We are a few weeks removed from Real Madrid winning its unprecedented 11th continental crown. The championship game victory over Olympiacos Piraeus was quite a thriller and Los Blancos were able to prevail thanks to its veteran players and their heroics. 

How Real Madrid rebuilt itself while continuing to trust its veterans

We are a few weeks removed from Real Madrid winning its unprecedented 11th continental crown. The championship game victory over Olympiacos Piraeus was quite a thriller and Los Blancos were able to prevail thanks to its veteran players and their heroics. 

Sergio Llull sank the title-winning shot with 3.1 seconds left in the championship game, while Sergio Rodriguez had 15 points and 9 assists and Fabien Causeur netted 3 triples and scored 11 points. The French guard played almost 18 minutes against the Reds - the second-most time he'd spent on the floor since early January.

When the EuroLeague title was on the line at Zalgirio Arena, or a few weeks earlier when Real's season was hanging by a thread in the playoffs, it was the most familiar - and most experienced - players who stepped up for Los Blancos. And while they know better than anyone what Real means and are perfect to preach it to the newcomers, those veterans had not too often played main roles during the season.

Real Madrid's journey to the 2023 title was a two-year ride, oftentimes a bumpy one, but it showed how a team's rebuild does not have to start from scratch. Real, which also came 1 point short of winning it all in 2022, was able to stay competitive with older players who might not be as good as they once were by adding younger players alongside them. 

Real went through a quiet rebuild the last two seasons as it parted ways with longtime contributors such as Jeffery Taylor and Trey Thompkins, while Jaycee Carroll and Felipe Reyes retired.

In addition, Llull, Fernandez, Causeur and Rodriguez, who returned for a third stint with the club last summer, were only getting older. Rudy turned 38 during the season, Rodriguez will be 37 in a week, while Llull and Causeur are both turning 36 this year.

So, Real needed to find fresh faces. Two summers ago the club added Guerschon Yabusele, Nigel Williams-Goss, Adam Hanga and Vincent Poirier, and brought back Gabriel Deck mid-season. Apart from Hanga, all of the players are in their prime, none currently older than 29 or younger than 27 years of age.

Last quarter baskets by Real in championship game

Then, last summer, Real continued the rebuild by adding 23-year-old Dzanan Musa and two 28-year-olds, Mario Hezonja and Petr Cornelie. Along with Elie Ndiaye, a teenager from Los Blancos' youth system, Real built a new core for the team, players who, along with Walter Tavares, carried out the 2022-23 season.

Meanwhile, the veteran group, which also included Anthony Randolph who was recovering from an injury, had significantly smaller on-court contributions. During the course of the 2022-23 season, none of those five veterans averaged more than 17:23 minutes, which is what Rudy Fernandez played in 20 appearances off the bench. The five veterans combined for just 15 starts and had a combined average of 22.3 points in the games they played.

However, when the do-or-die end-of-season games were being decided, it was those veterans who carried the team across the finish line. 

Real had 10 different lineups that played in at least four games and for at least 3 minutes per game this season, according to Viziball. Half of those lineups did not feature even a single one of those veterans, including the four most frequently used ones.

Of the remaining five lineups that Coach Mateo used the most this season, Llull was a member of three, and only one combination had two veterans, Rodriguez and Fernandez, together on the floor.

But none of that mattered in the fourth quarter of the championship game. In the final 10 minutes of the season, Mateo put his three veteran guards – Rodriguez, Causeur and Llull – together on the floor with 8 minutes and 12 seconds left in the game and kept them all alongside Tavares and Hezonja until the final 3.1 seconds when Real needed one last defensive stand to win it.

They not only turned a 68-61 deficit into a 78-79 triumph, but scored 16 of Real's final 18 points.

"At the beginning \[of the games\], we started with more physical players like Nigel \[Williams-Goss\] or Adam Hanga that are very good defenders", Real Madrid head coach Chus Mateo recently explained on The Crossover with Joe Arlauckas. "And then we could finish with people who know how to close the game, to finish the game." 

The championship game turned into a showcase of how a team can have older players in decisive roles if it just protects them enough for the key moments. And keeps its trust in them.

Coach Mateo and his players did all of that perfectly and Los Blancos have another EuroLeague championship to show for it.

Joe Arlauckas celebrates the 2023 champions by hosting Real Madrid head coach Chus Mateo and guard Nigel Williams-Goss for this season’s final episode of the Crossover.

Champs Mateo and Williams-Goss visit the Crossover

Joe Arlauckas celebrates the 2023 champions by hosting Real Madrid head coach Chus Mateo and guard Nigel Williams-Goss for this season’s final episode of the Crossover.

The season finale of the Crossover with Joe Arlauckas is a special three-way interview with host Joe Arlauckas speaking to two key members of the freshly crowned 2023 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague champions: head coach Chus Mateo and guard Nigel Williams-Goss. Together they reviewed the regular season, went into detail about Real’s comeback from an 0-2 deficit in the playoffs against Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade, and discussed all the big moments from the Final Four in Kaunas.  

When they spoke, Williams-Goss was still on a high from winning the title.

 

“It still feels just unbelievable to me. I said all year long that my only goal was to win the EuroLeague. This is something that I’ve thought about, dreamt about since my first year in Europe,” Williams-Goss elated. “In 2018, my first professional season, my first EuroLeague game that I ever watched in person was Madrid and Fener in the EuroLeague final, cause it was in Belgrade at the time and I was playing at Partizan. And so I watched that final game and that image of winning the EuroLeague was in my mind. For that to be a reality now, I still can´t describe it.”  

