Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade and EA7 Emporio Armani Milan came into Round 13 after playing overtime games 48 hours earlier and it was the home team that found more energy in the second half to pull away.

Partizan found late energy to rally past Milan

Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade and EA7 Emporio Armani Milan came into Round 13 after both played overtime games only two days earlier. Partizan defeated AS Monaco 89-85 while Milan lost to FC Bayern Munich on the road, 91-84. Before this game, both coaches stressed how important energy would be, given the short margin for recovery after two very demanding contests for both squads.

And, at the beginning of the game, it seemed that the team that had managed to recover better and faster was Milan, as the guests started at full throttle and displayed an incredible offensive performance that led to a 20-25 edge at the end of the first quarter and a 45-60 advantage after 25 minutes.

Partizan looked stuck and empty, but soon after that was when Kevin Punter and Zach LeDay took over to spark a 12-0 run in 3 minutes that made it a 1-point game entering the last period. Both combined for 10 points in that time span, revitalizing their team and reanimating their fans.

Punter, LeDay led Partizan's second-half comeback against Milan

Punter LeDay led Partizan's second-half comeback against Milan

“Coach put me in some actions, and I give credit to him”, said LeDay after the game. “I was kind of in the corner a little bit, but he put me in some actions in the second half and we were able to take some advantage for us. And at the end of the day, we brought some energy, and the crowd helped us as well.”

Partizan continued rocking in the last quarter, punishing with another 15-0 run that definitely turned the game upside down. Milan had only 6 points in the last period and was totally suffocated by a red-hot Partizan, which looked like it was in a trance on both ends of the floor. LeDay scored 13 of his 15 points in the second half, while Punter had 12 of his 19 in the last 12 minutes of the game.

Asked to explain how Partizan went from a 15-point deficit to a 13-point victory in less than 15 minutes, Punter was very clear: “We got some stops first of all, we kept fighting, got to scoring the ball and the rest is history,” he said. “In the third quarter, we made a run late, started off a little slow for us, but we were able to finish it properly.”

“The result was 45-60 for them. It was a different game after we started to play”, Partizan head coach Zeljko Obradovic stated at the press conference. “We had an incredible comeback thanks to the energy, from the trust between ourselves and the support of our incredible fans.”

Game Videos

Game News

Kevin Punter and Zach LeDay came up big in the second half to pave the way for the hosts. 

Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade v EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (2023-12-07T19:30:00.000Z)

Reigning EuroLeague champion Real Madrid proved its title credentials in the most challenging circumstances after a balanced team effort saw them engineer an impressive 78-90 win at Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens, which completed a perfect week in Greece.

Deep roster allowed Real to overwhelm Panathinaikos in crunch time

Reigning EuroLeague champion Real Madrid proved its title credentials in the most challenging circumstances after a balanced team effort saw them engineer an impressive 78-90 win at Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens, which completed a perfect week in Greece.

Real’s victory in the OAKA Arena’s fervent atmosphere came on the back of Tuesday’s narrow 73-77 victory at Olympiacos Piraeus, again demonstrating that Real have a champion’s mettle as well as the deepest roster in the competition.

Panathinaikos was in seventh heaven after a 14-0 run in the first half saw the home team gain the upper hand, throwing the home fans into raptures as center Mathias Lessort galvanized them with 3 monstrous slam-dunks.

The visitors appeared to be reeling, but player-of-the-game Mario Hezonja then nailed a three-pointer and Facu Campazzo allowed Real to nose ahead 45-46 at halftime with a long two on the buzzer.

That set the tone for the second half, which featured one-way traffic as Real ran riot and went on a 22-1 rampage which turned a 51-48 deficit into a 52-70 lead and effectively killed the game off as a contest.

With Hezonja showing nerves of steel from the perimeter, Walter Tavares did his thing in the paint and Campazzo pulled the playmaking strings for the visitors. Former Panathinaikos forward Hezonja, who paced the visitors with 19 points, was humble in victory after he was given a rising ovation by the home fans at the end of a rip-roaring contest.

“It was great to see everybody again, you know what my feelings are for Athens and Panathinaikos,” Hezonja said. “The guys who came out in the second half established a very important balance for us and got some great stops on the defensive end.”

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">👏 El MVP <a href="https://twitter.com/autoheroespana?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@autoheroespana</a> frente al <a href="https://twitter.com/paobcgr?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@paobcgr</a> ha sido <a href="https://twitter.com/mariohezonja?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@mariohezonja</a> 👏 <a href="https://t.co/S5U5qQZT3V">pic.twitter.com/S5U5qQZT3V</a></p>&mdash; Real Madrid Basket (@RMBaloncesto) <a href="https://twitter.com/RMBaloncesto/status/1732871301558087692?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 7, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Tavares, who climbed up to 7th position on the EuroLeague’s all-time rebounds list, made it a double milestone as he also reached the 2,000 points mark in the competition: “Playing in the EuroLeague is a blessing, because day you come out to play against teams like this in a fantastic atmosphere,” he said. “I am happy to get those numbers and I will keep going.”

