The Game of week 20:

FC Barcelona vs Paris BC

Barcelona and Paris, two beautiful European cities, two elite basketball teams, and a game that felt important from the opening tip. The Catalans entered shorthanded, missing leading scorer Kevin Punter and veteran Czech guard Tomas Satoransky. That absence shaped everything that followed.

Paris came out as Paris always does. Full court pressure, aggressive hedges on every pick and roll, pace turned up to uncomfortable levels. It worked immediately. Barcelona’s offense stalled and the visitors opened on a 7 2 run. Soon it was 11 5 with just over six minutes left in the first, and Xavi Pascual had seen enough.

The timeout flipped the rhythm. Barcelona ripped off a 7 0 run in under a minute, powered by Brizuela and Laprovittola creating advantages off the dribble. But Paris had counters. Lamar Stevens checked in and made his presence felt on both ends, helping Paris regain control. Barcelona tried to stabilize things by doubling down on the inside game, feeding the post and playing off their bigs, but miscommunication on screening actions, especially guard to guard screens, kept undoing their work. Paris got downhill repeatedly, shot 8 of 10 from two, and closed the first quarter up 21 18.

The second quarter followed a familiar script. Paris continued to slice through Barcelona’s pick and roll coverages with their PnR and DHO game. The margin held steady until Pascual reached into his bag and unveiled a 2 3 zone. That adjustment changed the tone. It slowed Paris’ frenetic tempo, forced tougher looks, and sparked stops. Combine that with relentless work on the offensive glass, eight offensive rebounds in the half, and Barcelona walked into the locker room up 43 39.

Out of halftime, Paris doubled down on identity. Faster, sharper, attacking not just in transition but in the half court as well. Barcelona kept searching for answers in the post, especially through Shengelia, but Paris zoned up the back side and crowded his space. Then the threes started falling. Paris went 7 of 9 from deep in the third, Robinson burying the final one to stretch the lead to 12. Barcelona managed just 12 points in the quarter, with only Brizuela consistently creating anything clean.

Pascual experimented at the five, even opening with Shengelia there, but the defensive problems persisted. Pick and roll coverage broke down, straight line drives were conceded, and offensively Barcelona leaned too heavily on the three point line with little reward. Only after back to back Paris turnovers did the Blaugrana string together a 7 0 run to cut it to 10, forcing Francesco Tabellini to call timeout. That pause settled Paris, and from there they controlled the finish.

The numbers underline the difference. Barcelona shot just 5 of 32 from three. Paris hit 11 of 30. In a game this tight, that gap is decisive.

Darius Brizuela led Barcelona with 15, Laprovittola and Shengelia added 11 apiece. Will Clyburn struggled, scoring nine on 1 of 9 shooting, and in the absence of Punter, more was needed. For Paris, the point guard duo dictated terms. Nadir Hifi poured in 21, Justin Robinson added 18, and Rhoden and Lamar Stevens joined them in double figures.

On a night shaped by pace and pressure, Paris stayed truer to itself for longer, and that was enough to leave the Ciutat Comtal with a statement win.

Key Performances of the Past Week:

Tarik Biberovic vs Panathinaikos

Panathinaikos against Fenerbahçe delivered drama from start to finish. Wade Baldwin IV will live in the highlights after the buzzer beater, but the player who truly bent the game was Tarik Biberovic.

Before the ball went up, the Turkish forward downplayed the importance of Nigel Hayes Davis. Then he walked onto the floor and backed it up. Career high 26 points, four rebounds, just three missed shots all night. That is not noise. That is command.

Biberovic brought the flame thrower to OAKA. Six of seven from deep, and not just stand still looks. He scored on simple relocation threes, on elite off ball movement that punished the smallest defensive lapse, and even sprinkled in some self creation. When Panathinaikos tried to chase him off the line, he did not panic. He put the ball on the floor, got to his sweet spots, especially in the mid range, and calmly knocked those down too.

This was not a hot shooting night built on luck. It was a scoring clinic built on reads and counters. Every adjustment had an answer. Every closeout felt a step late.

When Fenerbahçe fans felt heartbroken by Nigel Hayes Davis’ decision, Tarik Biberovic stepped forward. Superman cape on, no hesitation.