Even though Real was among the very strongest teams throughout the regular season, it stumbled late and it nearly cost Los Blancos dearly. A loss at Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv in the regular-season finale knocked the team from second to third place and set up a matchup with Partizan. Not only did Real lose the first two games, but at the end of Game 2, a fight broke out, both benches cleared and the game was halted before the full 40 minutes were played. The incident left players from both teams suspended for some of the remaining games in the series.

The incident might have broken some teams, but it had the opposite effect on Real Madrid.

“It really brought us closer,” Williams-Goss said.

“It was a very bad feeling for everybody. Everybody started to join as a team and think ‘Hey, we have to play basketball as best as we can.’ And this is what happened in Belgrade. I think that everybody played good, a good game, everybody together. We kept together in this bad moment. Everybody felt very bad in the locker room and the coaching staff,” Coach Mateo explained.

“There was some frustration in this moment. 0-2, playing bad. This reaction was not good and everybody apologized for it. And this made us be joined and go to Belgrade thinking that we have to play good basketball. This is what we did.”

Williams-Goss shined with a season-high 22 points in Game 3 in Belgrade, including a clutch three-pointer with 24.8 seconds to go that snapped a 77-77 tie. He spoke about that game and the mindset needed to go to Belgrade and walk away with two wins.

“As a player and as a competitor, I feel like you don’t reach this level of playing at a place like Real Madrid without a different mindset. I feel like, speaking for myself, I don’t have a normal mindset. A normal person could say we’re down 0-2 going into maybe the toughest environment in Europe so there’s no way we’re gonna win. But again, I didn’t get to this point in my career by thinking regular and normal,” Williams-Goss said.

“I had belief, I had confidence, and yeah, maybe it’s not my role every night on this team to score 20, for sure we have a lot of great players. But I’m more than capable. I’ve shown that throughout my career that I can score, I can defend, I can do whatever the team needs me to do to win a game. I had a lot of confidence going into Game 3 that if we got that one, the pressure would switch a little bit.”

The road to the championship saw Real win five consecutive games with its back to the wall: Two in Belgrade, Game 5 of the playoffs at home in Madrid, the Final Four semifinal against FC Barcelona, and the championship game against Olympiacos Piraeus. The last of those came down to the final shot and when Real had the ball and needed to score on its final possession, Coach Mateo made it clear that it was clear who was going to take it.

“Sergio \[Llull\] didn’t score in the game, but all of us know that he is the best in this kind of situation. So it doesn’t matter if he’s scored or not, When we came to the bench I asked him: ‘Hey Sergio. Sergi. This is for you?’ He said: ‘For me.’ No question. All the teammates know that it is his ball and he’s gonna take the last one. He managed very good the situation because he’s done it in the past and he’s the man in these situations,” Mateo said.

“He did it once again. It was good to see a picture of the shot because this is something I am going to put in a frame at home in a privileged place in my house. It was amazing what happened at the end.”

With a one-hour format of exclusive one-on-one interviews, The Crossover with Joe Arlauckas goes well beyond the playing court with each podcast to delve into the life experiences that have made his guests protagonists and legends of the EuroLeague. The Crossover debuted in 2018 and has featured such current stars as [Mike James](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/mike-james-opens-up-at-the-crossover/), [Dante Exum](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/dante-exum-is-the-latest-guest-on-the-crossover/), and [Vasilije Micic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/mvp-micic-stops-by-the-crossover/), coaching greats such as [Georgios Bartzokas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/hear-from-coach-bartzokas-on-the-crossover/), [Dimitris Itoudis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/the-crossover-opens-its-season-with-dimitris-itoudis/), and Zeljko Obradovic, and legends like Theo Papaloukas, Nikola Vujcic and [Mike Batiste](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/panathinaikos-legend-mike-batiste-visits-the-crossover/), among others.

The Crossover with Joe Arlauckas is available on [Youtube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rYpAbSLlCc), [iTunes](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-crossover-with-joe-arlauckas/id1440034922), [Audioboom](https://audioboom.com/channel/the-crossover-with-joe-arlauckas), [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/6T1SYvGSpzyrYZpG9z2wjR), [Deezer](https://www.deezer.com/fr/show/65962), [RadioPublic](https://radiopublic.com/the-crossover-with-joe-arlauckas-6NkdjJ), [Google Podcasts](https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hdWRpb2Jvb20uY29tL2NoYW5uZWxzLzQ4ODM3OTkucnNz?sa=X&ved=0CAMQ4aUDahcKEwiYzr_b78XtAhUAAAAAHQAAAAAQAQ), [TuneIn](https://tunein.com/podcasts/Sports--Recreation-Podcasts/The-Crossover-with-Joe-Arlauckas-p1174586/), [Stitcher](https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-crossover-with-joe-arlauckas), [CastBox](https://castbox.fm/channel/The-Crossover-with-Joe-Arlauckas-id1467328?country=gb), [iVoox](https://www.ivoox.com/podcast-the-crossover-with-joe-arlauckas_sq_f1629856_1.html) and other platforms.

After undergoing an appendectomy in early April, Vincent Poirier would only play one more EuroLeague game the rest of the season. However, his dominance in the paint until that point was a key reason Real Madrid earned home-court advantage in the playoffs and his presence off the floor helped the team cross the finish line as champions.

