The greatest team vs. the greatest coach. Real Madrid's 10 continental titles – two more than any other club – vs. Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade head coach Zeljko Obradovic's nine – two more than any other individual. An oversimplification? Not really, because those are more than accolades.

Real vs. Partizan: G.O.A.T. vs. G.O.A.T.

The greatest team vs. the greatest coach. Real Madrid's 10 continental titles – two more than any other club – vs. Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade head coach Zeljko Obradovic's nine – two more than any other individual. An oversimplification? Not really, because those are more than accolades.

True, you won't see "tradition" or "excellence" across the back of any jersey in this series, but both play huge roles, beginning with the rosters themselves.

Players worldwide drop whatever they were doing when Real and Obradovic call, because both are seen as tickets to the kind success that starts with winning in the playoffs, nothing less. Their interest is the highest form of basketball flattery, and dressing in Real white or playing under Coach Obradovic transforms many players.

Being invited to walk through Real's door comes with an understanding that you are meant to win titles – now. Upside is what the club's junior teams are for.

"The objective is to compete for every possible title," Sergio Llull said after becoming team captain before last season. "It's a huge club, one of the greatest in the world, and when you come here, you have to accept this responsibility and this pressure."

Likewise, if Obradovic has called, it's because he has seen in you a capacity to win titles. To do so, you will go through his basketball masterclass and come out a smarter, tougher, more skillful and more confident player.

In 2004, few beyond Greek basketball insiders knew of Dimitris Diamantidis when Obradovic signed the shy 24-year-old. After a short time watching Diamantidis try to fit in, Obradovic told him: "We don't have time. You must to be a leader immediately; we signed you because of this." They would win three EuroLeagues in the next seven seasons with Diamantidis as Final Four MVP twice.

Obradovic's deep well of knowledge and experience let him change tactics on the fly. He's been known to scrap entire gameplans in a first-quarter timeout because he already read a better idea from the action. Extend that over a five-game series, when both sides are obliged to constantly adjust at every turn, and having Obradovic in charge is an undeniable advantage.

Though heading the bench for the first time in the playoffs, Chus Mateo is true Madrid stock. He started with Real in his 20s, left and became a EuroLeague head coach with Unicaja Malaga, then returned to assist Pablo Laso on the 2015 and 2018 EuroLeague title teams. He not only understands the imperative of success, but has been part of making it happen.

None of which is to ignore the players.

Real veterans Llull, Rudy Fernandez, Sergio Rodriguez, Walter Tavares and Fabien Causeur, among others, have a 132-77 record in the playoffs over their careers and have all lifted the EuroLeague trophy. Their teammates Gabriel Deck, Guerschon Yabusele, Vincent Poirier, Mario Hezonja and Dzanan Musa came to Real because they want the same.

While Partizan's players have combined for just 50 playoff games played and 24 wins, they just might be even hungrier. Kevin Punter, Ioannis Papapetrou, Dante Exum have all been to the Final Four and come up empty-handed, unlike their teammate James Nunnally, who won it under Obradovic in 2017. The rest are just waiting for the chance to show they belong there, too.

But in this series, the players are part of something bigger, something they chose when joining Real and Obradovic.

The case for Real is that tradition truly matters, that wearing that white jersey means no excuses are even entertained, let alone accepted, a mindset that flips pressure into a great confidence-builder.

The case for Partizan is that Obradovic is pulling the strings and his players believe 100% in his instincts. About 18,000 diehards lifting Stark Arena off its foundations doesn't hurt, either.

Predictions are fun, and history tells you to go with the home team, even in this one.

But this series is less about fun than destiny.

These playoffs are the proving grounds.

Real Madrid v Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (2023-04-25T18:45:00.000Z)

Here’s a statement that would have been unthinkable just a few short years ago: The Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Playoffs will begin in Monaco! AS Monaco will host Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv in Game 1 of their best-of-five series on Tuesday night at 20:15 CET. Monaco is in the playoffs for the second time in as many seasons in Europe's premier competition, while Maccabi is a six-time continental champion. The opener will be the fifth meeting ever between these sides and the home team has won every time. Let's look back at their two clashes this season.

 This season's precedents: Monaco vs. Maccabi 

This will be just the fifth time these two teams face each other in the EuroLeague. So far, their record is tied at 2-2.

After being named MVP in the last EuroBasket having led Spain to the gold medal, Lorenzo Brown has also been one of the most determinant guards in the league.

Donta Hall is a dunk specialist that has always been one of Monaco's main contributors.

Bonzie Colson has had a stellar maiden season in the EuroLeague with Maccabi and will hope to help his team return to the Final Four.

Mike James has been, once again, the main factor that led Monaco to its second playoffs appearance in its second EuroLeague season.

Wade Baldwin has had a solid second half of the season, which led to him being named MVP for April.

Donta Hall specializes in acrobatics inside the paint, both in offense and also on defense (0.9 blocks per game).

Both teams have fearsome backcourt lineups, including ace scorers Jordan Loyd and Lorenzo Brown for Monaco and Maccabi, respectively.

Mike James averages 16.3 points per game this season, plus 3.6 rebounds and 4.6 assists.

Veteran big man Donatas Motiejunas made his EuroLeague debut in 2007 with Zalgiris Kaunas and hopes to qualify for his first Final Four 17 years later.

