Virtus Segafredo Bologna did a lot of things very well in Tuesday night’s exciting tussle with Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade, which resulted in a 79-88 road win in front of a fabulously noisy crowd. But ultimately, Sergio Scariolo’s team were undone by one aspect of the game they did not execute well: taking care of the basketball.

In the face of Partizan’s hard-nosed defense, Virtus committed no less than 21 turnovers. Tellingly, 9 of those were committed in the final quarter alone as Partizan found extra energy to power its way to victory. Notably, Marco Bellinelli started the trend by coughing up the ball 3 times in two minutes, finally succumbing to the relentless pressure that saw him fail to score any points after missing all 5 of his field goal attempts.

But the chief culprit was Milos Teodosic, whose performance veered from delightful to disastrous as he recorded a double-double of 11 points and 12 assists but also committed 8 turnovers, his highest tally of the season.

Those 21 lost balls were accompanied by just 12 from Partizan, which played a major part in accounting for the fact that the Serbian team was able to attempt 15 extra field goal shots – 65, compared to 50 for Virtus. In a tight game that was only decided in the last couple of minutes, those extra possessions were clearly decisive, and Virtus will regret its inability to look after the basketball as its playoff hopes took a big blow.

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Turnovers proved costly for Virtus against Partizan

Virtus Segafredo Bologna v Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (2023-03-07T19:30:00.000Z)

Zalgiris Kaunas’s chances of staying alive in the playoff race almost went up in flames at ALBA Berlin on Tuesday night, as the Lithuanian side was failing at the one thing it excelled at on offense: free throws. But, just as hope was fading, Edgaras Ulanovas saved the day.

The Zalgiris captain made 2 foul shots with 6.6 seconds left for a 60-64 lead, which calmed the nerves as the visitors came away with a 63-66 win at Mercedes-Benz Arena. And it shouldn’t be a suprise that Ulanovas buried the 2 pressure-filled free throws, as he has gone 82.1% from the charity stripe this season.

Despite the team struggling to score, ranking 16th with 75.5 points per game, Zalgiris came into the game as the fourth-best free-throw shooting team in the league at 81.8%. And everything seemed to be going as normal against ALBA, with the Lithuanian side making 8-of-9 attempts through the first 30 minutes.

Then came the fourth quarter. Kevarrius Hayes twice split 2 free throws. Lukas Lekavicius followed, as did Isaiah Taylor and Achille Polonara. Even Ulanovas missed 2 free throws after failing to convert a three-point play and splitting 2 shots. And Taylor went 1-of-2 again with 18 seconds left.

Add those up and Zalgiris's 7-of-15 free-throw night gave ALBA a chance to stay in the game. But Ulanovas had seen enough and was able to ice the game from the foul line, keeping his cool to ensure that his team remains firmly in the hunt.

Edgaras Ulanovas stayed ice cool to save Zalgiris at ALBA

ALBA Berlin v Zalgiris Kaunas (2023-03-07T19:00:00.000Z)

Cazoo Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz had to wait until the very last second to celebrate an 81-85 road win against Real Madrid in Round 27 of the 2022-23 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season. Turnovers and offensive rebounds made the difference in this instant classic.

Baskonia limited its turnovers to just 6, which was the biggest key to the game. As such, Joan Penarroya's side were able to tie its second-best mark this season; its most efficient game regarding turnovers came in Round 5, as it committed 5 in a 92-75 home victory against Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade. 

Meanwhile, Baskonia forced Real to commit as many as 17 turnovers. Tuesday night's victors finished the game with 16 assists, three less than their opponent. Darius Thompson, however, had 14 of those 16 assists, finishing the game with 3 steals and just 1 turnover.

Offensive rebounds were also critical in this game, even though Real outrebounded Baskonia 34-30. The key is what happened on the offensive glass, as the guests finished this game with 10 offensive rebounds, only allowing *Los Blancos* to get 6 boards under their own rim. Maik Kotsar had 4 of his 6 rebounds on the offensive end, also adding 13 points. 

All of that allowed Baskonia to attempt more shots: the guests had 69 field goal and 11 free-throw attempts. Real took a similar number of foul shots, 13, but only attempted 54 shots in total. Those 15 extra possessions generated off forced turnovers and offensive rebounds made the difference in the game.

