AS Monaco Basket has moved into the top four in the EuroLeague standings, which would give it home-court advantage in the playoffs, following a Round 26 win at Virtus Bologna.

Monaco Basket keeps rolling as top-four finish beckons

AS Monaco boosted its hopes of finishing in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague’s top four at the end of the regular season and thus clinching home-court advantage in the playoffs, [having earned a 78-81 win at Virtus Segafredo Bologna](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/euroleague-live-blog-virtus-bologna-vs-as-monaco-basket/) on Friday night.

The result propelled Monaco (16-10) into fourth position, above Virtus (16-10) and Olympiacos Piraeus (15-11), after Sasa Obradovic’s side celebrated its fifth successive win and also ended the Italian team’s 11-game unbeaten home run.

It was also sweet revenge for Monaco as [Virtus celebrated a whopping 59-83 victory in the reverse fixture](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/live-blog-as-monaco-basket-vs-virtus-bologna/) in October, the Monegasques’ biggest home defeat since arriving in the EuroLeague, with the Italian side making a tremendous start as the season’s surprise package.

Monaco have thrived via four straight victories, but was shocked by the Italian team in October 2023. Virtus claimed a massive 46 rebounds in that game, so the visitors anticipate that Donta Hall and Donatas Moteijunas can protect the backboards against the power of Bryant Dunston and Toko Shengelia.

Virtus Segafredo Bologna-AS Monaco | Round 26 Highlights | 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

### Jordan Loyd’s resurgence

Monaco guard [Jordan Loyd](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/jordan-loyd/009754/) stood out in the titanic tussle with a season-high 24 points on Friday, having produced easily his best performance this term after struggling with a recurring back injury for much of the campaign.

Loyd, who averages 10.3 points per night in just 11 games played this term after missing a bunch of encounters following back surgery during the off-season, sank 12 points in the second quarter against Virtus and lifted Monaco alongside pack leader [Mike James](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mike-james/005985/).

Head coach Sasa Obradovic pointed out that Loyd’s return to form was pivotal in Monaco’s bid to emulate last season’s success, when it reached the Final Four.

“He was a piece of the puzzle we needed,” Obradovic told the post-game press conference. “He was a strong factor last season and the team breathes differently when he is healthy and in the roster.

“The court is different; it gets bigger and other guys get involved more. He is a crunch player who can decide the game in any situation and our inconsistent results this season were directly connected with missing him.”

Jordan Loyd had a season-high 24 points as AS Monaco beat Virtus Segafredo Bologna in Round 26 of the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.

Loyd's highlights vs. Virtus

### Monaco is ‘dreaming big’

The 55-year-old Serbian tactician, who won two European Championships and one World Cup with the former Yugoslavia as a player, highlighted that the win against Virtus meant much more to Monaco than just improving its record in the standings.

“That was an extraordinary win against a direct rival for one of the top positions in the standings,” he stated. “It was more like a typical playoff game, with a lot of toughness and physicality. Our confidence and chemistry is growing with each game and we can be a threat to anybody. We are very happy with the win and we’re dreaming big.”

<center>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">🤩 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐚𝐧𝐬 🫶🇲🇨<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RocaTeam?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RocaTeam</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EveryGameMatters?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EveryGameMatters</a> <a href="https://t.co/PcI9qwpTuM">pic.twitter.com/PcI9qwpTuM</a></p>&mdash; AS Monaco Basket 🇲🇨 (@ASMonaco_Basket) <a href="https://twitter.com/ASMonaco_Basket/status/1756078333220077789?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 9, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Obradovic credited tougher defense as the reason Monaco has been able to rise from mid-table and make its mark as a strong top-four contender amid fierce competition, with one win separating five teams in the mix.

Third-placed Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens (16-10) all the way to seventh-placed Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (15-11) constitute a shark-tank in the upper half of the table, with Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (14-12) in eighth breathing down everyone’s necks.

“We are a different team now that we were even a month ago as we’ve raised the level of our defense,” added Obradovic. “We always had the talent on the offensive end with players able to create and make their own shots, but stepping up on defense has been crucial.”