 

Standings Watch:

If you like chaos, the EuroLeague table is delivering.

There is a full blown log jam in the middle of the standings, five teams tied with 16 wins, stretching from the last Play Off spot all the way down to the final Play In position. That is not a cushion. That is a knife fight. For all five, avoiding the extra Play In game has to be the priority. One clean run and you are hosting a series. One bad stretch and you could tumble completely out of the Play In picture.

Right behind that cluster sit Milano and Dubai with 14 wins. They are close enough to apply pressure, far enough that every loss hurts double. With so many teams packed together, the margin between security and panic is razor thin.

Up top, there is a little more clarity. Fenerbahçe remains in first place, holding a two win advantage over Valencia and Olympiacos. Just behind that trio sit the two Spanish giants, both eyeing a top four finish and the protection that comes with it.

The table is compressed, the stakes are obvious, and every week now feels like it swings two directions at once. Climb or slide. There is very little middle ground left.

 

What’s at Stake:

Fenerbahçe’s defense isn’t just good. It’s in another stratosphere. The defending champions are sitting at a 109.1 DRTG, numbers that don’t just win games, they define them.

But it’s not magic. It’s structure. Sarunas Jasikevicius has built a system that lives in the gaps. Switching is automatic, but it’s what comes after the switch that sets them apart. They front the bigs, rotate on the backside, and are merciless about identifying the weak link on the other end. If you’re not a threat, you’re a target; help comes, mistakes happen, shots get contested.

The results show up in the little things. Fenerbahçe funnels offenses into mid-range shots, second-best in the league in both mid-range attempts allowed (9.4%) and points per shot on those attempts (0.68). They clean the glass, grabbing 68.5% of available defensive boards, which in this system is everything. Miss a box-out, miss a chance; get it right, and you force one more tough possession.

The real question: can this defensive machine carry them all the way to back-to-back titles? Right now, the evidence says yes, but the margin for error is razor thin in the playoffs.

 

Biggest News Around EuroLeague

Kai Jones is staying put in Istanbul. Anadolu Efes and the Bahamas-born center agreed to a two-year extension, locking him in through 2028.

The numbers this season aren’t eye-popping yet, but the flashes are impossible to ignore. Under Pablo Laso, Jones’s minutes have jumped, particularly over the last eight games, he’s logged 20-plus in every single one. And with that time comes efficiency: 45/47 FG on the season. That’s not luck. It’s athleticism turned into a EuroLeague weapon. He’s one of the best rollers and lob targets on the continent, the kind of player who can finish above the rim even when everyone knows the play is coming.

Defensively, he’s just as impressive. 1.1 blocks per game puts him fourth in the league, but he’s doing it with roughly eight fewer minutes than the three players ahead of him. Rim protection, timing, anticipation: the tools are there.

This season was mostly about adaptation. If he continues on this trajectory, next year could be when Kai Jones really announces himself.

 

This article was written by the European Hoops team: Tiago Cordeiro, João Caeiro and André Lemos. Make sure you give us a follow on Twitter at @EthosEuroleague!

The Games of week 19:

FC Barcelona vs Fenerbahçe

Barcelona vs Fenerbahçe at Palau Blaugrana rarely needs extra context. A classic of European basketball, heavy tactics, heavy talent, and this one delivered on all of it.

Will Clyburn got the start with the responsibility of guarding Talen Horton Tucker, and from the jump Fenerbahçe stayed loyal to their identity, switching everything. The opening minutes were slow, Jan Vesely scored the lone two points in the first two minutes, but the game flipped once Fenerbahçe found a pressure point. Flat screens near half court to get Horton Tucker attacking downhill sparked a 9 0 run and forced Xavi Pascual into the first timeout of the night.

The timeout did not stop the bleeding. Vesely was the only source of early offense for Barcelona, scoring the first six, but back to back threes from Tarik Biberovic pushed the lead to double digits. Turnovers were the only thing keeping it from exploding further, five in the quarter for Fenerbahçe. Pascual tried to change the tone by inserting Lapprovitola, who immediately knocked down a three with 43 seconds left, but Barcelona’s pick and roll defense, hedging late and switching later, kept getting exposed.