Panathinaikos relied heavily on Kendrick Nunn and Mathias Lessort, with the former pouring in 20 first-half points and the latter giving Real’s big men a roasting with some spectacular slam-dunks. However, they were subdued in the second half by the visitors, who ended the contest on 13-of-26 shooting from downtown while they also racked up 36 boards to the home side’s 28.

Panathinaikos, which made only 7-of-23 shots from three-point range, was also undone in sharing the ball as the hosts managed a mere 12 assists to Real’s 21, prompting head coach Ergin Ataman to concede that his team was second-best on the night.

“When you miss as many open shots as we did, Real will punish you,” he said. “They are a very good team and they know how to manage the game. They deserved to win.”

Counterpart Chus Mateo lauded his players for weathering the first-half storm. “We stayed together through the bad moments in the second quarter, we kept fighting and in the third quarter we broke away with some very good shooting,” he told the post-game press conference. “A great effort to beat two big opponents on the road this week.”

The hosts looked capable of staging an upset before they were blown away by the champs.

Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens v Real Madrid (2023-12-07T19:15:00.000Z)

History was made in Berlin as Anadolu Efes Istanbul star guard Shane Larkin and ALBA BERLIN big man Johannes Thiemann became the first pair players to register performance index ratings of 40 or more in the same game in what was a showdown for the ages. 

Larkin, Thiemann made history with monster performances 

History was made in Berlin as Anadolu Efes Istanbul star guard Shane Larkin and ALBA Berlin big man Johannes Thiemann became the first pair players to register performance index ratings of 40 or more in the same game in what was a showdown for the ages.

In a battle of teams ravaged by injuries, Larkin ended up getting more help from his teammates in an 89-97 road victory to complete the double round week with two wins.

“It’s next-man-up mentality, but not only for me but everybody on the team. We had a lot of big contributors tonight. We need to continue to do that. We have a lot of guys out injured, so everybody has to step up every game and do a little bit more than they did the night before,” said Larkin, who poured in a season high 32 points and also had a season high PIR of 41.

Larkin really took over in the second half. After scoring 10 points in the first 20 minutes, the Efes star shouldered the responsibly of scoring and some distributing. He drained 4 of his 5 three-pointers in the second half to go along with 22 points after the break.

Efes was missing seven of its top players but got strong showings from the bench. Mike Daum also hit 5 three-pointers in scoring 17 points, Dan Oturu threw down one big dunk after the next and hit for 10 points and Justus Hollatz added 9 points and 8 assists.

“This is a big win for us, a step in the right direction. We just need to continue to do that and we can be a good team,” Larkin said.

Thiemann also felt the need to do more as ALBA was also missing a number of leading players. The center scored 31 points to go with 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals and 4 fouls drawn for a PIR of 40. He set new career highs in scoring and index rating, besting the previous marks of 22 points and 30 PIR.

ALBA just couldn’t execute enough though, committing 19 turnovers and watching Efes turn them into 29 points.

Gabriele Procida had teamed up with Thiemann for 31 of ALBA’s 40 first half points and 36 of the team’s 39 PIR. But Procida finished the game stuck on the same 16 points he had after 20 minutes.

Tim Schneider and Matteo Spagnolo both added 12 points but no other ALBA player had more than 5 points. And Larkin and Efes got the best of ALBA.

The Efes guard and ALBA big man both had PIRs of 40+, marking the first time two players had done that in the same EuroLeague game.

ALBA Berlin v Anadolu Efes Istanbul (2023-12-07T19:00:00.000Z)

Partizan Belgrade erased a 15-point third-quarter deficit to defeat Olimpia Milano 82-69 in Round 13 of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season.

Partizan mounts monster run to dump Milan 82-69

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Down 15 points, the hosts used a 37-9 second-half run to turn the game on its head and race to victory. 

Real Madrid used a monster second-half run to pull away from Panathinaikos B.C. for a 78-90 win in Athens on Thursday. 

Real collects 78-90 road win at Panathinaikos

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Mario Hezonja scored 19 to lead 'Los Blancos' against his former club.

Shane Larkin led Anadolu Efes Istanbul to an 89-97 road win at ALBA Berlin with 32 points, upstaging Johannes Thiemann, who scored 31 in defeat.  

Game Blog: Efes storms to 89-97 finish in Berlin!

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Injury-riddled Efes completed a perfect week thanks to a 32-point effort from star guard Shane Larkin. 

Efes storms to 89-97 finish in Berlin!

Two of Tuesday's winners go head to head with fresh breezes of confidence at their backs despite mutual injury woes as ALBA (2-10) hosts Efes (6-6) in Berlin.