Wade Baldwin has scored a total 38 points against Monaco in their two games during the regular season.

In his second EuroLeague season, John Brown will be playing his first playoff series. 

Maccabi and Monaco met for the first time this season in Tel Aviv in Round 3 and things did not start well for the home side. Monaco dominated out of the gate and led by as many as 19 in the second quarter. Back-to-back threes by John DiBartolomeo and Wade Baldwin at the end of the third quarter triggered what proved to be a 15-0 run that got Maccabi back in the game. Baldwin remained how with 12 fourth-quarter points as [the hosts took charge late to win 78-70](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2022-23/maccabi-playtika-tel-aviv-as-monaco/E2022/22/). Maccabi outscored Monaco 32-11 over the game's final 11 minutes. Baldwin finished with 21 points and Lorenzo Brown contributed 13 points and 7 assists for the winners. Jordan Loyd paced Monaco with 21 points and Mike James added 15.

Two of the competition's most explosive teams go head-to-head with both bidding to underline their grand ambitions with the backcourt showdown between Lorenzo Brown and Mike James predicted by many to be decisive.

Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv vs AS Monaco - Round 3 - Highlights

Their second meeting was just last month and it had several similarities to their first game. Once again Monaco took control early, surging to a 14-2 start with 5 points coming from Donatas Motiejunas. The margin reached 14, but once again Maccabi fought its way back and tied the score late in the second quarter. A triple by Loyd gave Monaco a 39-36 edge at halftime and the teams traded shots throughout the third, which ended with Maccabi up 58-59. This time, it was Monaco that dominated late, outscoring Maccabi 15-0 to open the fourth quarter and 28-8 overall in the final 10 minutes to [claim the win, 86-67](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2022-23/as-monaco-maccabi-playtika-tel-aviv/E2022/226/). Loyd led a balanced attack with 15 points and Elie Okobo added 14. Baldwin netted 17 for Maccabi in defeat.

A battle of backcourt stars awaits in a matchup loaded with postseason-implications. Maccabi's Lorenzo Brown and Wade Baldwin shone against Bayern, but Monaco's trio of home guards in Mike James, Jordan Loyd and Elie Okobo could prove an even tougher duel.

AS Monaco vs Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv - Round 26 - Highlights

This season's precedents: Monaco vs. Maccabi

AS Monaco v Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv (2023-04-25T18:15:00.000Z)

Olympiacos Piraeus takes on Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul in this year's Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Playoffs. Both teams have strengths and weaknesses, and finding them out before your opponent finds out yours should be the biggest key to this series.

The cases for both Olympiacos and Fenerbahce

[Olympiacos Piraeus](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/olympiacos-piraeus/roster/oly/?season=2022-23) takes on [Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/fenerbahce-beko-istanbul/roster/ulk/?season=2022-23) in this year's Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Playoffs. Both teams have strengths and weaknesses, and finding them out before your opponent finds out yours should be the biggest key to this series.

 Fenerbahce head coach Dimitris Itoudis is going to the playoffs without the home-court advantage for the first time in his EuroLeague head coaching career, and Olympiacos is arguably the favorite to go all the way.

Olympiacos Piraeus averages 21.7 assists per game so far this season. Here are some of the best.

Olympiacos shares the ball at record pace

### The Reds have been rolling

Olympiacos has plenty of reasons to be self-confident. The Reds ranked first at the end of the regular season with a 24-10 record, were 14-3 at home and enter the playoffs on a nine-game winning streak at Peace and Friendship Stadium, where they've been undefeated in 2023. Overconfidence, however, has been an issue in the past, so keeping that in mind should help head coach Georgios Bartzokas's team.

In 2011, Olympiacos opened its playoffs series with a overwhelming 89-41 home win against Montepaschi Siena, breaking a lot of records, but went on to lose its next three games and miss the Final Four. The Reds learned from their mistakes: in 2012, the same teams met again in the playoffs, but even when Siena had the home-court advantage, Olympiacos stole Game 1 on the road and stayed strong at home to win the series and, eventually, lift the EuroLeague trophy.

 In 2017 and 2022, Olympiacos lost one home game each to Anadolu Efes Istanbul and AS Monaco, respectively, but still managed to make it to the Final Four. In 2018, Olympiacos could not overcome a Game 1 overtime home loss to Zalgiris and lost that series 1-3. Being fully focused at home and turning Peace and Friendship Stadium into the fortress it was in Game 5 against Monaco last season is one of the biggest keys for the Reds. 

Olympiacos is well on its way to finishing the season with the best assist ratio in competition history. So far, Olympiacos has dished 21.8 assists per game, better than the current record of 21.4 held by Real Madrid since the 2014-15 season. Olympiacos needs its two pass-first point guards, Thomas Walkup and Kostas Sloukas, to dictate the tempo and get the team's best finishers involved – Sasha Vezenkov in particular.

### Fenerbahce has experience and motivation

Fenerbahce, of course, has its own strengths. Coach Itoudis is a master of finding advantages during the games, reading situations and capitalizing on them. Fenerbahce has a lot of versatility at forward and center, whether opening the floor with DyShawn Pierre and Nigel Hayes-Davis together on court, or using centers Johnathan Motley and Tonye Jekiri at the same time to find dominate the paint.