More Monaco News

Mam Jaiteh of AS Monaco fist pumps during his team's win at Virtus Segafredo Bologna in Round 26 of the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.

The Monegasque team recorded a gritty win at Virtus as Jordan Loyd provided the spark.

Monaco keeps rolling as top-four finish beckons

Virtus Segafredo Bologna v AS Monaco (2024-02-09T19:30:00.000Z)

Round 26 saw many Turkish Airlines EuroLeague stars deliver great individual performances. These are the players who led all the main statistical categories.

Round 26 individual highs: Chima Moneke, Baskonia, 15 rebounds

[Points](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/stats/expanded/?size=25&viewType=traditional&seasonCode=E2023&statisticMode=perGame&seasonMode=Single&sortDirection=descending&statistic=score)

[Shavon Shields](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/shavon-shields/007831/) of EA7 Emporio Armani Milan was Round 26's top scorer with 27 points. [Mike James](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mike-james/005985/) of AS Monaco is this season's leading scorer with 19.4 points per night.

[Rebounds](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/stats/expanded/?size=25&viewType=traditional&seasonCode=E2023&statisticMode=perGame&seasonMode=Single&sortDirection=descending&statistic=totalRebounds)

[Codi Miller-McIntyre](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/codi-miller-mcintyre/009048/) of Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz and [Alec Peters](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/alec-peters/008829/) of Olympiacos Piraeus each pulled down 11 rebounds in Round 26. [Chima Moneke](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/chima-moneke/012201/) of Baskonia leads all rebounders with 7.3 boards per game.

[Assists](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/stats/expanded/?size=25&viewType=traditional&seasonCode=E2023&statisticMode=perGame&seasonMode=Single&sortDirection=descending&statistic=assistances)

Miller-McIntyre dished 20 assists against ASVEL, setting a new single-game all-time record. He also leads the overall standings with 7.2 per contest.

[Steals](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/stats/expanded/?size=25&viewType=traditional&seasonCode=E2023&statisticMode=perGame&seasonMode=Single&sortDirection=descending&statistic=steals)

[Oscar da Silva](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/oscar-da-silva/011244/) of FC Barcelona recorded a round-high 5 steals. [Paris Lee](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/paris-lee/011225/) of LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne ranks first overall in steals with 1.8 per game.

[Blocks](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/stats/expanded/?size=25&viewType=traditional&seasonCode=E2023&statisticMode=perGame&seasonMode=Single&sortDirection=descending&statistic=blocksFavour)

[Jordan Mickey](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/jordan-mickey/008847/) of Virtus Segafredo Bologna had 3 blocks, more than anyone else in Round 26. [Vincent Poirier](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/vincent-poirier/004887/) of Real Madrid is this season's leader in blocks with 1.6 per game.

[Double-doubles](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/stats/expanded/?size=25&viewType=miscellaneous&seasonCode=E2023&statisticMode=accumulated&seasonMode=Single&sortDirection=descending&statistic=doubleDoubles)

Da Silva (10 points, 10 rebounds), [Yago Dos Santos](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/yago-dos-santos/012044/) of Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade (21 points, 14 assists) and [Joffrey Lauvergne](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/joffrey-lauvergne/004194/) of ASVEL (16 points, 10 rebounds) each had a double-double in Round 26. Miller-McIntyre posted 11 points, 11 rebounds and 20 assists, recording the fourth-ever triple-double in EuroLeague history.

Round 26 individual highs: Codi Miller-McIntyre, Baskonia, 20 assists

A truly historic performance in a winning effort has seen Codi Miller McIntyre of Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz claim Round 26 MVP honors with a career-high PIR of 42.

Round 26 MVP: Codi Miller-McIntyre, Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz

A truly historic performance in a winning effort has seen Codi Miller McIntyre of Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz claim Round 26 MVP honors with a career-high PIR of 42.