Tribute to the Champs: Vincent Poirier

After undergoing an appendectomy in early April, [Vincent Poirier](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/vincent-poirier/004887/) would only play one more EuroLeague game the rest of the season. However, his dominance in the paint until that point was a key reason Real Madrid earned home-court advantage in the playoffs and his presence off the floor helped the team cross the finish line as champions.

When he was on the floor, few players in the league were better than Poirier. He ranked third in the league in blocked shots and seventh in rebounding on a per-minute basis with averages of 10.9 boards and 2.6 blocks prorated over 40 minutes. Poirier ranked fifth among players with less than 10 starts (he started only once all season) in per-minute PIR and 24th in the entire league with 22.4 over 40 minutes. On five occasions, Poirier was called on to play more than 20 minutes. In those games, he averaged 14.4 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.4 blocks and Real went 4-1.

With such numbers, it could be hard to explain why Poirier wasn’t starting for Real, however, when one sees that he is backing up All-EuroLeague center and EuroLeague Best Defender Walter Tavares, the role becomes clearer. Even so, what Poirier meant to Los Blancos was that the team could count on 40 minutes of elite play in the paint every night. And the more Poirier played, the more Tavares could rest, which left Sergeant Swat fresh for the most important games of the season.  

After his appendectomy, Poirier made a valiant effort to return for the playoffs and posted 12 points and 7 rebounds in Game 2 against Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade. However, he suffered a calf injury during warmups for Game 3 and did not play again. Nevertheless, Poirier stuck with the team and before the championship game at the Final Four in Kaunas, could be seen on the floor rebounding for his teammates as they prepared for the biggest game of the season. When the final buzzer sounded, Poirier was able to join his teammates on the floor in celebration knowing he played his part in helping Real become the 2023 champion.

Vincent Poirier's top plays from the 2022-23 EuroLeague season

Vincent Poirier s top plays from the 2022-23 EuroLeague season

It was a rollercoaster season for Fabien Causeur who, as always, was ready to deliver when the lights shined brightest. In his 12th Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season and sixth with Real Madrid, Causeur passed the 300-game mark in the competition, becoming the first French player to do so. He took part in 25 regular season games and averaged 4.0 points and 1.3 assists in 13 minutes per night. Causeur was strongest when seeing extended playing time, reaching double digits in scoring three times. He scored 11 points in victories against ALBA Berlin and Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv and a season-high 14 in a 71-75 road win at LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne, in which he missed one only shot and reached a PIR of 23. 

Tribute to the Champs: Fabien Causeur

It was a rollercoaster season for [Fabien Causeur](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/fabien-causeur/001392/) who, as always, was ready to deliver when the lights shined brightest. In his 12th Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season and sixth with Real Madrid, Causeur passed the 300-game mark in the competition, becoming the first French player to do so. He took part in 25 regular season games and averaged 4.0 points and 1.3 assists in 13 minutes per night. Causeur was strongest when seeing extended playing time, reaching double digits in scoring three times. He scored 11 points in victories against ALBA Berlin and Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv and a season-high 14 in a 71-75 road win at LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne, in which he missed one only shot and reached a PIR of 23. 

Causeur did not play in the last three games of the playoffs as Real rallied to beat Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade in five games. He was also held scoreless in the semifinal against FC Barcelona. Before the championship game, Causeur faced some off-court problems: his pregnant wife Lucy was very sick and spent the previous night at the hospital, but recovered in time to be in the stands to see her husband play against Olympiacos Piraeus. Causeur has a reputation for bringing out his best at the Final Four, including a memorable 2018 championship game against Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul. Against Olympiacos, Causeur did it again. 

Fabien Causeur helped Real Madrid win its 11th EuroLeague championship.

2022-23 EuroLeague season highlights: Fabien Causeur, Real Madrid

He came off the bench to contribute 11 points on 3-of-5 three-point shooting in less than 18 minutes. He buried back-to-back three-pointers early in the fourth quarter and was on the floor in the final seconds, playing defense on Kostas Sloukas on the game's final play. When Sloukas's shot did not fall in, Causeur broke into tears and looked for his wife to start celebrating with her. It was a emotional game for Causeur but as always, he got the job done when it mattered most. Now, he is a two-time EuroLeague champion!

When it comes to making it to the Final Four, Real Madrid forward Anthony Randolph has often been in the right place at the right time. Randolph has taken part in six Final Fours since his first appearance with Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar in 2016. Only three American players have been to more Final Fours: Kyle Hines, J.R. Holden and Derrick Sharp. 

Randolph's resilience was handsomely rewarded

When it comes to making it to the Final Four, Real Madrid forward [Anthony Randolph](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/anthony-randolph/005757/) has often been in the right place at the right time. Randolph has taken part in six Final Fours since his first appearance with Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar in 2016. Only three American players have been to more Final Fours: Kyle Hines, J.R. Holden and Derrick Sharp. 

However, it has not been easy for Randolph, who has battled severe injuries and been largely unavailable for the better part of the last three seasons. Even so, he found ways to contribute at the 2023 Final Four, his fifth with Real, to win his second EuroLeague title with Los Blancos. 

Randolph first played the EuroLeague after a stellar 2014-15 EuroCup season with Lokomotiv and all he did was confirm his star potential right away. He averaged 14.5 points and 6.0 rebounds in 23 games with Lokomotiv during the 2015-16 campaign, was named to the All-EuroLeague Second Team and led the team to its first-ever Final Four. He even set a Final Four record with 8 offensive rebounds in the semifinal against CSKA Moscow. Randolph joined Real the following season and lifted his first EuroLeague trophy in 2018. 