Disrupting Olympiacos's rhythm is one of the keys and Fenerbahce has the optimal players to do so. Nick Calathes has been playing against Sloukas and Walkup for many years and Tyler Dorsey was their teammate last season, so both have plenty of information that goes beyond plain scouting.

It remains to be seen in which physical condition Nemanja Bjelica will be in this series. So far, Bjelica has gone unnoticed, but he is the same player that averaged 10 minutes per night in the NBA playoffs last season, helping Golden State win the title. Bjelica has an unique combination of experience, talent, ballhandling and versatility that could make him the x-factor in this series. 

### The fans are already winners

The pressure is on Olympiacos, and it has not always used its home-court advantage well in the past. Luckily for the Reds, history does not determine what happens on the court, and Bartzokas will have then ready for a big playoffs battle. Olympiacos fans should not expect an easy series: Fenerbahce missed the playoffs last season after six consecutive appearances and is back to use its weapons and make some noise. EuroLeague fans are in for a treat: it should be a truly exciting series!

Olympiacos Piraeus v Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (2023-04-26T18:45:00.000Z)

Olympiacos Piraeus v Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (2023-04-28T18:30:00.000Z)

Two of European basketball's juggernauts will go to battle in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Playoffs, as No. 3 seed Real Madrid takes on No. 6 seed Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade. 

This season's precedents: Real Madrid vs. Partizan

Two of European basketball's juggernauts will go to battle in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Playoffs, as No. 3 seed Real Madrid takes on No. 6 seed Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade. This series gets underway at WiZink Center on Tuesday night at 20:45 CEST, as Real gets to host the first two games courtesy of being the higher seed. *Los Blancos* have made the playoffs the last 10 years straight – ignoring the pandemic-affected season in 2019-20 – whereas Partizan is back in the postseason for the first time since 2010, having only returned to the EuroLeague this season following a nine-year absence. Let's take a look at how Real and Partizan fared against one another this season.

Real Madrid and Partizan will face in a playoff series. Both teams have played each other 18 times in the EuroLeague since 2000, with Real having won 15 of those clashes.

Mathias Lessort is having a break-out season with Partizan in the EuroLeague, leading the league with 7.3 rebounds per game.

Sergio Llull is in his 16th straight season with Real in the EuroLeague. He scored a total 3,667 points with the white jersey.

Big man Zach LeDay is already in the best scoring season of his four-campaign career in the EuroLeague.

Walter Tavares is one of the most dominant players in the league. He has already broken a record with 77 blocks so far this season.

Kevin Punter is one of the main engines of this Partizan team. He averages 15.5 points and 2.4 assists.

Adam Hanga will be looking to make another Final Four and try to lift his first title after nine EuroLeague seasons.

Young Alen Smailagic made his EuroLeague debut this season and will be looking to win its first playoff series also.

Dzanan Musa has been one of the offensive leaders for Los Blancos this season thanks to his 15.5 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.6 assists.

Lessort has been a dominant force in paints all across the continent this season.

Alberto Abalde has become a valuable piece in the Real Madrid machine after five seasons in the EuroLeague.

Aleksa Avramovic is another of the Partizan players making his EuroLeague debut this season.

Coming into this year, Real had a 14-2 all-time record against Partizan, and that was extended to 15-2 when it [downed the Serbian side 105-97](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2022-23/real-madrid-partizan-mozzart-bet-belgrade/E2022/85/) in a highly entertaining game in Madrid in Round 10. It was an incredibly fast start for both teams, with Partizan leading 32-40 after the opening 10 minutes, but Real managed to end the final three quarters ahead – 54-51, 86-74 and 105-97 – despite a late rally from the visitors in the final minutes of the game. Sergio Llull, who should make his return from injury in this series, led five Real scorers in double figures with 20 points. Walter Tavares had 17, Mario Hezonja and Gabriel Deck scored 15 apiece, and Dzanan Musa chipped in with 14. For Partizan, Zach LeDay tied Llull's mark of 20 points, with Dante Exum scoring 17, Kevin Punter contributing 16, James Nunnally recording 15 and Danilo Andjusic ending the night with 13.

Following an unfortunate loss to Barcelona, progressing Partizan remain in Spain to take on a title-contending Los Blancos team that have romped to four consecutive successes as they try to keep pace in the upper-echelons of the standings.

Real Madrid vs Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade - Round 10 - Highlights

When the two sides met in Round 32 at Stark Arena, another high-scoring game ensued, but this time [Partizan won 104-90](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2022-23/partizan-mozzart-bet-belgrade-real-madrid/E2022/288/) to improve its overall record against Real to 15-3. This time, it was a slower start for both teams, with the score 21-23 in *Los Blancos*' favor after 10 minutes, but Partizan responded with a 28-15 second quarter to go into halftime up 49-38. The highest-scoring quarter of the game came in the third, with Real outgunning the hosts 29-34, but Partizan still led, 78-72, when it finished. Then, head coach Zeljko Obradovic's side closed the game out in the fourth, bettering Real's 18 points by scoring 26 to send the home crowd into raptures and come away with a 104-90 victory. Six Partizan scorers reached double figures that night, with Punter and Mathias Lessort pacing the side with 16 apiece. Exum had 15 and Nunnally 14, while Alen Smailagic finished with 11 and Ioannis Papapetrou recorded 10. Dzanan Musa scored a game-high 22 points for Real. Hezonja and Deck once again had the same number of points – this time, 17 – and Adam Hanga had 10. Walter Tavares fouled out midway through the fourth quarter, when Partizan was up 89-76, after contributing 7 points.