Fenerbahçe shot the lights out in the first quarter, 10 of 12 from the field, 5 of 6 from three, with Biberovic and Baldwin combining for 18 points on perfect shooting. The scoreboard told the story, 29 14 after one.

The second quarter followed the same script. Fenerbahçe’s defense caused panic, stalled Barcelona’s offense and forced tough shots. Jasikevicius was so locked in defensively that after one miscommunication leading to an open Kevin Punter three that went in, he immediately called timeout. The response was textbook. A beautiful after timeout set freed Jantunen for a three and stretched the lead to 18.

Barcelona briefly found life through a six point possession, Punter’s three plus one and a Satoransky layup, but Wade Baldwin checked back in and reasserted control, scoring and assisting. Barcelona’s offense was almost entirely Kevin Punter, who poured in 14 in the quarter, but it barely dented the margin. Fenerbahçe went to halftime up 53 41.

Once again, Fenerbahçe came out sharper. An 8 3 run to open the third punished Barcelona’s defensive miscommunications and forced another Pascual timeout. Punter continued to be the only consistent creator, but this quarter belonged to Fenerbahçe. They shredded switches over and over, shot 8 of 9 from two, and at one point pushed the lead to 20.

On defense, Jasikevicius made a notable adjustment, asking De Colo to hard hedge to avoid switching onto Punter. The Yellow and Blues still won the quarter 20 15 and carried an 18 point cushion into the fourth.

Then Palau woke up. Barcelona showed a completely different edge, more ball pressure, more urgency. Parra scored the first five, Brizuela added the next five, fueling a 13 5 run in just over five minutes. Jasikevicius had no choice but to call timeout. It did not stop it. Barcelona scored four more and forced another stoppage with the lead down to five.

Offensive rebounding was massive, eight in the quarter, paired with a defense that held Fenerbahçe scoreless for more than six minutes until Horton Tucker finally got to the line. A Brizuela layup with 28 seconds left cut it to three, but it never went lower. Fenerbahçe held on, 82 78.

The second half shooting from deep deserted Fenerbahçe, 0 of 9 from three, but the free throw line told the real story. 20 of 25 for Fenerbahçe, 11 of 16 for Barcelona. Biberovic led all scorers with 19, Baldwin added 16 with five rebounds and seven assists. For Barcelona, Kevin Punter carried the load with 24 points, supported by three teammates in double figures.

A classic, tilted early by execution and discipline, nearly stolen late by effort and belief.

Hapoel BC vs Valencia BC

Rivalry games do not need history to feel personal. Hapoel against Valencia has reached that point, and this one had everything turned up.

The first surprise came before the ball went up, Bar Timor in the starting five ahead of Yan Madar, Vasilije Micic and Antonio Blakeney. From the opening possession Valencia stayed loyal to who they are, pushing the pace, picking up full court even after made shots, making every touch uncomfortable. Early on the game was tight, evenly matched, both teams feeling each other out.

Pedro Martinez made the first real adjustment, sending Sako to the floor, and it paid off immediately. The French big sparked a 9 2 run with four points and a steal, opening a seven point gap. Dimitris Itoudis answered with a double big lineup of Motley and Odiasse, and with back to back turnovers from Valencia, their only two of the quarter, Hapoel trimmed it back to three by the end of the first.

The second quarter opened with Martinez leaning into defense, giving minutes to Isaac Nogues, one of the best defensive guards in the league. In just three minutes the 21 year old made Micic’s life miserable, but Valencia could not fully cash in thanks to excellent defensive transition from the EuroCup champions. Then the game flipped on Antonio Blakeney.

First a corner three, Hapoel’s first of the night, then a pull up three from the wing, and then Motley joined in to cap a 9 2 run that forced Martinez to stop the game. Valencia’s offense completely stalled, just six points in over five minutes and no points for about four until Jean Montero ended the drought with a wild runner. It barely mattered. Hapoel kept piling on, winning the quarter 28 12 and taking a 49 36 lead into halftime. Blakeney already had 15. Valencia’s shooting was rough, 38 percent from the field and 11 percent from three, but offensive rebounding kept them afloat with 12 before the break.

