standings while Bayern dropped to 11-8. *Los Blancos* also grabbed the tiebreak advantage, having registered a 97-89 loss in Munich. Dzanan Musa led the winners with 15 points. Mario Hezonja added 14 while Facu Campazzo had 13 for Real. Carsen Edwards led Bayern with 18 points. Shabazz Napier added 17 while Devin Booker had 11 for the guests.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="und" dir="ltr">🏁 FP: <a href="https://twitter.com/RMBaloncesto?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RMBaloncesto</a> 88 - 76 <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBBasketball?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FCBBasketball</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HalaMadrid?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HalaMadrid</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/UnicajaBanco?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@UnicajaBanco</a> <a href="https://t.co/oFadhS858J">pic.twitter.com/oFadhS858J</a></p>&mdash; Real Madrid Basket (@RMBaloncesto) <a href="https://twitter.com/RMBaloncesto/status/1875299225027932486?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

## Thursday, January 2

### [Zalgiris Kaunas 85-92 Olympiacos Piraeus](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/olympiacos-rallies-to-down-zalgiris-85-92/)

Olympiacos extended its unbeaten run to four games by defeating Zalgiris at Zalgirio Arena. The hosts fired on all cylinders before the break to take a 52-40 lead into the second half, where Olympiacos bounced back by tightening up its defense and outscoring Zalgiris 33-52 to turn the game around. With this win, the Reds improved their record to 13-6, with Zalgiris dropping to 10-9. Sasha Vezenkov led all scorers with 24 points, 19 of which came in the second half. Shaquielle McKissic netted 17 for the winners. Sylvain Francisco paced Zalgiris with 22 points.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ZALOLY?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ZALOLY</a> Game stats 📊 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cosmote?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cosmote</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OlympiacosBC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OlympiacosBC</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://t.co/eSSzurmU3G">pic.twitter.com/eSSzurmU3G</a></p>&mdash; Olympiacos B.C. (@Olympiacos_BC) <a href="https://twitter.com/Olympiacos_BC/status/1874909859319300277?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne 66-75 EA7 Emporio Armani Milan](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/mirotic-leday-help-milan-snap-losing-streak-with-win-at-asvel-66-75/)

Milan got back to winning ways by downing ASVEL, which saw the Italian side end its three-game losing streak and cause the French outfit to suffer a second straight defeat. Ettore Messina’s squad improved to 10-9 on the season, while Pierric Poupet’s men dropped to 8-11. Nikola Mirotic and Zach LeDay combined for 35 points as ASVEL struggled to contain the two star forwards. They were also the visiting team’s leading rebounders, with Mirotic grabbing 8 boards and LeDay 6. ASVEL’s Nando De Colo, who surpassed Vassilis Spanoulis to become the EuroLeague’s all-time leader in made free throws by going a perfect 8 for 8 (De Colo now has 1,135 to Spanoulis’s 1,131), scored a game-high 22 points. Theo Maledon had 18 points, but committed 7 turnovers and fouled out in the fourth quarter.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">BIG road W for <a href="https://twitter.com/OlimpiaMI1936?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@OlimpiaMI1936</a>! ✅<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EveryGameMatters?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EveryGameMatters</a> <a href="https://t.co/xsE5lNXuS0">pic.twitter.com/xsE5lNXuS0</a></p>&mdash; Turkish Airlines EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague/status/1874923892445438229?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [ALBA Berlin 90-85 AS Monaco](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/monaco-beats-alba-again-90-105/)

Monaco remained atop the standings by downing ALBA in the German capital in Round 19 on Thursday. Monaco improved to 13-6 in the standings while ALBA dropped to 3-16. Mike James led six Monaco scorers in double figures with 23 points and 7 assists and Matthew Strazel added 18 points. Matt Thomas and Yanni Wetzell paced ALBA with 17 points apiece.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The first 2025 win is in the books 😋🎊 <a href="https://t.co/YwnZf1KkwM">pic.twitter.com/YwnZf1KkwM</a></p>&mdash; AS Monaco Basket EN (@asmonaco_en) <a href="https://twitter.com/asmonaco_en/status/1874921950436605956?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### [Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz 73-75 Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/resilient-crvena-zvezda-edges-out-baskonia-73-75/)