Miller-McIntyre led Baskonia to a 94-80 home victory over LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne. He broke the EuroLeague's all-time assist record, dishing a career-best 20. Facu Campazzo and Stefan Jovic shared the previous record with 19 assists apiece. He added 11 points and a personal-high 11 rebounds to become just the third-ever EuroLeague player with a triple-double after Nick Calathes and Nikola Vujcic. Miller-McIntyre also set another all-time record for the most assists in a half, having had 12 before halftime. This is his second MVP of the Round honor this season, as he previously earned Round 8 MVP honors with a PIR of 29.

A truly historical perfomance in a winning effort allowed Codi Miller McIntyre of Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz to claim Regular Season Round 26 MVP honors with a PIR of 42!

Codi Miller-McIntyre | RS Round 26 MVP | 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

Shane Larkin of Anadolu Efes Istanbul, Wade Baldwin of Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv and Yago Dos Santos of Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade each had a PIR of 32 in Round 26. Larkin led Efes to a 105-91 win over Maccabi with 22 points on 4-of-7 two-pointers and 4-of-4 free throws, in addition to having 4 rebounds, 6 assists and 6 fouls drawn. In that game, Baldwin amassed 26 points, 5 assists and 10 fouls drawn. Dos Santos posted 21 points, 3 rebounds, 14 assists and 6 fouls drawn in his team's 91-93 home loss against Zalgiris Kaunas. Shavon Shields of EA7 Emporio Armani Milan and his teammate Nikola Mirotic, each with a PIR of 29 in an 81-76 victory over Real Madrid, complete the top individual performances in Round 26.

Miller-McIntyre broke the EuroLeague's all-time assist record, dishing a career-best 20, and has become just the third-ever EuroLeague player with a triple-double.

Oscar da Silva was at the center of everything good for Barça Basket as it beat ALBA Berlin in Round 26 of the 2023-24 EuroLeague season.

Oscar da Silva gave Barça Basket a bit more juice against his former team 

FC Barcelona eased to [a 93-77 victory over ALBA Berlin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/euroleague-live-blog-barca-basket-vs-alba-berlin/) and large reason why was down to [Oscar da Silva](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/oscar-da-silva/011244/)’s strong performance against his former team.

The Barcelona big man put together his best game of the season as he scored 10 points and grabbed 9 rebounds – 6 of which came on the offensive end – while also picking up 5 steals for a PIR of 21. Da Silva had personal bests with his 6 offensive rebounds and 5 steals, while coming one shy of his best mark in rebounds.

“I was happy that I was able to give the team a little bit of juice today,” said Da Silva, who played for ALBA in the 2021-22 season.

“It’s funny how it works out, but I am always extra motivated to play against these guys.”

The best plays of FC Barcelona's Oscar da Silva against ALBA Berlin in Round 26 of the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.

Da Silva's highlights vs. ALBA

### At the center of everything good for Barcelona

Da Silva has scored in double figures three times this season but the last such game came back in Round 11. In his last nine games, the 25-year-old Brazilian-German scored a total of 9 points.

The ex-ALBA man played a major role in the win as Barcelona outrebounded the guests 38-31. ALBA had one offensive rebound than the hosts, but Barcelona was much better in using those chances with an 18-8 advantage in second-chance points.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="ca" dir="ltr">𝐃𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞-𝐝𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞 🆚 el seu exequip<br><br>🔟 punts<br>🔟 rebots<br><br>Bon partit, Oscar! 👏 <a href="https://t.co/WEHNyiCKIf">pic.twitter.com/WEHNyiCKIf</a></p>&mdash; Barça Basket (@FCBbasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBbasket/status/1756075803928871125?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 9, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Barcelona and ALBA also committed the same number of turnovers, 19, but the Spanish side really got out in transition. Barcelona outscored ALBA 28-18 in points off turnovers.

In general, Barcelona was very efficient if it got a shot off. Roger Grimau’s men hit 64.0% on two-pointers and connected on 36.8% of its shots from long range.  And the team was solid defensively, holding ALBA to 50.0% on two-pointers and 33.3% from behind the arc.

