Every game is a marquee showdown when two-time defending Turkish Airlines EuroLeague champion Anadolu Efes Istanbul takes the floor. Every opponent will be eager to give Efes its best shot, as coach Ergin Ataman’s men look to make history by winning the trophy for a third consecutive year. Ahead of the 2022-23 season, here are five games with some extra meaning for the club.
2022-23 Games to Watch: Anadolu Efes Istanbul
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Round 7: Championship game rematch
It was a championship game for the ages when Efes and Real Madrid last met at Stark Arena in Belgrade, with the title only decided in the closing seconds. The season before, Efes and Real battled it out in a memorable five-game playoff series. Naturally, both teams enter this season with their eyes on the EuroLeague trophy, and their budding rivalry will continue when they first lock horns on November 22.
Round 10: The European Super Cup
If there were a Euroleague Basketball Super Cup, the 2022 edition would pit Turkish Airlines EuroLeague champion Efes against 7DAYS EuroCup winner Virtus Segafredo Bologna. Since there is no such cup, fans will have to make do with their EuroLeague regular-season games. Their first meeting will be the first game between these clubs in more than two decades, as they last met in the 2001-02 EuroLeague season. Back then, it was Virtus which came out on top, but Efes will feel more confident now as the two-time defending champ.
Round 19: Battling in Barcelona
When Efes visits FC Barcelona on January 13, it will be the team’s first trip to Palau Blaugrana since a memorable Round 21 clash last season. Barcelona was victorious on that occasion, winning 82-77, but perhaps the most memorable moment from the game was Coach Ataman's ejection in the third quarter. When leaving the court, he lifted his fists to tease the Barca supporters. Efes also lost at home to Barca in an overtime thriller in Round 13, with Coach Ataman being ejected in the extra period. In addition to this, Efes's triumph over Barca in the 2021 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Championship Game in Cologne, Germany, only adds some spice to what should be a great rivalry for many years to come.
Round 31: Reliving the playoffs with Milan
Efes proved its ability to play high-level defense when it ousted EA7 Emporio Armani Milan 3-1 in the playoffs last season. However, Milan was shorthanded and will have revenge on its mind, especially after the Italian champs beat Efes in both of their regular-season clashes. With many of the star players on both teams still on the rosters, and with some extra players added into the mix, every game between these teams has the potential for great excitement.
Round 33: The derby of Istanbul
There are always major bragging rights at stake when the giants of Istanbul meet. Last season, after Efes swept Fenerbahce in the EuroLeague and then celebrated the EuroLeague crown, Fenerbahce spoiled Efes’s domestic campaign by winning the Turkish League finals. The players know each other well and their games are always treats for basketball fans. There should be even more to play for in this derby at Ulker Sports and Event Hall, as it is both teams' penultimate match of the regular season.