Partizan attempt to remedy a home loss to Barcelona via another stern visitor in the form of Los Blancos, who have verified WiZink Center leverage in the playoffs. Prepare for a battle between two of the league's top stars, with Mathias Lessort striving to dominate the paint over Walter Tavares.

Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade vs Real Madrid - Round 32 - Highlights

After 34 rounds in the 2022-23 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season, here we are – the playoffs! Unlike in other leagues, each EuroLeague regular-season game is treated like a playoff fixture, but the elimination element of the postseason makes it a captivating prospect for fans and neutrals alike. After all, this is the platform upon which players can turn themselves into legends.

 Barcelona vs. Zalgiris: Depth takes on devotion 

After 34 rounds in the 2022-23 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season, here we are – the playoffs! Unlike in other leagues, each EuroLeague regular-season game is treated like a playoff fixture, but the elimination element of the postseason makes it a captivating prospect for fans and neutrals alike. After all, this is the platform upon which players can turn themselves into legends.

Looking solely on paper, [FC Barcelona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/fc-barcelona/roster/bar/?season=2022-23) and [Zalgiris Kaunas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/zalgiris-kaunas/roster/zal/?season=2022-23) are worlds apart. Barca, with one of the biggest budgets in the EuroLeague, has gone all in on trying to finally end its 13-year wait to lift Europe's biggest prize, whereas Zalgiris, with one of the smallest budgets in the competition, came into this season merely hoping to improve on last year's last-place finish. Against the odds, Zalgiris snuck into the playoffs as the seventh seed on the last day of the regular season, setting up a meeting with one of its favorite sons, Sarunsas Jasikevicius, and the No. 2 seed, Barca.

Both sides have good cases for advancing to the Final Four, and here's why.

### Why Barcelona will beat Zalgiris

Well, it makes sense, right? Barca has reached two straight Final Fours since Coach Jasikevicius arrived in 2020, losing in the championship game and the semifinals, respectively, and it also – as intimated above – has a roster that Zalgiris could only dream of.

The all-star ensemble at Barca – featuring Nikola Mirotic, Tomas Satoransky and Jan Vesely, to name just three – immediately made Barca one of the pre-season favorites to become the EuroLeague champion come the end of the campaign, and its second-place finish in the regular-season standings shows just how talented this team is. (In case you're wondering, the first-seed Olympiacos Piraeus had one more win than Barca.)

What's more, Barca really started to hit its stride down the final stretch of the regular season, going 10-3 in its last 13 games. In that run, the Blaugrana were able to comfortably beat Zalgiris 93-74 in Round 26, so their recent memories of facing the Lithuanian side will be positive. Barca has no major injury worries to be concerned about, too, aside from a knock picked up by Alex Abrines in Spanish League action. In short, it enters the playoffs feeling very good about itself.

Before the season, Barca was my personal prediction to become this year's EuroLeague champion – and I've felt even surer of that prophecy as the campaign has gone on. The way in which Barca can make life hell for its opponents defensively cannot be understated, while it has a plethora of options on offense, led by last year's MVP, Mirotic. The Spanish team is almost unstoppable when it is firing on all cylinders, which makes it the clear favorite in this series. This really does feel like Barca's year.

The best plays of FC Barcelona in the 2022-23 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season.

Barcelona's best plays, 2022-23

### Why Zalgiris will beat Barcelona

But, all of that said, Zalgiris has reasons to feel optimistic itself. All season long, Zalgirio Arena – the venue of this season's Final Four – has felt like a fortress for Zalgiris, as head coach Kazys Maksvytis and his players formed an incredibly close bond with the fans in attendance.

Now, just imagine the sort of atmosphere that Zalgiris's fans will create in the playoffs, especially knowing that it will get to play in the Final Four on its home floor if it defeats Barca three times out of five.

It will not be easy for Zalgiris – far from it – but the character and unity that the team showed throughout the entire campaign means that this team has a shot. There has been a playoff-esque vibe at every Zalgiris home game in 2022-23, and the players were effectively playing with a playoff-type mindset in the final few weeks of the campaign, going 6-2 in the team's final eight fixtures to book their ticket to the postseason. In fact, Zalgiris closed its regular season with a four-game winning streak, of which two came against playoff teams: AS Monaco and Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv. Zalgiris is ready for what is to come next.

With a whole nation cheering it on, Zalgiris has its sight set on a return to the Final Four for the first time since 2018, at which point Coach Jasikevicius was on the bench. Barca guard Rokas Jokubaitis was just a youngster at Zalgiris back then, but both he and Jasikevicius have already tasted defeat in Kaunas this season, losing 73-72 in Round 4. The Zalgiris crowd that day was electric, so don’t be surprised if the Barca players cannot even hear themselves think due to the deafening noise coming from the rafters. For Zalgiris, protecting its home court will be key… and then anything could happen back in Barcelona for Game 5.

The best plays of Zalgiris Kaunas in the 2022-23 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season.