Baskonia won turnover battle, rebounded better to beat Real

Real Madrid v Cazoo Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (2023-03-07T19:45:00.000Z)

Shabazz Napier produced by some way his most impressive performance in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague with a career high of 28 points in Europe’s premier club competition to inspire EA7 Emporio Armani Milan to an 84-88 win at Valencia Basket. The victory was made all the sweeter given the return of Kevin Pangos and Shavon Shields, who had been out of action with long-term injuries.

Pangos posted 13 points and 6 rebounds in his first game since November, but Napier stole the show in his fifth EuroLeague game for Milan, who are 5-0 since his arrival from the G League.

Having joined the Italian side from the Mexico City Capitanes late in January, Napier had averaged 10.0 points and 4.0 assists in his opening four games, adding steel at both ends of the court to a short-handed outfit that had several key players sidelined.

On Tuesday, he showed a vast array of offensive weapons as Milan’s backcourt steamrolled over its Valencia counterparts, mixing three-point shots with bedazzling drives to the basket, which resulted either in layups or helped contribute towards the 5 assists he racked up.

Napier, who shot 5-of-8 from three-point range, 2-of-3 from inside the arc and 9-of-10 from the foul line, was his usual humble self after the rip-roaring contest.

“I just go out there and try to do what I can do to provide for whatever is needed and get wins,” the 31-year old point guard said in a flash interview after the game. “We’ve got a big game on Thursday \[at home to Partizan\] and I am really excited about our next challenge. Credit to the guys, it was a hell of a game today. We were coming together at the right time.”

The best plays of EA7 Emporio Armani Milan duo Shabazz Napier and Kevin Pangos in the team's 84-88 win at Valencia Basket in the 2022-23 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season.

Napier and Pangos's best plays vs. Valencia

Pangos hit some clutch shots in quick succession and pulled the strings with his playmaking ability, providing much-needed support to Napier and Billy Baron, who netted 8 of his 10 points in the third quarter as Milan found another gear to turn the game on its head.

Shields, who had not played since Round 4 prior to Tuesday night's Round 27 contest, made more of an impact than his stats might suggest. In fact, his physicality made it difficult for Valencia to keep up its offensive momentum after the home side threw away an 11-point lead and trailed by as many as 12 before staging a late fightback which came up short.

Overall, Milan came out on top thanks to superior three-point shooting (15-of-32), with Valencia making only 8-of-30 shots from long range. The Italian side also edged its Spanish rival in rebounds (32-29) and assists (17-13), compensating for 14 turnovers – twice as many as the home side.

Milan will head into Thursday’s home game against Partizan, another in-form team who celebrated a 79-88 win at Virtus Segafredo Bologna, brimming with confidence. Given the team's current winning streak, it will feel confident about making it six in a row and keeping its playoff hopes alive.

Shabazz Napier, Kevin Pangos drove Milan to victory at Valencia

Valencia Basket v EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (2023-03-07T19:30:00.000Z)

It only takes a quick look at the stats sheet to see exactly how important Dante Exum was for Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade in its 79-88 victory at Virtus Segafredo Bologna on Tuesday night.

The Australian guard did a lot of everything by registering 17 points, 7 assists, 7 rebounds and 3 steals, which was enough for a PIR of 33. That’s the second-highest ranking of Exum’s two-season EuroLeague career, just trailing the PIR of 35 he recorded in a defeat at LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne earlier this season.

Exum, who first appeared in the competition last season with FC Barcelona, also reached a career milestone by surpassing 500 EuroLeague points, which came on his 51st appearance as he continued a fine run of form which has seen him reach double digits in scoring in 14 of the last 15 games.

The best plays of Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade guard Dante Exum during his team's 79-88 win at Virtus Segafredo Bologna in the 2022-23 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season.

Dante Exum's best plays vs. Virtus

This particular evening certainly did not start well for Exum, who picked up an unsportsmanlike foul for crashing down on Daniel Hackett only five seconds after he entered the game off the bench midway through the first quarter.

But that was quickly forgotten as the 27-year-old launched into a typically all-action display, and he was particularly decisive during a key phase of the game.

Midway through the fourth quarter Exum exploded back-to-back dunks and then added a spinning layup, scoring those three baskets in just over two minutes as he extended Partizan’s lead from a slender 65-67 to a commanding 65-75. That was enough to seal a hard-fought road win, which keeps the Serbian team’s playoff hopes very much alive.