More Barcelona News

Oscar da Silva of FC Barcelona in action against ALBA Berlin in Round 26 of the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.

The forward, now in his third EuroLeague season, had a night to remember in Round 26.

Oscar da Silva gave Barcelona a bit more juice against his former team 

FC Barcelona v ALBA Berlin (2024-02-09T19:30:00.000Z)

Vladimir Avramovic beat everyone else in Round 26 with his team Manjaca1, which had a Fantasy Challenge score of 254.55.

EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge Round 26 winner

Vladimir Avramovic beat everyone else in Round 26 with his team Manjaca1, which had a Fantasy Challenge score of 254.55.

Dusan had the following lineup: team captain Codi Miller-McIntyre of Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz, Laurynas Birutis of Zalgiris Kaunas, Mike James of AS Monaco, Wade Baldwin of Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv, and Alec Peters of Olympiacos Piraeus as starters.

His sixth man was Shavon Shields of EA7 Emporio Armani Milan, while the rest of the bench was made up of Will Clyburn of Anadolu Efes Istanbul, his teammate Tibor Pleiss, Edwin Jackson of LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne and Adam Hanga of Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade. His head coach was Roger Grimau of FC Barcelona.

The prize for finishing first in Round 26 is a free subscription to Euroleague TV for the 2024-25 season, so congratulations, Vladimir!

Ilias Preveza stays as the leader of the EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge overall standings with 4,667.95 points.

Trades are now open for Round 27. Remember, we have unlimited trades before this round!

The first game in Round 27, ALBA Berlin vs. Maccabi tips off on Thursday, February 29, at 20:00 CET. This fixture marks the deadline to get trades done, so don’t leave it too late!

Make new teams now or improve your existing ones and try to become our next round winner in the EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge!

Turkish Airlines EuroLeague fans, we have our 26th winner in the EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge! 

Mike James and Jordan Loyd shined as Monaco Basket beat Virtus Bologna in Round 26 of the 2023-24 EuroLeague season.

Mike James, Jordan Loyd powered Monaco Basket past Virtus Bologna

[Mike James](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mike-james/005985/) and [Jordan Loyd](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/jordan-loyd/009754/) combined for 45 points as [AS Monaco ground out a priceless 78-81 win at Virtus Segafredo Bologna](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/euroleague-live-blog-virtus-bologna-vs-as-monaco-basket/) in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, keeping up its challenge for a top-four finish at the end of the regular season.

The result left both teams on a 16-10 record, but Monaco is on the ascend as the French side celebrated its fifth win on the trot while Virtus has now lost three in its last six games, having come agonizingly close to overhauling a 15-point deficit.

### James, Loyd shined in Bologna

Virtus was undone by Monaco’s livewire backcourt pairing of Loyd and James, with the former scoring 12 points in the second quarter while the latter sank 9 in a row late in the game in the midst of a Virtus fightback which had turned the game on its head.

Loyd finished with a season-high 24 points and James netted 21, despite shooting 1-of-7 from downtown. However, James sank a clutch three-pointer down the stretch which kept Virtus at bay and ultimately paved the way for Monaco to have the last laugh.

Mike James and Jordan Loyd shined for AS Monaco against Virtus Segafredo Bologna in Round 26 of the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.

James, Loyd best plays vs. Virtus

James is now 29 points short of surpassing former Greek great Vassilis Spanoulis as the EuroLeague’s all-time top scorer, but that was the last thing on the 33-year-old playmaker’s mind after Monaco came out on top in a titanic tussle.

### An important win for Monaco

James heaped praise on Virtus and stressed that keeping the winning streak going was all that mattered at this stage of the regular season.

“They are a playoff team for sure,” James said of the hard-working Virtus outfit. “It was one of those games that neither team wanted to lose and we were just able to put up some stops in the end.”

Commenting on the imminent takeover of the throne as the competition’s top scorer, he added: “I could have got a little bit closer as I missed some shots that I should have made, but I am trying not to think about it too much. I am just trying to win games and help my team as much as I can.”