Zalgiris's best plays, 2022-23

### My prediction

Really, it's hard to see beyond Barca making it three Final Four appearances out of three under Coach Jasikevicius. Its roster is so strong and it has recent playoff experience under its belt, with Zalgiris having not played in the postseason since 2019, so I think that Barca ends up wrapping up this series in four. Zalgirio Arena has been so key for Zalgiris this season, but playing its first two games on the road is tough. Then, if Barca goes 2-0 after Games 1 and 2, it needs just one in Kaunas – a victory I predict the Blaugrana to secure in Game 4.

Barcelona vs. Zalgiris: Depth takes on devotion

FC Barcelona v Zalgiris Kaunas (2023-04-28T18:00:00.000Z)

FC Barcelona v Zalgiris Kaunas (2023-04-26T18:00:00.000Z)

When Jaron Blossomgame joined AS Monaco last summer, it was not just a story of one high-level basketball player reaching one of the goals he set for himself just couple of years earlier. No, instead it was also an opportunity for a big fan of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague to compete for glory in Europe's premier club basketball competition.

Jaron Blossomgame, Monaco: 'You've got to learn to sacrifice'

When [Jaron Blossomgame](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/jaron-blossomgame/011231/) joined AS Monaco last summer, it was not just a story of one high-level basketball player reaching one of the goals he set for himself just couple of years earlier. It was also an opportunity for a big fan of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague to compete for glory in Europe's premier club basketball competition.

The 29-year-old, now coming towards the end of his debut season in the EuroLeague, was contacted by Monaco last summer after enjoying a breakout season at 7DAYS EuroCup side ratiopharm Ulm, where he was named to the All-EuroCup First Team in his first year playing in the competition. At Ulm, he averaged 16.2 points and 7.6 rebounds.

"I came \[to Europe\] with the goal of getting to the EuroLeague," Blossomgame said in an interview. "And it's been a heck of a journey for me."

His basketball journey, as for the great majority of American players, started in college; in Blossomgame's case, at Clemson University. His first three years as a pro saw Blossomgame spend time largely in the NBA G League, but also appearing in 27 NBA games with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Blossomgame started his European journey in Israel with Ironi Nahariya in 2020. The team won just three games all season, but he played great individually. Last season, he took the next step up, joining German club Ulm.

"I just continued to build and add to my game and mature as a player. Fortunately, that \[led to\] the EuroLeague opportunity with Monaco," Blossomgame explains.

"Every game literally matters, and you can sense that when you're watching the game."

Even though he did not know much about European basketball when he first arrived on the continent, he had a chance to start following Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv during his time in Israel, and noticed the step up in quality when he came up against them.

"You quickly understand that EuroLeague teams are a lot different, and they look a lot different, and run and operate a lot different than the other teams in the league," he notes.

When he moved to Ulm, he came up against two more EuroLeague teams: ALBA Berlin and FC Bayern Munich. Not only did more exposure to EuroLeague opponents strengthen his appreciation for their quality level, but he took such interest that he purchased a EuroLeague TV subscription.

"I actually subscribed and started watching a bunch of games last year," he says. "I kept up with Bayern, ALBA and Maccabi, and other big teams like Real Madrid or FC Barcelona. Obviously, I've also got a lot of friends playing in the EuroLeague, so I had communication with those guys, too."

Having had his an eye on joining the EuroLeague, when he arrived, Blossomgame already knew almost everything about the competition – both as a fan and as a competitor.

"It's a very competitive league," Blossomgame starts. "When you watch a game, it kind of jumps out off the screen at you \[just\] how high-level some of these guys are and how intense these games are, and how serious the fans take it."

"It's a highly competitive basketball; a lot of great players play in this league on numerous teams. And the other thing that jumps out immediately is that every game literally matters, and you can sense that when you're watching the game. It's also interesting that the teams maybe have a bad record, but they still have really high-level players, so in the EuroLeague you've got to be locked in every night."

Jaron Blossomgame's top plays of the 2022-23 Regular Season

Jaron Blossomgame 2022-23 regular season highlights

Playing time has varied for Blossomgame in his rookie EuroLeague season. He has been on court for more than 20 minutes in 14 of his 32 appearances, and fewer than 10 minutes in three games. He went scoreless five different times during the campaign, but was among the main protagonists in a thrilling win over ALBA Berlin and a playoff-clinching victory over Valencia Basket.

A prolific scorer during his entire career, Blossomgame has brought another mindset to the principality.

"The most important thing for myself, and a lot of players, is being self-aware," Blossomgame remarks.

"Knowing who you are as a player, knowing what you have to get better at, knowing what you do very, very well. And you've got to be a specialist in those areas."

"This is the EuroLeague – there are great players everywhere!"

In his first season on this side of the pond, playing in Israel, Blossomgame states that he was "asked to do so much every night". It was not that much different than in any other previous stop in his career.

Ever since his junior year in college, the 2015-16 season, Blossomgame averaged at least 15.4 points and at least 5.4 rebounds on any team he played for, which includes NCAA, the G League and the Israeli League, as well as the German League and the EuroCup last season. But Blossomgame joined Monaco knowing that his role would be very different.

"Whether it's defense, rebounding, three-point shooting or just being an all-around type of guy, you've got to be a valuable piece to add to these teams. You just hone in on one or two areas," Blossomgame says about his approach. "That's what the most important thing was: just me understanding who I am and how I'm going to be successful at this level, and continue to build on those areas".