Dante Exum's all-round performance powered Partizan past Virtus

Zalgiris Kaunas had struggled to score points recently, so the Lithuanian side made sure that ALBA Berlin couldn’t easily put points on the board. And it worked to perfection, as it went to Mercedes-Benz Arena and grabbed a vital win in the fight for the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Playoffs.

Zalgiris failed to score 80 points in its last eight games, so it used its defense to get a 63-66 win at ALBA. The guests did not allow ALBA, a team that likes to run to get easy points, to score a single point on the fast break.

Zalgiris also helped itself by outscoring ALBA 6-15 from points off turnovers. Lukas Lekavicius and Achille Polonara both picked up 3 steals to lead the team's efforts on defense.

Zalgiris slowed down ALBA to secure important win

FC Bayern Munich held its nerve to defeat LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne 76-72 at Audi Dome on Tuesday night, a win that keeps its slim playoff hopes alive. Bayern looked in trouble offensively for much of the game, but Andreas Obst and Niels Giffey hit three-pointers to give the hosts the lead for good, before Corey Walden scored 8 of his 10 points in the final 3 minutes of the game to help seal it. Bayern improved its record to 11-16, three games behind eight place in the standings. ASVEL dropped to 8-19.

Obst paced Bayern after shooting 5-for-8 from long range and finishing with a team-high 15 points. D.J. Seeley scored 12 in just 16 minutes on the floor for Bayern, who pulled down 20 offensive rebounds. ASVEL's Dee Bost scored 12 of his game-high 18 points in the first half, making 5-of-10 triples. David Lighty had 13 points, Youssoupha Fall paired 12 points with 7 rebounds, and Jonah Mathews had 10 in a losing effort.

The two teams traded blows in the first quarter. Isaac Bonga nailed a three-pointer for the hosts, but Antoine Diot hit one before Bost hit back-to-back triples to give ASVEL a 12-16 edge. A triple from Obst helped Bayern take a 21-19 lead into the second quarter, when two more threes from Obst opened a 31-21 margin. However, ASVEL stepped up defensively, while on the offensive end, Fall did the damage inside and Bost made another triple during a 0-10 run to tie the game at 33-33. Bayern held 38-36 at halftime.

Nick Weiler-Babb gave Bayern an offensive spark at the start of the third quarter, helping it to a 44-36 lead, before Lighty and Seeley traded triples. An alley-oop dunk from Bost to Alex Tyus put the visitors in front, 49-50, but Othello Hunter and Niels Giffey made sure the hosts held a 53-50 advantage after 30 minutes. 

Retin Obasohan and Mathews restored ASVEL's lead in the fourth, 56-59, but 3 three-pointers – 2 from Obst and 1 from Giffey – on consecutive trips down the floor restored Bayern's advantage, 65-62. Lighty got ASVEL within 1 point before Walden stepped up, drawing fouls to get to the free-throw line but also nailing a shot from way downtown to help Bayern open a 6-point margin before the hosts closed out the game.

Bayern holds off ASVEL, 76-72

FC Bayern Munich v LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne (2023-03-07T19:45:00.000Z)

Olympiacos Piraeus is back on top of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season standings with seven games left to play thanks to a 77-70 comeback home win over FC Barcelona on Tuesday. It was the Olympiacos bench brigade – Giannoulis Larentzakis, Shaquielle McKissic, Alec Peters and Tarik Black  – who made the difference.

 Reds' bench brigade assured pivotal win over Barca 

Olympiacos Piraeus is back on top of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season standings with seven games left to play thanks to [a 77-70 comeback home win ](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/game-center/2022-23/olympiacos-piraeus-fc-barcelona/E2022/236/#boxscore)over FC Barcelona on Tuesday that gave the Reds a sweep of their four games this season with Barca and Real Madrid, the two teams right behind them.

On this occasion, it was the Olympiacos bench brigade that made the difference. Olympiacos was behind 11-22 on its home floor early in the second quarter and getting outhustled by Barca when Giannoulis Larentzakis hit a three-pointer off an assist from Shaquielle McKissic to start the turnaround. Alec Peters had 4 more points and Tarik Black 2 in that 12-0 run, which changed everything. 