His fate changed in December 2020, in a game against Olympiacos Piraeus. Randolph suffered a town Achilles' Heel in his left leg, which kept him sidelined for almost one year. He turned around to inbound the ball, a routine movement, but slipped and would not play again for exactly 351 days. Randolph returned in December 2021 and slowly found his rhythm to help Real reach the 2021 EuroLeague Championship Game against Anadolu Efes Istanbul. He had 6 points in 7 minutes in a losing effort. 

Anthony Randolph returned from injury to help Real Madrid win its 11th Turkish Airlines EuroLeague title!

2022-23 EuroLeague season highlights: Anthony Randolph, Real Madrid

A few weeks later, Randolph went down again in Game 1 of the Spanish League finals. It was a torn anterior cruciate ligament in again, his left leg. It required surgery and a long rehab, which Randolph went through with great resilience. He came back in late March and posted 8 points in 18 minutes in a Spanish League home game against Coviran Granada. His size and experience were important to help Real beat Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade in the playoffs, especially given his team's lack of frontcourt players. 

People around the league appreciate Randolph's efforts, too. There was a nice interaction between Olympiacos assistant coach Christos Pappas and Randolph at halftime of the recent championship game in Kaunas. While heading from the locker rooms back onto the court, Pappas called out to the Real big man and told Randolph that it was nice to see him back on the floor. Randolph smiled and thanked him, then ran out onto the court. He contributed 3 points, 2 rebounds and 1 steal in less than 5 minutes on the court to help Los Blancos win again. 

"Honestly, I am still in shock, I was shaking. To end the EuroLeague season this way, after everything that we have gone through, the ups and the downs, the playoffs series, we just stuck together and pulled it out," Randolph said in the mixed zone after the game. "We were not supposed to win this game but it shows the veteran leadership that we have on this team, how we stuck together as a group." 

Randolph turns 34 years old in July, and this should be his first healthy off-season in a while. Few players are able to come back from two severe injuries and contribute the way Randolph did in Kaunas and he was handsomely rewarded for all the hard work and rehab with his second EuroLeague championship.

Anthony Randolph's resilience was handsomely rewarded

Dzanan Musa's debut season at Real Madrid could not have gone any better. The 24-year-old had a memorable regular season, establishing himself as an outright starter and averaging a team-high 15.5 points per game, before playing a key role in Los Blancos becoming the 2023 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague champion. This was not Musa's first EuroLeague title success, having also been on the roster for Anadolu Efes Istanbul's triumph in 2021, but this time he was a major contributor and rightly earned plenty of plaudits for his exploits in the 2022-23 campaign. His efforts were recognized by EuroLeague head coaches and team captains, as well as the media and fans, prior to the Final Four as he was named to the All-EuroLeague First Team.

Tribute to the Champs: Dzanan Musa

[Dzanan Musa](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/dzanan-musa/006540/)'s debut season at Real Madrid could not have gone any better. The 24-year-old had a memorable regular season, establishing himself as an outright starter and averaging a team-high 15.5 points per game, before playing a key role in Los Blancos becoming the 2023 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague champion. This was not Musa's first EuroLeague title success, having also been on the roster for Anadolu Efes Istanbul's triumph in 2021, but this time he was a major contributor and rightly earned plenty of plaudits for his exploits in the 2022-23 campaign. His efforts were recognized by EuroLeague head coaches and team captains, as well as the media and fans, prior to the Final Four as he was named to the All-EuroLeague First Team.

The best plays of Real Madrid forward Dzanan Musa in the 2022-23 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.

2022-23 highlights: Dzanan Musa, Real Madrid

During the regular season, Musa earned MVP of the Round honors on three occasions – the second most of any player in the entire league. He joined Real as the Spanish League MVP following a breakthrough season at Rio Breogan and he took his game to another level in 2022-23, becoming one of the most feared players in the competition. He proved decisive in helping Real advance past Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade in the playoffs, scoring at least 10 points in four of the five games, including 20 in the do-or-die Game 5.

One of the hallmarks of Musa's play this season was his ability to get to the foul line, where he made a league-record 178 free throws. He also ranked 19th in the EuroLeague for two-pointers made (119) and 14th for three-pointers converted (63), which goes to show the impact that he had on a night-to-night basis. Add in the fact that Musa played all 41 possible games for Real in 2022-23 and there's no denying the impact that the Bosnian had on helping Los Blancos end their five-year wait to lift the EuroLeague trophy.

They have been calling it the most competitive Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season for months already and the 2022-23 campaign ended in fitting fashion with a game that was not decided until the final buzzer. 

Playoff, Final Four comebacks highlighted memorable season

They have been calling it the most competitive Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season for months already and the 2022-23 campaign ended in fitting fashion with a game that was not decided until the final buzzer. 

The league motto of "Every Game Matters" was never more on display than this season, which featured two teams overturn 20-point deficits during the season. Zalgiris Kaunas rallied from 20 points down [to beat ALBA Berlin in Round 6](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2022-23/zalgiris-kaunas-alba-berlin/E2022/50/) and LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne came back from a 21-point deficit [to defeat Olympiacos Piraeus in Round 14](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2022-23/ldlc-asvel-villeurbanne-olympiacos-piraeus/E2022/120/). 