That mindset, coupled with his self-awareness, makes Blossomgame an even more valuable piece. His opponents know that he has the possibility to go for 20-plus points, but first and foremost he is one of those team-first players whom every coach hopes to have on a team.

"I'm not going to be asked to go out there and score 20 points a night here," he says. "You've got to understand that, and you can't come in here and take that the wrong way. Because this is the EuroLeague – there are great players everywhere! So, you've got to learn to sacrifice and be ready when your name is called at all times."

Jaron Blossomgame, Monaco: 'You've got to be locked in every night'

The fans of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague voted with their feet. The 2022-23 regular season averaged the highest attendance of any on record with an average of 8,748 spectators per game! The previous record had been 8,676 fans during the 2019-20 campaign. 

EuroLeague regular season sets attendance records

- **Average of 8,748 fans per game is most ever**
- **2,668,148 attended regular season games**

The fans of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague voted with their feet. The 2022-23 regular season averaged the highest attendance of any on record with an average of 8,748 spectators per game! The previous record had been 8,676 fans during the 2019-20 campaign. 

More than half of the teams played in front of crowds of at least 80 percent capacity this season and four of them were at 90%. Zalgiris Kaunas and Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv led the way in that category; those two teams had 96% of the seats filled for their home games this season. Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade led the league in overall attendance, with 17,763 spectators per game while playing in front of 88% capacity.

There is a strong correlation between attendance and team performance, too. Six of the eight playoff teams boasted fill rates above 80% and five of the six teams that averaged more than 10,000 fans per game reached the playoffs. All told, it was a banner year for the EuroLeague with a total of 2,668,148 fans in attendance to watch all the action unfold. 

A battle between two thoroughly enjoyable teams to watch is soon set to take place in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Playoffs, as AS Monaco and Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv come up against one another in the 4-5 matchup. The fourth-seed Monaco ended the regular season with a 21-13 record, just one win more than the fifth-seed Maccabi, which ended the campaign with a 20-14 mark. There's not much to separate the two teams, who both come into this series feeling confident about their chances of making it to the Final Four, which adds even more intrigue to a fascinating series.

Breakdown: AS Monaco vs. Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv

A battle between two thoroughly enjoyable teams to watch is soon set to take place in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Playoffs, as [AS Monaco](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/as-monaco/roster/mco/?season=2022-23) and [Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/maccabi-playtika-tel-aviv/roster/tel/?season=2022-23) come up against one another in the 4-5 matchup. The fourth-seed Monaco ended the regular season with a 21-13 record, just one win more than the fifth-seed Maccabi, which ended the campaign with a 20-14 mark. There's not much to separate the two sides, who both come into this series feeling confident about their chances of making it to the Final Four, which adds even more intrigue to a fascinating series.

### Home team tends to succeed in this matchup

Since Monaco's rise to the EuroLeague ahead of the 2021-22 campaign, the French club and Maccabi have faced off four times. In those games, each team has two victories apiece – and they have all been triumphs for the home side. This season, Maccabi downed Monaco [78-70](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2022-23/maccabi-playtika-tel-aviv-as-monaco/E2022/22/) in Tel Aviv back in Round 3, before Monaco exacted revenge, [86-67](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2022-23/as-monaco-maccabi-playtika-tel-aviv/E2022/226/), in the principality in Round 26. As tends to be the case when playing at home – and even more so in a playoff series – there tends to be more scoring contributions from a wider range of players. For example, Maccabi had five players score 8 or more points in its win over Monaco in Israel, whereas in its road defeat just three players reached that mark. Conversely, for Monaco, four players scored 8 or more points in its defeat at Maccabi, but then seven players did so when it won in Round 26.

Add to that the fact that these two had the best home records this season and the case becomes even stronger. Monaco went 13-4 at Salle Gaston Medecin, good enough for the joint second-best mark in the EuroLeague, but Maccabi led the way this year with a 15-2 record at Menora Mivtachim Arena. The good news for Monaco and its head coach, Sasa Obradovic, is that it can lean on home-court advantage in this series, meaning that – should the history of Monaco vs. Maccabi repeat itself in the playoffs – it has the chance to go up 2-0 before travelling to Tel Aviv. If, as has happened in the past, Maccabi is able to protect its home court, then a decisive do-or-die Game 5 would take place in Monaco. Perhaps one of the main keys to the series will be which team can steal a game on the road.

### A turbulent Monaco vs. a red-hot Maccabi

Monaco may have finished ahead of Maccabi in the regular-season standings, but Coach Obradovic's squad didn’t have the steadiest of finishes to their campaign. After putting together a five-game winning streak between Rounds 26 and 30, Monaco lost three of its last four games. However, despite the disappointing run of results to close the regular season, it is worth noting that Monaco secured its place in the playoffs after its Round 30 win at Valencia Basket. With a strong position in terms of home-court advantage, it was perhaps only natural that the team took its foot off the gas. The important thing will now be to quickly rediscover its best level before it is too late.

For Maccabi, it is a different story. Led by head coach Oded Kattash, the Israeli side enters the playoffs in red-hot form, having gone 7-1 in its last eight games. Between Rounds 27 and 32, Maccabi surged up the standings and solidified its spot as a playoff team in the process, having previously spent some weeks on the outside looking in. There was a narrow defeat to Zalgiris Kaunas, 68-67, in Round 33, but that day did see Maccabi officially reach the playoffs as it lost by a margin of -1. Then, in the last game of the regular season, Maccabi managed to overcome Real Madrid 100-96 in overtime, giving it another boost as it heads into the playoffs.