Crvena Zvezda completed a perfect tour of Spain with a victory at Baskonia to improve to 11-8. The win came after Zvezda celebrated a 74-78 win at Barcelona in the previous round. Joel Bolomboy paced Zvezda with 16 points and 8 rebounds, but it was Isaiah Canaan who emerged as the game-winner for the visitors after sinking a pair of crucial layups. Canaan finished with 15 points. Chima Moneke scored 18 points for Baskonia, which shot 0 of 15 from deep in the first half and dropped to 8-11 after a tough home loss.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">ANOTHER ONE 🔥🔥🔥<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/jgmdP1IVtW">pic.twitter.com/jgmdP1IVtW</a></p>&mdash; KK Crvena zvezda Meridianbet (@kkcrvenazvezda) <a href="https://twitter.com/kkcrvenazvezda/status/1874932579864027271?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

All four of Thursday night's games were won by the road team

Game Center: Barcelona the only road winner from Friday's five games

Paris Basketball v FC Barcelona (2025-01-03T19:15:00.000Z)

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul v Anadolu Efes Istanbul (2025-01-03T17:45:00.000Z)

Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz v Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade (2025-01-02T19:30:00.000Z)

LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne v EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (2025-01-02T19:00:00.000Z)

ALBA Berlin v AS Monaco (2025-01-02T19:00:00.000Z)

Zalgiris Kaunas v Olympiacos Piraeus (2025-01-02T18:00:00.000Z)

Real Madrid grabbed its fourth consecutive victory by downing FC Bayern Munich 88-76 at Movistar Arena in Round 19 on Friday. Real improved to 10-9 in the standings while Bayern dropped to 11-8. 

Musa, Hezonja lead Real Madrid past Bayern, 88-76

Real Madrid grabbed its fourth consecutive victory by downing FC Bayern Munich 88-76 at Movistar Arena in Round 19 on Friday. Real improved to 10-9 in the standings while Bayern dropped to 11-8. 

*Los Blancos* also grabbed the tiebreak advantage, having registered a 97-89 loss in Munich. Dzanan Musa led the winners with 15 points. Mario Hezonja added 14 while Facu Campazzo had 13 for Real. Carsen Edwards led Bayern with 18 points. Shabazz Napier added 17 while Devin Booker had 11 for the guests.

Game Videos

Walter Tavares got Real going with a jump hook and Alberto Abalde added a mid-range jumper. Niels Giffey struck twice from downtown for a 4-6 Bayern lead. Musa stepped up with a floater which Abalde followed with a triple to put Real back ahead, 9-6. Tavares dunked and a red-hot Abalde erased Shabazz Napier's jumper with a driving layup. Musa hit a jumper and added free throws, Giffey scored again and Sergio Llull's corner three-pointer made it a double-digit game, 20-10. Ivan Kharchenkov scored in penetration, getting help from Booker to bring Bayern within 20-14. Hezonja took over with an acrobatic three-point play before Elias Harris's put-back basket fixed the score at 23-16 after 10 minutes.

Andres Feliz stepped up with a driving layup which Serge Ibaka followed with a jump hook for a 27-16 Real lead early in the second quarter. Harris dunked, but Xavier Rathan-Mayes banked in a close shot and Hezonja's put-back layup boosted Los Blancos' lead to 31-18. Edwards and Andreas Obst each struck from beyond the arc, and Oscar da Silva's consecutive layups brought Bayern within 33-28. Usman Garuba answered with an alley-oop layup and Musa's one-handed floater gave Real fresh air at 37-28. Campazzo buried a three-pointer and Hugo Gonzalez took over with a coast-to-coast layup. Hezonja followed a jumper with a triple to cap a 14-0 Real run that broke the game open, 47-28. Edwards's driving layup got Bayern within 47-30 at halftime.

 

Napier tried to ignite Bayern's comeback with a driving layup. Eli Ndiaye and Edwards traded layups before Booker's three-point play gave Bayern hope at 49-37. Musa answered from beyond the arc and Campazzo added a driving layup to keep Real out of trouble, 54-38. Edwards buried a jumper that Ndiaye improved with a corner triple. Napier kept pacing Bayern and got help from Edwards to keep the guests within 59-46. Musa insisted from downtown, Booker joined the three-point shootout and soon brought Bayern even closer, 62-50, at the end of the third quarter.