<center>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">🤑 𝙼𝚘𝚗𝚎𝚢 𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎 𝚖𝚊𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚛 ⌚️<br><br>🗡 Mike James clutch again 🆚️ <a href="https://twitter.com/VirtusSegafredo?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VirtusSegafredo</a> 😵<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RocaTeam?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RocaTeam</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EveryGameMatters?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EveryGameMatters</a> <a href="https://t.co/idbDIK9evv">pic.twitter.com/idbDIK9evv</a></p>&mdash; AS Monaco Basket 🇲🇨 (@ASMonaco_Basket) <a href="https://twitter.com/ASMonaco_Basket/status/1756082302650573054?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 9, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Loyd credited the team for a spirited performance and for showing character when Virtus looked like pulling off what would have been a spectacular comeback.

“Everybody was amazing tonight,” he stated. “We found a way to weather the storm in the third and fourth quarter and I am just super proud of the whole team effort. One game at a time. Any time you get a big win like this is amazing and we will try to keep it going.”

Head coach Sasa Obradovic also refused to get carried away, although he acknowledged it was a valuable victory against one of the competition’s in-form teams.

“We lost some rhythm early in the third quarter and they hit some incredible shots,” he said. “It’s a great win against a direct rival for a top-four finish. We are going to be happy tonight, but the job is not done yet and we have to stay focused.”

Jordan Loyd of AS Monaco gets up a shot against Virtus Segafredo Bologna in Round 26 of the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.

The French team’s dynamic duo was instrumental in forcing the hosts into submission.

Mike James, Jordan Loyd powered Monaco past Virtus

In a thriller at Stark Arena, Zalgiris Kaunas defeated KK Crvena zvezda 91-93 to make it three wins in a row in the EuroLeague.

Zalgiris won a 'complicated game' to keep win streak alive

In one of the closest games of this thrilling Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season, [Zalgiris Kaunas edged out Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade 91-93](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/euroleague-live-blog-kk-crvena-zvezda-vs-zalgiris-kaunas/) on Friday night.

During the 40-minute contest that went down to the wire, no team had a lead bigger than 6 points. The battle featured 20 lead changes and nine ties.

"It was a very complicated game, with a lot of small things impacting the momentum, the result and the rotations of the players," Zalgiris head coach Andrea Trinchieri said after the game.

His team spent the majority of the game in the lead, but had a really good response in the fourth quarter.

After two encouraging home wins, Zalgiris long to continue their rise up the standings and capitalise on the inside presence of Laurynas Birutis, while Zvezda are armed with the shooting threat posed by Nemanja Nedovic, who has secured 27 and 21 points in his previous two EuroLeague outings.

Crvena Zvevzda Meridianbet Belgrade-Zalgiris Kaunas | Round 26 Highlights | 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

After Zvezda opened the final stanza with a 7-0 run to get to its biggest lead of the night, 72-68, Zalgiris answered with a 0-7 run of its own to retake the lead and never trail again.

Zvezda did tie the game once again at 80-80 and had a possession where it could have taken the lead, but Zalgiris made a defensive stand and [Tomas Dimsa](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/tomas-dimsa/003211/) hit a transition triple that gave the visitors the lead for good.

### Evans caught fire from deep

That was the last of Zalgiris's 13 triples on the night, and the best three-point shooting team in the league made them on 43.3% shooting in this contest. [Keenan Evans](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/keenan-evans/011218/) made 5-of-9 and finished the night with 25 points.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Zalgiris app users had no doubt - <a href="https://twitter.com/K3vans12?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@K3vans12</a> was the MVP tonight! 🥵 <a href="https://t.co/C6bvskQEvA">pic.twitter.com/C6bvskQEvA</a></p>&mdash; BC Zalgiris Kaunas (@bczalgiris) <a href="https://twitter.com/bczalgiris/status/1756081648821522669?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 9, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Three-point shooting was one of the major differences in the game, as Zvezda was just 7-of-19 from long range.