The stunning comebacks were not limited to the regular season as the playoffs and the Final Four delivered even more drama. There were four comeback wins of double-digit margins in the playoffs and two more in the Final Four. Even the largest playoff win of the season, Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv [beating AS Monaco 104-69](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2022-23/maccabi-playtika-tel-aviv-as-monaco/E2022/320/) in Game 4, saw the guests take an early 5-13 lead. A 43-point swing allowed Maccabi to tie the series. 

Real Madrid was the comeback hero and managed to win its 11th EuroLeague Championship despite trailing at some point in the second half in each and every one of its playoff and Final Four games. It had the biggest playoff comeback this season, rallying from an 18-point deficit [to beat Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade 98-94](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2022-23/real-madrid-partizan-mozzart-bet-belgrade/E2022/325/) in Game 5, to advance to the Final Four. Down 0-2 in its playoff series, Partizan took a 26-10 lead in Game 3 at home. [Real ended up winning 80-82](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2022-23/partizan-mozzart-bet-belgrade-real-madrid/E2022/317/), thus surviving its first of five consecutive do-or-die situations. 

Los Blancos also came back twice in the Final Four. Real trailed 42-33 near halftime in its semifinal showdown against FC Barcelona. It advanced to the EuroLeague Championship Game [by beating Barca 66-78](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2022-23/fc-barcelona-real-madrid/E2022/328/). Things did not start well for Real against Olympiacos, which led 24-12 early. Real came back and Sergio Llull's iconic shot [allowed Los Blancos to celebrate](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2022-23/olympiacos-piraeus-real-madrid/E2022/330/) an incredible end to a post-season full of comebacks. 

Olympiacos also had its share of big comebacks. The first came in Game 3 of its playoff series against Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul. Fenerbahce had previously stunned the Reds in Game 2, rallying from a 16-point deficit [to take a 78-82 victory](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2022-23/olympiacos-piraeus-fenerbahce-beko-istanbul/E2022/311/), tying the series and stealing the home-court advantage. Olympiacos trailed 26-15 in the first game in Istanbul before racing to [a 71-72 victory](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2022-23/fenerbahce-beko-istanbul-olympiacos-piraeus/E2022/315/) on a wild buzzer-beating three-pointer by Kostas Sloukas. 

Then at the Final Four, Monaco had a 41-29 halftime lead against the Reds, but everything changed after the break. Olympiacos limited its opponent to 2 points in the third quarter, tying an all-time EuroLeague record, and used a 25-point, third-quarter swing to charge [towards a 76-62 victory](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2022-23/olympiacos-piraeus-as-monaco/E2022/327/) and its first appearance in the championship game since 2017. 

There were so many reasons that the 2022-23 season was one to remember and the thrilling comebacks and dramatic finishes to the most decisive were very much among them.

It started almost as a joke. In Spanish, 'mandarina' was a term for a tough shot that was generally taken with the shot clock running down to avoid a turnover. Only rarely would it go in. Spanish journalist Andres Montes, who passed away in 2009, was the first to use the term regularly. Real Madrid star Sergio Llull changed its meaning forever by making many of those shots, probably more often than any other player in basketball history.

Sergio Llull’s ‘Mandarina’ through the years

It started almost as a joke. In Spanish, 'mandarina' was a term for a tough shot that was generally taken with the shot clock running down to avoid a turnover. Only rarely would it go in. Spanish journalist Andres Montes, who passed away in 2009, was the first to use the term regularly. Real Madrid star [Sergio Llull](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/sergio-llull/tgb/) changed its meaning forever by making many of those shots, probably more often than any other player in basketball history.

Llull has made so many that now every time he makes a difficult shot at any point during the game, people call it a 'mandarina'. His last such achievement, a go-ahead rainbow jumper over Olympiacos Piraeus center Moustapha Fall that lifted Real to its 11th Turkish Airlines EuroLeague title, can hardly be considered a 'mandarina' but still, you will see the term in newspapers, social media and everywhere else. Llull has made so many amazing shots the 'mandarina' is now his signature shot.

The original 'mandarina' came on February 25, 2010. Llull was in his third season with the club and buried an off-balance, acrobatic three-pointer that allowed Real to earn the tie-break advantage against Montepaschi Siena in that year's Top 16 stage. Indeed, that shot eventually took Real to the playoffs and it was the first of the many incredible shots Llull would make over the years, none bigger than the EuroLeague-winning one against Olympiacos. That shot allowed Llull to win his third EuroLeague crown.

One of the greats of his generation, Llull was the 2016-17 EuroLeague MVP and ranks fifth all-time in scoring (3,691 points) and sixth in assists (1,329). To honor Llull's recent heroics, let us celebrate his EuroLeague 'mandarinas'. In this video, you will find some of Llull's impossible catch-and-shoot jumpers, prayers from beyond midcourt and game-winners because when it comes to Llull, there are plenty of 'mandarinas' to choose from.

Llull’s ‘Mandarina’ through the years

Adam Hanga had to wait longer than he wanted to lift the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague trophy, but when he was finally able to do so last month with Real Madrid, he became the first Hungarian player ever to claim the top continental crown. And he fulfilled a promise he made to himself several years ago. 

The first Hungarian to win the EuroLeague, Adam Hanga made good on his promise

[Adam Hanga](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/adam-hanga/005099/) had to wait longer than he wanted to lift the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague trophy, but when he was finally able to do so last month with Real Madrid, he became the first Hungarian player ever to claim the top continental crown. And he fulfilled a promise he made to himself several years ago. 

Hanga grew up without a father and his grandfather Gyorgy Szep played that role for him until he passed away in April 2019.