### Great matchups wherever you look

All over the court, there are interesting battles to monitor in this series. Starting with the guards, two of the EuroLeague's best backcourts come head-to-head, as Monaco's trio of [Mike James](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mike-james/005985/), [Jordan Loyd](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/jordan-loyd/009754/) and [Elie Okobo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/elie-okobo/011212/) – the latter of whom comes off the bench – look to get the better of Maccabi's duo of [Lorenzo Brown](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/lorenzo-brown/009622/) and [Wade Baldwin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/wade-baldwin-iv/009863/). In particular, James and Brown will try to dictate the pace of their teams' offenses and make everything tick, while Okobo and Baldwin play more as combo guards. Maccabi is also able to call upon [Darrun Hilliard](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/darrun-hilliard/008989/) and [John DiBartolomeo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/john-dibartolomeo/007990/), who provide important minutes off the bench. For both teams, finding a way to slow down the other side's backcourt will be one of the big keys to the game.

The best plays of AS Monaco and Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv's guards in the 2022-23 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season.

Best plays: Monaco, Maccabi guards

Then, at the two forward positions, the intriguing matchups continue. Maccabi's do-it-all forward [Bonzie Colson](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/bonzie-colson/009783/) has taken to the EuroLeague like a duck to water in his debut campaign in the competition, but he has a tough task on his hands up against Monaco's own Swiss army knife, [Alpha Diallo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/alpha-diallo/011226/), who regularly makes his presence felt on both ends of the floor. [Jake Cohen](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/jake-cohen/005145/) started seven of Maccabi's last eight games down the stretch, yet the impact of Maccabi's two forwards off the bench cannot be underestimated, as [Jarell Martin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/jarell-martin/011967/) and [Roman Sorkin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/roman-sorkin/011219/) averaged a combined 14.8 points per game. Monaco almost always starts the defensive-minded [John Brown](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/john-brown/010588/) at the 4, so he will be tasked with trying to limit the impact of Martin and Sorkin.

Finally, in terms of big men, two of the most athletic centers in the EuroLeague – [Donta Hall](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/donta-hall/011196/) of Monaco and [Josh Nebo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/josh-nebo/011199/) of Maccabi – are preparing to bring their high-flying dunks into the playoffs, with Hall and Nebo having combined for many Magic Moments during the regular season. However, while Nebo regularly starts for Maccabi, Hall tends to begin the game as [Donatas Motiejunas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/donatas-motiejunas/lcz/)'s backup. Motiejunas, who was born in Kaunas, the venue of this year's Final Four, looks to use his mixture of strength and finesse in the paint, so how he matches up with Nebo from the off should be intriguing. Maccabi, meanwhile, has tended to give Sorkin minutes at the 5 when Nebo is on the bench, with the 26-year-old using his energy to grab offensive rebounds and score around the rim.

AS Monaco v Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv (2023-04-27T18:15:00.000Z)

### Reds sharing the ball at a historic rate

[Olympiacos Piraeus](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/olympiacos-piraeus/roster/oly/?season=2022-23) has already set a new EuroLeague single-season record for total assists with 740, topping the previous best of 736 by Anadolu Efes Istanbul in the 2020-21 campaign. Efes set its record in 41 games, including the playoffs and Final Four, on its way to that season's title. The previous highest number of assists in a regular season alone was 695 by Valencia Basket, also in the 2020-21 season. The Reds blew away those numbers and will add to their record with every assist that comes this season.

It's no surprise, then, that with 21.8 per game, Olympiacos is on pace to set the new all-time single-season record in average assists, too. [Real Madrid](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/real-madrid/roster/mad/?season=2022-23), with 21.5 in the 2014-15 season, is the only other team in competition history to have averaged more than 21.0 assists in a season. Indeed, just seven more teams ever topped 20.0 on average.

No assist-makers coming into these players did better than [Kostas Sloukas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/kostas-sloukas/001926/) and [Thomas Walkup](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/thomas-walkup/008855/), who each averaged 5.9, ranking third and fourth in the regular season, respectively. Five other Olympiacos players have more than 40 assists so far this regular season, including big man [Moustapha Fall](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/moustapha-fall/008811/) with 65, the most among centers this season, all of which makes defense against the Reds that much harder.

### Monaco's turnovers and takeaways

Taking care of the basketball is a main emphasis for every head coach ahead of any game. When it comes down to limiting turnovers or causing problems in that department for opponents, no team has been doing a better job this season than [AS Monaco](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/as-monaco/roster/mco/?season=2022-23). Through 34 regular season rounds, head coach Sasa Obradovic's men have committed a league-low 10.6 turnovers per game. Monaco held its turnover total to single digits in 14 games, which is tied with its playoff opponent, [Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/maccabi-playtika-tel-aviv/roster/tel/?season=2022-23), for the best in the league. Maccabi ranked fourth in the regular season, and second among playoff teams, with 11.2 turnovers per game, which makes their series even more intriguing.