For Zalgiris, which survived being outrebounded 33-25 and had a hard time slowing down [Yago Dos Santos](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/yago-dos-santos/012044/), who had 21 points and 14 rebounds, it is its sixth win in nine games since Coach Trinchieri took over.

"I had a total of eight practices with the team so far, so I cannot say what we can do, but I can say that the team is following me," Trinchieri pointed out.

Zalgiris has now won four of its last five games, including three in a row, and improved to an 11-15 record, just two wins away from the play-in places.

More Zalgiris News

Keenan Evans of Zalgiris Kaunas in action against Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade in Round 26 of the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.

It proved to be a roller-coaster contest against Crvena Zvezda at Stark Arena.

Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade v Zalgiris Kaunas (2024-02-09T19:00:00.000Z)

Kendrick Nunn led Panathinaikos B.C. in its win against Fenerbahçe Beko, with the American taking 22 two-point shots.

Kendrick Nunn's two-pointers rescued Panathinaikos in Round 26

Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens rallied from an early double-digit deficit [to beat Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul 74-63](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/euroleague-live-blog-panathinaikos-bc-vs-fenerbahce-beko/) at OAKA in Round 26 on Friday, as it grabbed its 16th win of the season. Once again, [Kendrick Nunn](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/kendrick-nunn/012774/) played a key role in a win for the Greens.

Panathinaikos had a good start to the game as [Marius Grigonis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/marius-grigonis/002328/) buried a three-pointer and [Mathias Lessort](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mathias-lessort/003842/) soon followed that with a wild one-handed slam. That dunk, however, happened to be Panathinaikos's only two-point made in the entire first quarter. The Greens hit 1-of-10 two-pointers (10% 2FG) and grabbed 3 offensive rebounds, but Fenerbahce managed to tie the battle of the boards, 11-11, and made 7-of-9 two-pointers to get a 13-21 margin.

### A second-quarter turnaround

In need to bounce back, Panathinaikos found new go-to guys in [Panagiotis Kalaitzakis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/panagiotis-kalaitzakis/011209/) and Nunn. Panathinaikos attacked the rim more effectively, going 11-of-16 on two-point shots (68.8% 2FG). The Greens outrebounded Fenerbahce 9-2 in the second quarter, pulling down 4 offensive boards and forcing Fenerbahce to pick up 6 turnovers in those 10 minutes. Both teams' second-quarter PIR said it all: Panathinaikos amassed a PIR of 35 and Fenerbahce had a PIR of -2.

Kendrick Nunn of Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens took 22 two-point shots against Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul. The last time a player took 22 or more two-point shots in a EuroLeague game was David Andersen of Virtus Segafredo Bologna in an 80-72 road loss against Slask Wroclaw on January 15, 2003.

Nunn's two-pointers made the difference

The Greens ended up taking 51 two-point shots, a new season high and its most attempts inside the arc since also shooting 51 two-pointers in a 94-87 home victory against Valencia Basket on January 31, 2020. Nunn took 22 two-point shots, by far the most of any player this season; Jan Vesely of FC Barcelona had the previous season high with 18 two-point attempts. The last time a player took 22 or more two-point shots in a EuroLeague game was David Andersen of Virtus Segafredo Bologna in an 80-72 road loss against Slask Wroclaw on January 15, 2003.

Nunn played one-on-one for the best part of the second half, which made Panathinaikos finish the game with 9 assists. ALBA Berlin and Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade also managed to get respective wins this season in games with just 9 assists. 

<center>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">“Very important victory, so you deserve an off day for tomorrow”<br><br>Coach Ataman’s speech after the home win against <a href="https://twitter.com/FBBasketbol?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FBBasketbol</a> 💚🙌🏼<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeTheGreens?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeTheGreens</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/paobcaktor?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#paobcaktor</a> <a href="https://t.co/SJQmJSdE3l">pic.twitter.com/SJQmJSdE3l</a></p>&mdash; Panathinaikos BC (@paobcgr) <a href="https://twitter.com/paobcgr/status/1756075301392556310?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 9, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

### Contrasting teammates

The former Miami Heat guard finished Friday night's contest with a PIR of 11. His teammate [Juancho Hernangomez](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/juancho-hernangomez/012712/) amassed a PIR of 18 on just 2 two-point attempts, in addition to recording 8 rebounds, 3 steals and 3 fouls drawn. 