Rathan-Mayes sank a three-pointer off the dribble and Hezonja added a fast-break layup that made it an 17-point game, 67-50. Harris scored down low, then Johannes Voigtmann dunked in traffic and bettered Garuba's backdoor layup with a three-pointer. Napier soon added a layup-plus-foul that brought Bayern within single digits, 69-60. Rathan-Mayes banked in an off-balance shot, Garris and Garuba traded dunks before Napier kept Bayern within 73-64. Campazzo rescued Real with a three-point play but Edwards solved a broken play with a floater and soon added a driving layup. Campazzo kept pacing Real with a driving basket that Napier improved with a triple for a 78-71 score with 3 minutes left. Abalde and Booker exchanged layups before Hezonja restored an 82-73 Real lead. Tavares scored around the basket and Campazzo's three-point play sealed the outcome, 87-73, with 52.7 seconds to go.

Chus Mateo's side got the victory and the tiebreaker


Real Madrid guard Facundo Campazzo spoke to EuroLeague TV after his team beat FC Bayern Munich in Round 19 of the 2024-25 EuroLeague season.

Facundo Campazzo: 'We are a pretty good team as well'

Real Madrid guard Facundo Campazzo spoke to EuroLeague TV after his team beat FC Bayern Munich in Round 19 of the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.

Real Madrid-FC Bayern Munich | RS Round 19 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

KK Partizan celebrated its biggest win of the season in the EuroLeague as the Serbian side demolished visiting Maccabi Tel Aviv BC 98-75, with Sterling Brown leading the charge on 21 points. 

Rampant Partizan blows away Maccabi, 98-75

Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade celebrated its biggest win of the season in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague as the Serbian side demolished visiting Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv 98-75, with Sterling Brown leading the charge on 21 points.

Brandon Davies added 16 points for Partizan, Duane Washington netted 13 and Carlik Jones racked up 11 to go with 8 assists, with Frank Nkilitina scoring 10 in a flowing team effort at both ends of the court, as the hosts improved to 9-10.

At the other end, Tamir Blatt paced Maccabi with 16 points, John Di Bartolomeo scored 15 and Jaylen Hoard chipped in with 12 points for Maccabi, which dropped to 5-14.

Partizan made a flying start and the hosts kept their feet on the gas from start to finish, with Davies scoring 8 for Partizan early on as the hosts raced into a 17-5 lead. Carlik Jones pulled the strings on offense with a barrage of assists and Brown also got going, propelling Partizan into a 27-12 lead at the end of the first quarter.

The second produced a similar pattern as Partizan stayed firmly in the driver’s seat and although Maccabi slashed the deficit to 37-26 at one point, Partizan found another gear shortly before the break to take a 48-32 lead into the locker room at halftime.

Maccabi’s only bright patch of the game came midway through the third period, with Partizan briefly struggling on offense which allowed the visitors to close the gap to 54.46. However, a perfect storm followed as Partizan hit back with a 16-1 run having scored the opening 15 points in the third quarter from downtown.

Free-flowing offense from Partizan was complemented by a huge defensive effort as the home team closed shop and finished on 15 steals and a staggering 8 blocks, while Brown and Tyrique Jones amplified the festive mood among the fans with an array of spectacular slam dunks.

Partizan soon romped away to an 80-51 lead early in the fourth quarter, its biggest of the night, having stayed in top gear as the home team’s head coach Zeljko Obradovic made sure his men kept the tempo high.

Obradovic said he welcomed the challenging fixture list for the rest of the regular season, with Partizan facing nine road games in the remaining 15 rounds in Europe’s premier club competition.

“Great, it gives us the opportunity to show that we have it in us to square off with any team on any court on the big stage,” Obradovic told the post-game news conference. “The most important thing is to stay fit and healthy. We did a great job tonight, especially on defense, having stifled out Maccabi and that generated smooth offense at the other end.”   