"It is even hard to put it in words because he meant so much to me. Everybody knows that I didn't know my father and he was the one who raised me and kind of became my father. He was the person in my family asking for discipline and all that kind of stuff," Hanga said. "He was working two or three jobs. I remember he worked for 48 hours and rested for 24; two days working non-stop and one day off. When he was supposed to sleep, he would still take me to practice and to all of my games."

"This is especially for (my grandfather) and for all the people that believed in me."

Szep worked as a policeman for 35 years and never fined anybody. He was hard to miss, too, being 2 meters tall and weighing around 120 kilos. He was the one who encouraged Hanga to play basketball, often jumping over a fence to rebound for him. Szep used to drive him to practice in a 20-year-old car that always broke down. They were the last to arrive at every game because they were the slowest.

Hanga's achievements on the floor turned Szep into a basketball fan. 

"He never played basketball but acted like he had played for 60 years! He knew everything about it and when I left, he had these VHS cassettes and would still watch me play when I was 8 or 10 years old," Hanga remembered. "I was offering to send him DVDs of my games and see something new, but he insisted on watching me play when I was a kid. He loved to watch those basketball tapes, but until I started to play basketball, I don't think he knew it even existed."

Once he passed away, Hanga's next goal was to win the EuroLeague for him. It was not an easy thing; not many Hungarian players have been successful in basketball at the highest European level over the last 50 years. 

Back in the 1950s, Hungary was one of the basketball superpowers in Europe. Hungary won a gold medal at EuroBasket 1955, led by Tibor Zsiros, and earned silver in that competition two years earlier and bronze at EuroBasket 1946. The country competed at the Olympic Games five times between 1936 to 1964. Honved Budapest reached the semifinals in the original EuroLeague season in 1958. Kornel David was the Hungarian who came closest to winning the EuroLeague when he reached the championship game with Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz in 2005.

Adam Hanga helped Real Madrid finish the 2022-23 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season on a five-game winning streak, going for a 0-2 playoffs deficit all the way to the continental crown!

Hanga helps Real finish the season in style

Hanga played his first EuroLeague Championship Game with FC Barcelona in 2021, but Anadolu Efes Istanbul ended his dream with a 91-86 win. He didn't have much of a chance to help: after averaging over 14 minutes in a tough playoff series against Zenit St Petersburg, Hanga played just 7 seconds in the 2021 title decider. A year later, Hanga was back in the EuroLeague Championship Game, this time with Real Madrid. Hanga was on the floor when Efes led 57-58 and had possession with 17.2 seconds left. He guarded Vasilije Micic, but Real opted not to foul and hopped to get the ball back for a shot in the final seconds, but that did not happen.

In the 2023 championship game, Hanga started against Olympiacos Piraeus, played 11 minutes and contributed 2 points, 3 rebounds and great defense on Kostas Papanikolaou. On the game's final play, Hanga guarded Thomas Walkup as he tried to inbound the ball and quickly got back to double-team Kostas Sloukas and contest his potentially game-winning shot. Sloukas missed, which allowed Real to celebrate its 11th title and for Hanga to complete his emotional mission.

"I've been waiting for this for my whole life," Hanga said on the court right after becoming a champion. "This is especially for (my grandfather) and for all the people that believed in me. I received so many messages that today is going to be my day. It would have been hard to lose three in a row and that is why I was so excited on the bench. We got it!" 

A Quarter with Kyle Hines, the podcast in which the four-time champion talks to those who leave the biggest impacts on the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, returns with a special guest. Mike Batiste won three EuroLeague crowns with Panathinaikos Athens and is now an assistant coach with the Houston Rockets of the NBA. These two crossed paths in the paint at the start of Hines’s and late in Batiste’s career and now chat about their experience as players and for Batiste, what he enjoys about coaching.

A Quarter with Kyle Hines and Mike Batiste

Chus Mateo had some big shoes to fill at the start of the season. He replaced Pablo Laso, who had coached Real Madrid for 11 successful seasons in which he led Los Blancos to a pair of Turkish Airlines EuroLeague titles and seven Final Four appearances. Under Coach Laso, Real emerged as a perennial EuroLeague title contender. Mateo had been Laso's assistant since 2014, and even though a lot of people doubted him all season, he has proven that Real made the right decision in appointing him by leading the team to its 11th EuroLeague title in epic fashion. 

Real Madrid boss Chus Mateo silenced the critics 

Chus Mateo had some big shoes to fill at the start of the season. He replaced Pablo Laso, who had coached Real Madrid for 11 successful seasons, in which he led *Los Blancos* to a pair of Turkish Airlines EuroLeague titles and seven Final Four appearances. Under Coach Laso, Real emerged as a perennial EuroLeague title contender. Mateo had been Laso's assistant since 2014, and even though a lot of people doubted him all season, he has proven that Real made the right decision in appointing him by leading the team to its 11th EuroLeague title in epic fashion.

One of the keys for Mateo was doing everything in his power to help Edy Tavares dominate. With Mateo as head coach, Tavares earned EuroLeague Best Defender and All-EuroLeague First Team honors, each for the third time. He also earned MVP honors for April and May and was chosen as the 2023 Final Four MVP. Mateo helped Tavares become the best player in the competition at the right time. Tavares stepped up for his coach after the Championship Game and brought Mateo to tears with a heartfelt speech.