Above all, after going 1-of-10 in the first quarter, Panathinaikos hit 25-of-41 two-point shots the rest of the way (61.0% 2FG) and that proved to be the biggest key in its important victory.

More Panathinaikos News

Kendrick Nunn of Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens gets past Scottie Wilbekin of Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul in Round 26 of the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.

The American guard was a focal part of the Greens' offense in a comeback win against Fenerbahce.

Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens v Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (2024-02-09T19:15:00.000Z)

Nick Calathes made history on Friday night by reaching the landmark of 2,000 EuroLeague assists in Fenerbahçe Beko's game at Panathinaikos B.C.

Nick Calathes becomes first player to reach 2,000 EuroLeague assists

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul's [Nick Calathes](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nick-calathes/001932/) has reached yet another milestone by becoming the first player to record 2,000 career assists in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague. The 35-year-old, a EuroLeague champion in 2011, dished his 2,000th assist by finding Amine Noua for a score during Fenerbahce’s Round 26 game on the road at Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens, where he played for eight years across two spells.

Now in his 12th EuroLeague season, Calathes continues to dazzle with his playmaking ability on the court. He spent his opening eight campaigns with Panathinaikos in two stints, from 2009 to 2012 and then from 2015 to 2020. Calathes dished more than half of his career assists, 1,260, in 211 games with the Greens. He went to play for FC Barcelona, recording 451 assists in 70 contests. Calathes is in his second season with Fenerbahce, where he dished 292 assists in 62 appearances.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">EuroLeague&#39;de tüm zamanların asist lideri ünvanını koruyan oyuncumuz Nick Calathes, Panathinaikos Aktor karşısında 2️⃣0️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ asist barajını aşıyor!<br><br>Congrats <a href="https://twitter.com/Nick_Calathes15?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Nick_Calathes15</a>! 👏<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/YellowLegacy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#YellowLegacy</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EuroLeague?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EuroLeague</a> <a href="https://t.co/87T31YNwpD">pic.twitter.com/87T31YNwpD</a></p>&mdash; Fenerbahçe Beko (@FBBasketbol) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBBasketbol/status/1756041100324712770?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 9, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

His first EuroLeague career assist came on February 11, 2010, as he found Drew Nicholas for a layup in an 83-71 road loss with Panathinaikos against Barca. Calathes won the 2010-11 EuroLeague title with Panathinaikos playing alongside Dimitris Diamantidis, the first player to reach 1,000 career assists.

He holds the record for the most assists in a playoff game, having dished 16 for Panathinaikos against Real Madrid on April 17, 2018. Calathes also holds the record for most assists in a EuroLeague season, notching 286 in the 2018-19 campaign. Calathes has had 14 or more assists 10 times in his career. The rest of the players in the EuroLeague all-time have combined for 21 games with 14 or more assists.

Nick Calathes's top 10 assists after reaching 2,000 for his career

His best mark is 18 assists, which Calathes achieved twice: against Buducnost VOLI Podgorica in 2019 and CSKA Moscow in 2020. In that game against Buducnost, Calathes added 11 points and 12 rebounds to record the third-ever triple-double in EuroLeague history. Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz’s [Codi Miller-McIntyre recorded just the fourth double-double in competition history](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/codi-miller-mcintyre-special-night-triple-double-assist-record/) on Thursday night.

Calathes is the runaway leader in assists. Sergio Rodriguez ranks second with 1,837, followed by Kostas Sloukas (1,615) and Vassilis Spanoulis (1,607).

More Nick Calathes News

Nick Calathes has become the first player in Turkish Airlines EuroLeague history to reach 2,000 assists.

The veteran guard has written his name further into the EuroLeague history books.