The Serbian team dominated at both ends for its most emphatic EuroLeague win of the season

FC Barcelona got back to winning ways, controlling things for the majority of the night in the French capital and downing Paris Basketball 79-90 on Friday. Barcelona snapped a two-game losing skid and improved to 10-9 on the season, while Paris lost its fourth straight game and now holds an 11-7 record, but holds the tiebreaker against Barcelona due to its 16-point win in Round 10.

Barcelona holds off Paris, 79-90

FC Barcelona got back to winning ways, controlling things for the majority of the night in the French capital and downing Paris Basketball 79-90 on Friday. Barcelona snapped a two-game losing skid and improved to 10-9 on the season, while Paris lost its fourth straight game and now holds an 11-7 record, but holds the tiebreaker against Barcelona due to its 16-point win in Round 10.

Barcelona took the lead for good in the first quarter with a 0-8 run and led by as many as 14 points on several occasions in the second half. Paris rallied, but never got closer than 4 points. Willy Hernangomez starred with 23 points and 10 rebounds. Chimezie Metu had 13 points, Tomas Satoransky and Kevin Punter netted 12 apiece, while Jabari Parker scored 11 in the victory. TJ Shorts led Paris with 20 points, Maodo Lo scored 18, Nadir Hifi had 14 and Tyson Ward 13 points in defeat.

Shorts scored 7 points, including a triple, to make it 9-6, but Barcelona had success going inside, first with Youssoupha Fall, then Hernangomez, who scored 5 points in a 0-8 run that put the visitors up 13-20. Ward ended a scoring drought for Paris, but Juan Nunez hit a three-pointer and Barcelona held a 19-25 lead after 10 minutes.

A three-pointer from Dario Brizuela opened a 21-30 margin before Lo had a pair of layups, and a Hifi fast-break layup got Paris within 28-32. After Punter had a three-point play, Ward nailed a triple for the hosts. Hernangomez and Satoransky kept Barcelona ahead, but Yakuba Ouattara beat the halftime buzzer with a triple to make it 36-40 at the break.

Parker opened the third quarter with a three-pointer, then Punter hit one as well to open Barcelona's first double-digit lead, 38-48. Ward and Shorts made driving baskets, but Hernangomez had 6 points, including a dunk, helping the visitors to 42-56. Paris had an answer with back-to-back threes from Hifi and Bandja Sy, but Satoransky answered with a triple to restore a double-digit margin. Hernangomez scored another basket from close range, and Satoransky from long range, 50-64, but Lo's three-point play helped the hosts cut it to 55-65 after 30 minutes.

Metu scored 6 points, with Parker's jumper in between them, to open a 59-73 margin, but Paris answered with a 9-0 run, started with an easy layup from Kevarrius Hayes, and capped with a triple from Hifi that got the hots within 68-73. Metu had a three-point play, but Hifi was getting to the free throw line to keep the margin at 4 points, before Alex Abrines and Lo traded triples to make it 77-81. However, Hernangomez fought his way for more points on Barcelona's next two possessions, which also sparked a 0-9 run capped by Hernangomez and Punter, that sealed the deal.

Joan Penarroya's men got another road triumph, their fifth of the season

FC Barcelona center Willy Hernangomez spoke to EuroLeague TV after his team beat Paris Basketball in Round 19 of the 2024-25 EuroLeague season.

Willy Hernangomez: 'Our fans in Barcelona deserve wins'

FC Barcelona center Willy Hernangomez spoke to EuroLeague TV after his team beat Paris Basketball in Round 19 of the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.

Paris Basketball-FC Barcelona | RS Round 19 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

KK Partizan guard Carlik Jones spoke to EuroLeague TV after his team beat Maccabi Tel Aviv BC in Round 19 of the 2024-25 EuroLeague season.

Carlik Jones: 'We want to keep being better versions of ourselves'

Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade guard Carlik Jones spoke to EuroLeague TV after his team beat Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv in Round 19 of the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.

Pokusevski drives forward with a behind-the-back dribble and tees up Jones to rock the rim!

Showtime in Belgrade! Motorola Magic Moment of the Night

 Pokusevski drives forward with a behind-the-back dribble and tees up Jones to rock the rim!

Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade-Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv | RS Round 19 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

Bahcesehir College Istanbul opened 2025 with a hard-fought 69-73 victory at Dolomiti Energia Trento on Friday night. The visitors led by as many as 16 (4-20) early in the game, but Trento bounced back and took its first lead in the third quarter (48-45). The Italians grabbed a 67-60 cushion midway through the fourth, but Bahcesehir responded with a late 2-13 surge to finish the game off. Bahcesehir remains top of Group A with an 11-2 record, while Trento dropped to 4-9.

Late run allows Bahcesehir to beat Trento, 69-73

Bahcesehir College Istanbul opened 2025 with a hard-fought 69-73 victory at Dolomiti Energia Trento on Friday night. The visitors led by as many as 16 (4-20) early in the game, but Trento bounced back and took its first lead in the third quarter (48-45). The Italians grabbed a 67-60 cushion midway through the fourth, but Bahcesehir responded with a late 2-13 surge to finish the game off. Bahcesehir remains top of Group A with an 11-2 record, while Trento dropped to 4-9. With this triumph, Bahcesehir has joined Valencia Basket in qualifying for the BKT EuroCup Playoffs.

Jaleen Smith and Tai Odiase paced Bahcesehir with 15 points each and Tyler Cavanaugh paired his 10 points with 8 rebounds. For Trento, Jordan Ford led all scorers with 19 points, Anthony Lamb scored 15 and Myles Cale netted 12.

Cavanaugh opened the scoring with a dunk before two triples from Jaleen Smith and a three-point play from Odiase gave Bahcesehir a 2-11 lead. Andrea Pecchia and Axel Bouteille traded baskets, with Sehmus Hazer scoring off the glass for a double-figure cushion, 4-15. Toto Forray came off the bench to reach A. J. Slaughter in third place on the all-time EuroCup charts with 143 games played. The Trento captain scored inside after a triple from Mateusz Ponitka, but Saliou Niang responded with one of his own and Cale completed a three-point play that cut the difference to 12-20. Lamb extended Trento’s run to 10-0 with a midrange jumper, but Cavanaugh ended it by making 2 of 2 from the line before another couple of free throws from Ponitka restored a 14-24 lead heading into the second quarter.

Lamb netted a triple before setting up Cale for an open basket that trimmed the deficit to 19-25. Yet, Bouteille responded with two unanswered baskets inside, bringing Bahcesehir’s advantage back to double digits. Pecchia and Ford scored inside, but Marko Simonovic sank a corner triple and Smith nailed a jumper to make it 23-34. A Cale bucket was followed by a triple from Forray before a three-point-play from Ford allowed Trento to cut the deficit to 31-38 at halftime.

Pecchia opened the third quarter with a layup before a jumper from Lamb brought Trento within 35-40. Cavanaugh netted from beyond the arc, but a Cale bucket and a triple from Lamb cut the deficit to 40-43. Odiase took his tally to 11 points with a slam, but Niang responded with back-to-back baskets and Ford drilled a three for Trento’s first lead of the night, 48-45. An exchange of blows from the line was followed by a three-pointer from Cale and a layup from Lamb, who opened a 56-48 lead. Yet, Simonovic scored inside and Hazer nailed two free throws that trimmed the difference to 56-52 heading into the closing quarter.

Haltali and Smith netted inside to tie it, but Lamb knocked down a three to put Trento back ahead, 59-56. Then, Ford took over by adding 8 points to his tally, allowing Trento to open a 67-60 lead. Smith responded with a three-point play before a triple from Cavanaugh slashed the deficit to 67-66. Selom Mawugbe and Odiase traded scores inside before Smith netted off the glass to put Bahcesehir back in front, 69-70, with 1:28 minutes remaining. The visitors tightened up their defense and Hazer made 3 of 4 from the line to seal the victory.

The Group A leader opened the new calendar year with a win at Il T Quotidiano Arena

Late run allows Bahcesehir to beat Trento, 69-73, and advance to playoffs

Dolomiti Energia Trento v Bahcesehir College Istanbul (2025-01-03T19:00:00.000Z)

Panathinaikos BC guard Kendrick Nunn spoke to EuroLeague TV after his team beat Virtus Bologna in Round 19 of the 2024-25 EuroLeague season.

Kendrick Nunn: 'Omer Yurtseven's performance is not a surprise'

Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens guard Kendrick Nunn spoke to EuroLeague TV after his team beat Virtus Segafredo Bologna in Round 19 of the 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.

Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens-Virtus Segafredo Bologna | RS Round 19 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

Panathinaikos BC scored 100 or more points for the third straight home game by downing Virtus Bologna 111-90 in Round 19.

Panathinaikos excels on offense to beat Virtus, 111-90

Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens celebrated the new year with a convincing 111-90 win against Virtus Segafredo Bologna. The Greens opened a double-digit margin at halftime, 64-42, thanks to a superb performance by Juancho Hernangomez and Omer Yurtseven, but had to wait until Kendrick Nunn took over with 11 points in 2 minutes midway through the last quarter to effectively wrap up the victory. The Greens chained together their fourth win in a row to improve to 12-7, while Virtus slipped to 5-14 after snapping a two-game winning streak.

Yurtseven led the winners with career highs in points (27) and PIR (34). Nunn also scored 27 points, having knocked down 5 three-pointers, while Hernangomez finished with 16 points and 7 rebounds, Lorenzo Brown contributed 12 points and Cedi Osman poured in 11. Virtus, which was without Toko Shengelia and Ante Zizic inside, had Will Clyburn with 25 points as its top scorer. Momo Diouf scored 15, Andrejs Grazulis chipped in with 12 and Isaia Cordinier added 11 and 5 assists in the losing effort.

Clyburn ran the show on offense for the visitors in the early going, scoring a floater, feeding Diouf for a dunk and nailing a three-pointer that set a 5-7 edge for Virtus. The hosts had to wait a little but to find the rim from long range, but when they did, it rained hard against Virtus. Jerian Grant opened fire, while Hernangomez and Nunn hit once each from downtown to make it 16-10 right before the first timeout. Clyburn remained unstoppable after the break, especially from behind the arc, as back-to-back triples got Virtus within 21-20. Nevertheless, Panathinaikos didn’t lose its poise and kept playing a smooth offense, with Nunn and Hernangomez punishing to extend the margin to 30-23 at the end of the first period.

Nicola Akele brought energy to the visitors right after the game resumed, as he delivered on both ends to bring Virtus within 30-28. Clyburn showed up again and nailed his fifth three-pointer from five attempts right before feeding Diouf for an inside basket that made it even closer, 34-33. Marco Belinelli evened things with a triple, as Diouf kept rocking to maintain the game on the wire, 38-38, midway through the second period. The Greens didn’t panic, though, and used Yurtseven inside to recover control. He rebounded on both ends, scored 6 points and fed Brown for a triple in an 11-2 run that set a 49-40 home advantage. Ioannis Papapetrou built a double-digit lead, 52-42, from behind the arc, as Yurtseven capped an amazing first half by moving to 18 points to put Panathinaikos firmly ahead, 54-42, at halftime.

Yurtseven added a three-point play shortly after the intermission to extend the margin to 59-46. Then Hernangomez took over with a dunk off a steal and his third three on as many attempts to get the fans off their feet and boost Panathinaikos to a 67-51 advantage. Cordinier and Grazulis teamed up for Virtus at that point, enough to prevent the Greens from escaping, 71-61. The rally didn’t go further, though, as Panathinaikos found Brown and Kostas Sloukas on the perimeter to almost send Virtus to the ropes, 79-63. Then Grazulis lessened the wounds from downtown to enter the last stanza with the Greens up 79-66.

Turnovers penalized Panathinaikos early in the fourth period and allowed Virtus to find some breath behind a three-pointer by Belinelli and a layup by Matthew Morgan that reduced the gap to 8 points, 79-71.  Nunn’s return to the court didn’t work at first, as Grazulis took advantage of an unsportsmanlike foul to make it even tighter, 81-75. But once Nunn his first triple in the quarter, all hell broke loose for the home team. Nunn added two more from downtown and Cedi Osman joined the party with another of his own to bring a double-digit lead back to Panathinaikos’s hands, 93-80, with 5 minutes to go. Yutseven followed with a couple of inside buckets and Osman nailed a three that set a three-digit score for the Greens, 100-83. Brown didn’t want to stop the party here, drilling two more that set a 20-point advantage, 106-86, that definitively sealed the outcome.

The hosts surpassed the 100-point barrier for the third time in a row at home