The third quarter started with something Valencia badly missed earlier. Nate Reuvers drilled a deep three on the first possession and scored the first nine points for the Taronja. The game sped up immediately, 13 12 in the quarter when a timeout came three minutes in. Valencia’s defense, usually so reliable, showed cracks with pick and roll coverage and miscommunications, and Hapoel punished them. After a Jones three the lead ballooned to 16, the biggest of the night.

Valencia never folds. An 8 0 run dragged the margin back to single digits before Hapoel closed the quarter strong with a 7 3 push, entering the fourth up 73 61.

Valencia struck first again in the fourth, a 5 0 burst in under a minute. Hapoel answered with a Motley pick and pop three to restore a double digit lead. Valencia countered with a 4 0 run in 20 seconds. Yan Madar was electric off the bench all night, keeping Valencia close, but the tide kept shifting. A 10 2 run capped by a Montero three tied the game with 2:25 left. Valencia’s defensive activity spiked, and points became hard to find for Hapoel.

Reuvers finished a nice Montero feed to put Valencia up two. After a stop, Montero had the ball with a chance to close it and turned it over. Hapoel ran and tied the game with 57 seconds left. Montero committed another turnover, but Braxton Key saved the night, stepping in for a perfect charge. The final shot came up short, Reuvers tipped it in after the buzzer, and the game went to overtime.

Overtime belonged to Jean Montero. He put on the Superman cape, scoring 10 points, even as Madar tried to be his Kryptonite with six of his own. As the young guards traded punches, an unsung hero emerged. Taylor rose for a massive rejection on a corner three, the kind of play that tilts games. Valencia escaped Israel with a 104 99 win.

Montero finished with 29 points and eight assists, with Reuvers adding 20 and Darius Thompson 17. Offensive rebounding, 16 on the night, was decisive. For Hapoel, Blakeney scored 23, Madar set a career high with 20, but 13 turnovers proved too much in a game this tight.

Partizan vs Panathinaikos

This one took a while to find a pulse, but once it did, it belonged entirely to Partizan.

The opening minutes were messy on both sides. Partizan kept trying to establish Bruno Fernando inside, but the finishes were not there. When that stalled, the offense leaned into isolations from Cam Payne and Brown. On the other end, Panathinaikos played almost exclusively through its guards, with TJ Shorts and Sloukas doing most of the damage they could manage. It was not pretty basketball, but it was revealing.

Defensively, Partizan set the tone early. They were aggressive, hedging hard on Panathinaikos ball handlers and forcing decisions. That pressure paid off at the end of the first quarter, when Partizan closed on a 7 0 run fueled by pace and mistakes. Panathinaikos had no answers. Despite the rough start offensively, Partizan led by one after one quarter, mostly because they took care of the ball. Five turnovers for the Greens, just one for the home team.

The second unit mattered. Jekiri, Partizan’s backup center, was huge by simply being in the right spots. He scored inside repeatedly off off ball reactions, many of them created by Calathes finding him at the perfect time. Partizan kept playing fast in the second quarter and stayed relentless defensively. Every possession had effort, and that effort turned into transition chances and more Panathinaikos mistakes. By halftime, Partizan had opened a 12 point lead.

Matchups started to tilt the floor. Brown being guarded by TJ Shorts did not work for Panathinaikos. Brown’s size and shot creation hurt them on both ends. Cedi Osman never found a rhythm either, checked by one of the league’s best defensive forwards in Bonga. Panathinaikos looked uncomfortable, searching for answers that were not there.

The third quarter removed all doubt. Partizan stretched the lead to 24 and effectively ended the game. They dominated every aspect. By that point Panathinaikos had already committed 16 turnovers, compared to just seven for Partizan. The Greens managed only nine points in the quarter, swallowed by pressure and pace.

Beyond the defense, the real separator was how Partizan played offense. This was not isolation heavy or static. The ball moved, players reacted, and reads were made on the fly. The assist total told the story, 20 on the night, a reflection of a team playing together and trusting the pass.

The fourth quarter was a formality. Panathinaikos showed some fight and won the quarter 20 12, but it never threatened the outcome. Only one Panathinaikos player reached double figures, and the second leading scorer finished with just seven points. The team felt disconnected from start to finish.