Post-game interview: Chus Mateo, Real Madrid

"I think the only thing I can say is to congratulate this man right here with me because I think he suffered more than us to try to put everything together for us to play together, to fight for this club. I think all the credit goes to him because it is always hard for every coach and every player in his first year to manage," Tavares said. "I think you guys should apologize to him because there was a lot of criticism, a lot of doubts on him. I always see everybody name a lot of coaches of different teams, but nobody mentioned him. He is the boss, so you have to mention Madrid and him every time.

"He deserves it more than everybody because he is one of the best people I ever met in my life. All the credit to him, and you guys should give him that credit. It is super hard to win because you have too many alphas on the team, you have to manage everybody. He deserves everything."

One of his key decisions in the championship game against Olympiacos was choosing Sergio Llull to take the last shot. Llull had been scoreless until then but Coach Mateo had no doubts about who needed to take that do-or-die shot. All it took was a question at the start of the timeout.

"Sergi, do you want it?" Mateo asked, and the rest is history.

"No one else hits those shots like him. It had to be him, there was no doubt," Mateo said after the game. "He doesn't mind taking that responsibility. I am especially happy for him, with a serious injury, playing less with a different role."

Fans and media alike criticized Real and Mateo when the team fell behind 0-2 in its playoff series against Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade. No team had ever rallied from a 0-2 playoff deficit in EuroLeague history, and Real trailed 41-26 early in Game 3 at Stark Arena. Real rallied to win that game, 80-82, behind a monster performance from Tavares: 26 points, 11 rebounds, 3 blocks and a PIR of 41. Real trailed at some point in the second half in each playoff or Final Four game, but survived five consecutive do-or-die games (a first in competition history) to lift the trophy.

"This is also a special title for our coach, Chus Mateo, one of us, that is aware of the immense responsibility that it brings to wear our logo," Real president Florentino Perez said. "He had to go through unfair, hasty criticism. I thank you and congratulate you for the good work done. You have been able to face these moments according to the club's values."

Focus on: Chus Mateo, Real Madrid

Mateo gave some keys about his team's mental strength after Game 5 against Partizan, in which Real rallied from an 18-point deficit to make it to the Final Four. 

"We were down by 15 in the first quarter of Game 3 and were able to come back. We played with a lot of maturity in Belgrade, rallying from a 0-2 deficit. We had faith and confidence, but a lot of people thought that we were dead. The only thing missing was the final nail in the coffin. And we were able to come out of a tough situation," Mateo said. "We will get it or not, but what I can guarantee is that we will leave our souls on the court to get it, like we always do. We can win or lose, but the effort and leaving it all on the court is not negotiable and players know it."

It is not common for an assistant to be promoted to head coach and win the EuroLeague in his first full season with the team. In fact, the last time was in 1988, 35 years ago, when the late Franco Casalini led the then-called Tracer Milan to the EuroLeague title. Zeljko Pavlicevic also did it with Cibona Zagreb in the 1980s, winning the 1985 title as an assistant coach and defending the title as head coach in 1986. Of course, Zeljko Obradovic won the EuroLeague title with Partizan Belgrade in 1992, in his first season as head coach. He played for the same team the season before. 

"There is one thing I would not like to let slide," Mateo said days after winning the EuroLeague. "When opponents see Real come from behind, they know they can lose, and we were rallying with these players that know how to win games. When I saw the looks on their faces, Olympiacos was not quite sure about closing the game and in the end, we did that."

The 2022-23 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season is considered by many to be the best in competition history. It featured the closest regular season to date, three playoff series that went down to Game 5 and a championship game that came down to the final shot. Let's take a look back and check out 10 memorable moments from a one-of-a-kind campaign, in chronological order. 

Ten memorable moments from the 2022-23 season

### Regular Season, Round 21: Baskonia, Efes deliver instant classic 

[Cazoo Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz outlasted Anadolu Efes Istanbul 114-111](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2022-23/cazoo-baskonia-vitoria-gasteiz-anadolu-efes-istanbul/E2022/188/) in overtime in the second highest-scoring game in EuroLeague history. Darius Thompson set a Baskonia record by dishing 16 assists, which was also a EuroLeague season high. Baskonia matched a club record with 31 assists and Efes tied its all-time scoring record, too. Rokas Giedraitis pulled down 18 rebounds, twice as many rebounds as his previous best. Matt Costello led all scorers with 33 points. Shane Larkin paced Efes with 21 points against his former team. 

### Regular Season, Round 29: Vezenkov shows MVP credentials

Sasha Vezenkov dominated the regular season and among his highlights was a game-winner against Zalgiris Kaunas. He put the finishing touches [on a 72-74 victory](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2022-23/zalgiris-kaunas-olympiacos-piraeus/E2022/255/) when he buried a contested baseline jumper with 6.7 seconds remaining that made Olympiacos Piraeus the first team to qualify for the playoffs. He finished the game with 25 points on 9-of-9 two-point shooting and 8 rebounds for a PIR of 32. 

Zalgiris Kaunas - Olympiacos Piraeus | Round 29 | Highlights

### Regular Season, Round 33: Partizan clinches playoff spot 

Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade returned to the EuroLeague for the first time in eight years and made sure it was noticed. First, the club broke attendance records at Stark Arena. Second, head coach Zeljko Obradovic made sure his team was competitive all season long. It clinched a playoff spot with [an 84-88 road victory](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2022-23/as-monaco-partizan-mozzart-bet-belgrade/E2022/294/) against AS Monaco, with hundreds of Partizan fans in the stands. Kevin Punter buried a critical shot to put Partizan in control, 80-84, with 16 seconds left. Zach LeDay and Aleksa Avramovic paced the winners with 22 points apiece. “It’s great to be a part of history," LeDay said after the game.