However, Monaco is also the team that has done the best job in the EuroLeague in forcing turnovers. When playing against Monaco, opposing teams have averaged 14.4 turnovers. Monaco enters the playoffs second with 7.3 steals per game as [Alpha Diallo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/alpha-diallo/011226/) (1.4), [John Brown](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/john-brown/010588/) (1.3) and [Jordan Loyd](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/jordan-loyd/009754/) (1.2) all ranking in among the top 10 individuals in steals. Throw in the fact that Monaco has a 9-1 record in games when it dished more assists than the opposition, and it is pretty clear which are some of the key stats to watch for the team from the principality.

### Barcelona's three-point proficiency

Only 15 of the [30 players who shot 40.0% or better](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/stats/expanded/?size=200&viewType=traditional&seasonCode=E2022&statisticMode=accumulated&seasonMode=Single&sortDirection=descending&statistic=fieldGoals3Percent) from three-point range during the regular season will be in the playoffs. Four apiece come from [FC Barcelona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/fc-barcelona/roster/bar/?season=2022-23) (40.3% 3FG) and [Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/partizan-nis-belgrade/roster/par/?season=2022-23) (39.6%), the top two teams in three-point accuracy. There are no such players from Barcelona's playoff opponent, [Zalgiris Kaunas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/teams/zalgiris-kaunas/roster/zal/?season=2022-23) (ninth, 36.4%), nor from AS Monaco (31.7%), which ranked last in the regular season. Not just best in accuracy, Barcelona also ranks fourth in three-point shots made, and with 10.1 per game as the only playoff team in double digits. What's the most interesting, however, is that Barcelona was even better at shooting from downtown [while playing on the road](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/stats/key-stats-teams/?size=1000&misc=AwayGames&seasonCode=E2022&category=FieldGoals3Percent&seasonMode=Single&sortDirection=descending&aggregate=perGame&phase=RS), averaging 11.3 triples on 42.7% shooting away from home, by far the best in the league.

Eight different Barcelona players have made at least 20 triples this season, even though one of EuroLeague's best sharpshooters, [Kyle Kuric](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/kyle-kuric/005789/), is not among them, having made 16 triples in his 17 appearances. [Nicolas Laprovittola](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nicolas-laprovittola/006435/) averages 2.1 per game and [Nikola Mirotic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nikola-mirotic/000796/) 2\.0, while [Tomas Satoransky](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/tomas-satoransky/002939/) (50.8%) and [Alex Abrines](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/alex-abrines/003478/) (49.1%) rank second and third in three-point accuracy, respectively. Three-point shooting is Barcelona's big weapon this season, and it will be interesting to see how long will the team manage to ride it.

Barcelona led regular season in three-point accuracy

### Real's record-breaking paint protectors

For the third straight season, and for the fourth time in the last five years, Real Madrid has dominated the defensive glass, but this time by a never-wider margin. [Real this season has set a regular-season record for total defensive rebounds](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/stats/key-stats-teams/?size=1000&misc=&seasonCode=E2022&category=DefensiveRebounds&seasonMode=Single&sortDirection=descending&aggregate=perGame&phase=RS) with 909, or 26.7 per game. The next-best team, ALBA Berlin, had 823 , or 24.2 per game.

But what Real defense led by [Walter Tavares](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/walter-tavares/005791/) also did this season was to absolutely shatter all the shot-blocking records. No team has ever had more than 127 blocks in a single season, but Real enters the playoffs with 145. That's good for an average of 4.3 blocks per game, on pace for the fifth best rate all-time for teams that played more than 14 games in a season. More than half of these blocks came from Tavares, who himself set a single-season record with 77 blocked shots, but the defensive rebounds are a collective effort. No Real player averages more than 3.9 defensive boards, but seven different of them grab at least 2.2 per game.

### Partizan's free-throw shooting prowess

It might not be as exciting as knocking down triples or blocking shots, but making free throws also wins games. Playoff clashes could easily come down to foul-line prowess, and no team has done that better than Partizan's 82.7%, on pace for the fifth-best team accuracy rate ever. Partizan went two games without missing a single free throw, both were against Anadolu Efes Istanbul, coincidentally: 16-for-16 in Round 13 in Belgrade and 28-for-28, the second-best perfect total in EuroLeague history, in Round 29 in Istanbul. Partizan has either made better than 85.0% or missed 4 or fewer free throws in 21 regular season games, and has made a league-high total of 603 free throws this season, the fifth-most ever in the competition. Seven different Partizan players convert free throws at 85.0% or better, led by [Kevin Punter](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/kevin-punter/009862/) (90.6%), who has made 45 in a row entering the playoffs. The list includes veteran swingman [James Nunnally](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/james-nunnally/007400/), a former EuroLeague champ who ranks 11th all-time at 89.4%. If Partizan gets to the line often against Real, it could make a difference.

Zalgiris Kaunas, the other lower-seeded team opening the playoffs in Spain, against FC Barcelona, feels comfortable at the free throw line, too. Zalgiris is making a respectable 79.4% of its free throws and owns a 14-3 record when making more free throws than the opposition. Only Olympiacos has done better, at 16-2. On the other end of the spectrum, no team this season has shot free throws worse than Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul, the Reds' playoff opponent. Fenerbahce has made just 71.4% this season and getting better in that part of the game would be a welcome improvement for head coach Dimitris Itoudis's squad.

The teams bringing key numbers to the playoffs

Real Madrid v Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (2023-04-27T18:45:00.000Z)