By the final buzzer, the takeaway was clear. With Penarroya on the sideline and full buy in from the roster, Partizan suddenly looks like one of the most enjoyable teams to watch in the league, not just because they win, but because of how they do it.

Key Performances of the Past Week:

Jean Montero vs Hapoel BC

Here we are once again, giving our flowers to a 22 year old, 188 cm Dominican guard, and this time there is no debate. In one of the most hostile environments you will find in the EuroLeague, Jean Montero was the MAN. Valencia needed someone to drag them through a game that went beyond basketball, and Montero did exactly that, willing his team into a 16 point comeback win.

Let’s talk hoop. The box score already tells a loud story. Career highs everywhere. Twenty nine points on ruthless efficiency, 7 of 10 from two, 2 of 6 from three, a perfect 9 of 9 from the line. His previous best was 25. He tied his career marks in rebounds with four and assists with eight. On paper, that is a big night. In context, it was massive.

The timing is what elevates this from very good to special. Montero owned the last 15 minutes of the game, fourth quarter plus overtime. Twenty one points and four assists when the game tightened, when possessions mattered, when legs were heavy and decisions defined outcomes. He went 6 of 10 from the floor in that stretch and did not miss a single free throw, 7 of 7, every one of them a small act of control in chaos.

There is always a moment that captures a performance, the snapshot you remember when the numbers fade. This one had it. The overtime three, created off the dribble, after breaking Micic’s ankles, a shot that broke the internet and Hapoel fans’ hearts at the same time. It gave Valencia a lead they never gave back.

At 22, in that building, in that game, Jean Montero did not just play well. He announced himself again.

 

Standings Watch:

This was one of those EuroLeague weeks that quietly reshapes the picture. The defending champions took care of business and now own a two win cushion over their closest chasers, a trio that includes Olympiacos, Valencia and FC Barcelona. In a league built on thin margins, two wins suddenly feels loud.

Not everyone is heading in the right direction. Hapoel and Monaco are trending the wrong way, both riding losing streaks and sliding down the table. For Monaco, the drop is especially sharp. They now sit in the last Play In spot, tied in wins with Zalgiris, which tells you how quickly the ground can disappear under your feet.

Behind them, the Play In chase is tightening. EA7 Olimpia Milano is leading that group, sitting just one win shy of 10th place. Dubai is right there as well, only one win behind Milano, lurking and waiting for another stumble ahead of them.

The biggest loser of the week was Virtus. Two defeats in the double week pushed them into a tough spot. They are now three wins away from the Play In, grouped with Maccabi and FC Bayern, and suddenly the math is starting to look uncomfortable. The question now hangs in the air and it is a fair one. Are Virtus chances of getting to the Play In already slipping away?

In this league, nothing is settled. But momentum, good or bad, is starting to matter.

 

Week 20 Games to Watch:

EA7 Milano vs Dubai BC

This might not be the most glamorous matchup on the board, but it is easily one of the heaviest. No other game of the round carries the same implications. Play In aspirations are on the line, and the math is simple. A Milano win here could be the nail on Dubai’s coffin. Flip the result, and suddenly the two teams are tied, both outside looking in, both very much alive.

Neither of these teams is really known for their defense, and that is putting it kindly. Offense, though, is a different story. Despite very different styles, both teams are very, very good on that end of the floor, which all but guarantees a high scoring game on the horizon.

Microwave type shooters, elite scorers, high flying big men, PnR maestros. This game has it all. It may not shine on paper at first glance, but if you care about the Play In race, this one is not optional.

Panathinaikos vs Fenerbahçe

The last two EuroLeague champions, on the same floor, in the 2026 Final Four site. It is hard not to ask the obvious question. Is this a preview for May?

The two teams arrive here moving in very different directions. Fenerbahçe is rolling, winners of six straight and untouched by defeat since January 8th. Panathinaikos, meanwhile, has been below .500 since the turn of the year. And yet, everyone around the league knows the same truth. The Greens are capable of beating anyone, anywhere, on any given night.

Stylistically, this one writes itself. Fenerbahçe’s defense has been outstanding and remains their primary weapon. Panathinaikos does its biggest damage on the other side of the ball, leaning on offense to bend games in their favor. It sets up the oldest debate in basketball, offense versus defense, with two teams fully committed to their identity.