### Regular Season, Round 33: Fenerbahce ends Efes's legacy 

Efes starting the season looking to become the first team since Jugoplastika Split (1989-91) to claim three consecutive continental crowns. Coach Ergin Ataman's team never found its rhythm, but remained in the playoff race until Round 33, when [a 103-86 road loss](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2022-23/fenerbahce-beko-istanbul-anadolu-efes-istanbul/E2022/290/) at archrival Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul eliminated it from postseason contention. Nigel Hayes-Davis had 16 points for Fenerbahce, which advanced to the playoffs and came within one win of the Final Four. 

### Playoffs, Game 3: Barca, first to the Final Four 

It was another strong campaign for FC Barcelona, which reached the Final Four for the third consecutive season. It finished the regular season in second place with a 23-11 record and while all other Final Four opponents had to battle for five games in epic playoffs fashion, Barca swept its series against Zalgiris and even made it look easy. It gave Zalgiris no chance in Game 1 en route to a 91-69 win at Palau Blaugrana. Sertac Sanli led the way with 17 points. In Game 2, Rokas Jokubaitis and Jan Vesely's late heroics led Barca to an 89-81 triumph. Coach Sarunas Jasikevicius's team finished the job with [a 66-77 road victory](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2022-23/zalgiris-kaunas-fc-barcelona/E2022/318/) at Zalgirio Arena.  

### Playoffs, Game 3: Tavares rescues Real in critical moment 

Los Blancos were truly on the ropes, down 0-2 in the playoffs against Partizan after back-to-back home losses and tailing 32-17 late in the first quarter of Game 3. Luckily for Real, Walter Tavares was back in action after missing Game 2 and had a performance for the ages. He finished the game with 26 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 blocks for a PIR of 41 in leading Real [to an 80-82 road victory](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2022-23/partizan-mozzart-bet-belgrade-real-madrid/E2022/317/). It was a turning point for Tavares, who kept delivering until Real lifted the trophy. 

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul  - Olympiacos Piraeus  | Playoffs Game 3 | Highlights

### Playoffs, Game 3: Sloukas's shot gives Reds series lead 

Two shots changed this season's EuroLeague picture. One of them decided the EuroLeague winner. The other eventually sent Olympiacos to the Final Four. Fenerbahce had stolen the home-court advantage in its playoff series and Marko Guduric buried a mid-range jumper for a 71-69 Game 3 lead with 3.9 seconds left. After a timeout, Kostas Sloukas took the ball, guarded by DyShawn Pierre. He dribbled twice - once forward and once behind his back to force the switch. Even though Nigel Hayes-Davis contested the shot, Sloukas had the space he needed to [bury the game-winning three-pointer](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2022-23/fenerbahce-beko-istanbul-olympiacos-piraeus/E2022/315/) from the top of the key right at the final buzzer, silencing Ulker Sports and Event Hall. 

### Playoffs, Game 5: Real's epic comeback

Real came into Game 5 of its playoff series against Partizan without Gabriel Deck, Vincent Poirier and Guerschon Yabusele. Partizan was without Aleksa Avramovic, but had its entire frontcourt available and capitalized on that to lead by as many as 18 early in the second half. It still led 60-75 late in the third quarter and that's when everything changed. Real closed that quarter with a 9-1 run to get within single digits. Sergio Rodriguez took full control of the game with 11 points in less than 5 minutes and Sergio Llull's three-pointer completed Real's comeback, 86-83. Three minutes later, Real had the game under control, 97-88, and [both feet in the Final Four](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2022-23/real-madrid-partizan-mozzart-bet-belgrade/E2022/325/).

### Playoffs, Game 5: Monaco makes history 

Monaco advanced to the playoffs last season in its EuroLeague debut, but lost in five games against Olympiacos. This time, Monaco was in the same situation but with the home-court advantage and that helped Coach Sasa Obradovic's team to make history in 5 final magic minutes at Salle Gaston Medecin. Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv led 76-79 midway through the fourth quarter. That's when Monaco found a go-to guy in Jordan Loyd, who scored 8 points in a 10-0 run that put his team ahead for good, 86-79. Elie Okobo and Alpha Diallo made the difference in crunch time. Loyd and Mike James paced the winners with 21 points apiece. [Monaco became the first Final Four newcomer](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2022-23/as-monaco-maccabi-playtika-tel-aviv/E2022/324/) since Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar qualified in 2016. 

### Llull finishes the season with iconic shot

It was a rollercoaster post-season for Real, which trailed at some point in the second half in all of its last seven games. The championship game was no different, as Olympiacos led 78-72 right before Rodriguez scored in penetration at the 2-minute mark. He then buried a three-pointer with 46.8 seconds remaining. Real was down 1 when it took the court after a timeout with 12.7 seconds left. Llull got the ball, called Tavares for a pick-and-roll, Olympiacos switched and Llull sank a jumper from the right elbow [that put Real ahead, 78-79](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2022-23/olympiacos-piraeus-real-madrid/E2022/330/), with 3.2 seconds remaining. When Sloukas missed at the other end, Llull's big basket was already written in golden letters in EuroLeague history: Real had won its 11th title!

A pair of Goliaths from European basketball battle for continental glory as the Reds and Los Blancos square off at Žalgirio arena. These teams boast some of the top players in the competition, but whose talents will come to the fore and secure the ultimate prize?

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