ALBA, Efes to decide a double-round sweep

[Rosters](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2023-24/alba-berlin-anadolu-efes-istanbul/E2023/109/#roster) | [Facts](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/tae2324-rs12-game-facts-ber-ist/) | [Notes](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/tae2324-rs12-game-notes-ber-ist/) | [Quotes](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/tae2324-rs13-prequotes-ber-ist/) |[ TV](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/tv-listings-el/)

ALBA's narrow victory over Zalgiris ended a six-game losing streak, and the host can take confidence from a much-improved defensive performance which allowed just 20 field goals to be converted by forcing 23 turnovers. Offensively, [Johannes Thiemann](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/johannes-thiemann/003958/) was again the main contributor with 16 points on 10-of-11 free throws, and dealing with his physical presence is a major challenge for Efes. That task will largely fall to [Tyrique Jones](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/tyrique-jones/011981/), who delivered a monster performance in Efes's win over Panathinaikos with 21 points and 13 rebounds including 7 at the offensive end, and he will look to maintain that form in Berlin.

[ALBA Stats](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/alba-berlin/statistics/ber/?season=2023-24&phase=All%20phases) | [Efes Stats](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/anadolu-efes-istanbul/statistics/ist/?season=2023-24&phase=All%20phases)

Gabriele Procida vs. Darius Thompson: On teams full of injuries, two dynamic perimeter contributors will be crucial on Thursday.

Last Game: 2022-23, Round 30, ALBA vs. Efes

Real (11-1) is aiming to complete a perfect Greek week as it travels to Panathinaikos (6-6), which wants to respond after losing at Efes on Tuesday. 

 Real visits Panathinaikos in age-old international rivalry 

[Rosters](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2023-24/panathinaikos-aktor-athens-real-madrid/E2023/110/#roster) | [Facts](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/tae2324-rs12-game-facts-pan-mad/) | [Notes](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/tae2324-rs12-game-notes-pan-mad/) | [Quotes](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/tae2324-rs13-prequotes-pan-mad/) |[ TV](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/tv-listings-el/)

The Greens couldn’t get their offense going on Tuesday, with nobody scoring more than 13 points, and will look to [Kostas Sloukas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/kostas-sloukas/001926/) to recover his best form after netting just 6 and 9 points in the last two games. Real showed its defensive excellence by holding Olympiacos to 71 points to claim victory in Piraeus on Tuesday, while [Mario Hezonja](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mario-hezonja/003108/) and [Dzanan Musa](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/dzanan-musa/006540/) delivered at the offensive end with 18 and 23 points, respectively. Head coach [Chus Mateo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/real-madrid/mad/mateo-chus/?season=E2023)'s deep roster has been further strengthened by [Carlos Alocen](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/carlos-alocen/010623/) returning from injury after 22 months out. The reigning champ will be a tough nut to crack at OAKA.

[Panathinaikos Stats](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/panathinaikos-aktor-athens/statistics/pan/?season=2023-24&phase=All%20phases) | [Madrid Stats](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/real-madrid/statistics/mad/?season=2023-24&phase=All%20phases)

Mathias Lessort vs. Vincent Poirier: Sparks will fly when two of the most exciting centers in the EuroLeague meet on Thursday.

Last Game: 2022-23, Round 22, Madrid vs. Panathinaikos

Real Madrid (11-1) is aiming to complete a perfect Greek week as it travels to Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens (6-6), which wants to respond after losing at Efes on Tuesday. 

Real visits Panathinaikos in age-old international rivalry 

After consecutive thrilling home wins, fast-rising Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (6-6) will look to make it three in a row against EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (4-8) which is looking to bounce back from two straight losses. 

Energy reserves to be tested as Partizan hosts Milan

[Rosters](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2023-24/partizan-mozzart-bet-belgrade-ea7-emporio-armani-milan/E2023/111/) | [Facts](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/tae2324-rs12-game-facts-par-mil/) | [Notes](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/tae2324-rs12-game-notes-par-mil/) | [Quotes](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/tae2324-rs13-prequotes-par-mil/) |[ TV](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/tv-listings-el/)

Both teams had overtime games on Tuesday night, with Partizan overcoming Monaco while Milan lost at Bayern, so energy reserves will be tested and Milan’s extra travel miles could be a hindrance. The return of [Kevin Punter](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/kevin-punter/009862/) from injury has given a fresh dimension to Partizan’s attack with 13 and 25 points, while recent signing [Bruno Caboclo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/bruno-caboclo/012096/) has strengthened the frontcourt and grabbed 4 offensive boards on Tuesday. Milan can always count on [Shavon Shields](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/shavon-shields/007831/), who netted 26 points in the loss at Bayern, but [Ettore Messina](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/ea7-emporio-armani-milan/mil/messina-ettore/?season=E2023) needs more of his players to consistently deliver.

[Partizan Stats](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/partizan-mozzart-bet-belgrade/statistics/par/?season=2023-24&phase=All%20phases) | [Milan Stats](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/ea7-emporio-armani-milan/statistics/mil/?season=2023-24&phase=All%20phases)