Then there is the sideline. Two of the best coaches Europe has to offer, both more than capable of swinging a game with one adjustment, one lineup tweak, one perfectly timed timeout. Their fingerprints will be all over this one.

Something has to give. The only real question is which side bends first.

 

What’s at Stake:

What is happening in the Côte d’Azur? AS Monaco has dropped five straight games and in the process has slid from second place all the way to tenth, clinging to the last Play In spot. This is not a gentle drift down the standings. It is a free fall, and it demands an explanation.

The offense has slipped, though not collapsed. Before this skid Monaco was humming along at an elite 121.5 offensive rating. Over the last five games that number has fallen to 113.6. That matters, but it is not the real problem. The defense is. Before January 19th, Monaco owned the second best defense in the league at a 111.4 defensive rating. Since then, they have been the third worst unit in the EuroLeague, bleeding points at a 126.1 defensive rating. That is a swing of 14.7 points per 100 possessions, the kind of shift that flips wins into losses almost overnight.

One stat captures the collapse perfectly. During this five game losing streak, Monaco has posted as many games with a defensive rating above 120 as they did in the previous 22 games combined. Five. The defensive floor has disappeared.

And the issues are not limited to what is happening between the lines. Off the floor, the noise is getting louder. Vassilis Spanoulis has already voiced his frustration with the lack of depth, pointing out that playing a nine month season with two or three games per week using just 12 players is not normal. Other teams have 17 or 18 players. Monaco does not, and that reality shows up in tired legs and compromised practices.

There have also been reports of delayed salaries and even the possibility of a player strike after missing a domestic game. None of that helps stabilize a locker room already under pressure.

So this is the moment. With everything unraveling on and off the floor, the question is simple and heavy at the same time. Can Monaco steady the ship, or has the promised land slipped just out of reach?

 

Biggest News Around EuroLeague

The injury bug keeps circling Piraeus and it just took another bite. Cory Joseph is the latest name to land on Olympiacos injury report, joining a list that already includes mid season additions Monte Morris and Frank Ntilikina, plus the ever unlucky Keenan Evans. For a team that values structure, control, and continuity at the point of attack, this is about as cruel as timing gets.

Joseph, the Canadian guard who once lifted an NBA title with the San Antonio Spurs, suffered a left hamstring strain and will miss some time. That leaves Bartzokas staring at a depth chart that is suddenly very short at the one. Right now, Thomas Walkup is the only true option available, and the margin for error has evaporated.

The context makes this even more fascinating. Olympiacos has won six of its last seven games and is riding real momentum, the kind that usually cushions a blow like this. They are playing connected basketball, leaning on collective execution and trust rather than individual brilliance.

So the question hangs in the air. Is this one absence too many, or is the collective spirit of this group strong enough to absorb yet another hit and keep the machine running? In Piraeus, that answer tends to come not from who is missing, but from who is still standing.

 

This article was written by the European Hoops team: Tiago Cordeiro, João Caeiro and André Lemos. Make sure you give us a follow on Twitter at @EthosEuroleague!

The Games of week 18:

Hapoel vs FC Bayern

FC Bayern arrived in Israel carrying good momentum, but facing league leaders Hapoel on their home floor rarely comes with shortcuts. This one asked early questions, and the answers kept changing until Bayern’s defense settled the discussion.

Hapoel set the tone first, opening 3 of 3 from deep, two of them from former EuroLeague MVP Vasilije Micic. Bayern responded with structure. A well drawn set used Andreas Obst’s gravity to carve out a deep paint touch for Lucic, who went straight at Micic to halt a 5 0 run. That became a theme. Bayern targeted Micic relentlessly through post ups and ball screens, attacking him as both defender and handler, and they found pockets of success. Micic still rode the early wave, though, pairing with Oturu to do most of the damage. Oturu punished switches and cleaned up on the offensive glass, and together the duo accounted for 19 of Hapoel’s 26 first quarter points. Even as the hot shooting cooled to 1 of 6 after the opening burst, it was enough for a 26 23 lead after one.