Barca would take the lead back briefly after that, but McKissic's three-pointer on the halftime buzzer would mark the last time that Olympiacos would trail in the game as its second unit took the reins the rest of the way. As Barcelona hung tough into the final quarter, coming within 59-55, it was McKissic, Peters, Larentzakis and Black combining for 13 of the team's last 18 points to put the victory on ice.

Giannoulis Larentzakis, Shaquielle Mckissic and 2 others Highlights vs. Barcelona, 03/07/2023

Olympiacos bench brigade highlights vs Barcelona

McKissic would finish with a team-high 16 points and Larentzakis 14 while Black had 5 of the team's 15 offensive rebounds. That was Black's third game in the last 12 with 5 offensive rebounds.

"I think that second unit, you know, sometimes we have competitions with the first unit, and today was just our day," McKissic said after the game. "I believe in \[Larentzakis\] a lot and he believes in me, so we have a lot of fun out there. Coach believed in us, and we just went out there and fought hard."

All told, those four Olympiacos reserves – the only ones called into action by head coach Georgios Bartzokas – scored 58.8% of the team's 77 points and had 56.1% of the team PIR of 82. They made what started as a tough night turn into one that proves the Reds don't have to rely on their stars to win even after spotting 11 points to one of the best teams in the EuroLeague.

Reds' bench brigade assured pivotal win over Barca

Olympiacos Piraeus v FC Barcelona (2023-03-07T19:00:00.000Z)

In a hard-fought basketball battle that went down to the final two plays, Cazoo Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz improved its chances to reach the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Playoffs after edging Real Madrid 81-85 in the Spanish capital on Tuesday night. Baskonia improved to 15-12 in the standings, breaking a six-game road losing streak, while Real dropped to 18-8. Matt Costello won the game with a four-point play in the final second.

Costello led the winners with 20 points, 6 of which came in the final 35 seconds. Darius Thompson added 18 points, 14 assists and 3 steals, while Maik Kotsar scored 13 points and Markus Howard had 11. Dzanan Musa led Real with 21 points and 8 rebounds. Walter Tavares contributed 13 and Vincent Poirier chipped in with 10 for the hosts.

Adam Hanga and Nigel Williams-Goss fueled a 9-0 run that Poirier capped with a dunk for a 9-2 Real lead. Baskonia found a go-to guy in Thompson, who joined forces with Kotsar to bring the guests within 16-12. Guerschon Yabusele allowed *Los Blancos* to extend their margin to 22-17 after 10 minutes. 

Steven Enoch took over with a one-handed alley-oop dunk, and Costello struck twice from beyond the arc to make Baskonia regain a 28-29 edge. Max Heidegger soon boosted the guests' lead to 32-38. Rudy Fernandez and Sergio Rodriguez each buried a triple, before Musa's three-point play fixed the halftime score at 43-40.

Kotsar stepped up after the break, then Thompson and Vanja Marinkovic each buried a three-pointer to give Baskonia a 47-52 margin. Thompson kept pacing Baskonia, and Costello's third triple boosted the guests' lead to 50-59. Real found a go-to guy in Musa, who had 7 points in a 10-0 run that he capped with a bomb from downtown. Fernandez and Tavares kept Los Blancos ahead, 65-62, after 30 minutes. 

Thompson, Rokas Giedraitis and Howard each struck from downtown for a 71-71 tie with over 6 minutes left. Tavares and Musa fueled a 7-0 run that gave Real a 78-71 lead. But, Howard and Costello allowed Baskonia to tie the game again, 79-79. In the closing stages, Costello erased Gabriel Deck's layup with a dunk and took advantage of a huge block by Daulton Hommes to with the game with a four-point play at the buzzer!

Turnovers proved costly for Virtus against Partizan

Edgaras Ulanovas stayed ice cool to save Zalgiris at ALBA

Baskonia won turnover battle, rebounded better to beat Real

Shabazz Napier, Kevin Pangos drove Milan to victory at Valencia

Dante Exum's all-round performance powered Partizan past Virtus

Zalgiris slowed down ALBA to secure important win

Bayern holds off ASVEL, 76-72

Reds' bench brigade assured pivotal win over Barca

Matt Costello the hero as Baskonia beats Real, 81-85