The second quarter hinted at what was coming later. Bayern opened with a 7 2 run, capped by a Voigtmann three that gave them their first lead since 2 0 and forced Itoudis into a quick timeout. Bayern’s defensive intensity ticked up, the ball moved with purpose, and the Germans kept hunting good looks. Hapoel leaned on Blakeney, who scored the team’s first seven points of the quarter, all from the mid range, sparking a 9 0 run that pushed the home side up seven. Bayern answered with defense. They pushed Hapoel late into the shot clock and forced six turnovers in the quarter, slowly chipping away. The final two minutes belonged to Obst. Sitting on two points and 0 for 6 shooting, one three was enough to open the floodgates. He rattled off a personal 7 0 run with elite shot making, and Bayern went into halftime up 43 39, a margin kept close largely by Hapoel’s nine offensive rebounds.

Out of the locker room, Hapoel adjusted. Every screen involving Obst became an automatic switch, a clear attempt to deny the German shooter. It did not change the flow. Bayern’s defense controlled the third quarter, allowing just two points over more than seven minutes, those coming on the first score of the period. Chris Jones finally stopped the drought with a tough mid range jumper after a timeout, but Bayern never lost control. Neno Dimitrijevic added nine points in the quarter, and the lead stayed firmly in double digits.

The fourth followed the same script. Both teams started slowly, but Bayern claimed six of the first eight points, forcing another Itoudis timeout. It did not flip the momentum. Hapoel’s offense had no answer for Bayern’s defense, and a steal leading to an Isiaha Mike transition dunk stretched the lead to 19. A late Chris Jones three, Hapoel’s first since the opening quarter, set the final score at 79 64.

This was a dominant performance from Bayern, who held Hapoel under 15 points in three quarters. Isiaha Mike led all scorers with 16, with three other Bayern players reaching double figures. For Hapoel, only Micic and Oturu finished in double digits, and after the end of the first quarter they combined for just four points. Shooting accuracy told the rest of the story. Hapoel finished at 37.3 percent from the field, while Bayern connected on 50.8 percent, a gap that reflected control, discipline, and a defensive performance that traveled beautifully.

 

Olympiacos vs Barcelona

This one came with familiar faces back on the floor. Will Clyburn returned for Barça, and Olympiacos welcomed Milutinov back into the mix. The opening minutes belonged entirely to the home team. Olympiacos blasted out to an 11 2 start in the first four minutes, living in the paint and dictating an insane pace. Barcelona never matched that tempo early and had no real answer inside.

Xavi Pascual reacted quickly, pulling Clyburn and inserting Norris to add size and defense next to Vesely. Barça shifted into a more aggressive defensive posture, clogging the paint and daring Olympiacos to beat them from deep. It was a logical bet. Olympiacos was not scoring from behind the arc, but their interior presence still overwhelmed Barcelona. Tyrique Jones made his presence felt immediately with a monster block, and his mobility allowed Olympiacos to run the floor more effectively than when Milutinov was anchoring the middle. At one point the gap ballooned to 17, and by the end of the first quarter Barcelona looked overwhelmed by Olympiacos on both ends. Six turnovers allowed, six offensive rebounds conceded, a brutal opening snapshot.

The second quarter brought some life. Brizuela ignited Barcelona off the bench with 12 points, most of them in the period, and Barça finally found a hint of rhythm. Still, the mistakes did not stop. Turnovers piled up, and Olympiacos punished nearly every one of them, scoring 80 percent of their points off giveaways. By halftime Barcelona had already committed 11 turnovers. Olympiacos was just 3 of 11 from three, a quiet reminder that the lead could have been even larger.

Down nine entering the third, Barcelona started chipping away through effort. They hustled defensively, Olympiacos went scoreless for two minutes, and Barça took better care of the ball. The margin shrank, briefly, before Olympiacos answered with a 6 0 run to push it back out. Then the game tilted again. Olympiacos began missing defensive assignments, losing track of who was doing the damage, and Barcelona took advantage. With pick and rolls set high near half court, Olympiacos edged aggressively, opening space for Toko to make plays on the short roll. The turnover battle flipped completely. Olympiacos committed as many turnovers in the third quarter as they had in the entire first half. Barcelona committed just one.

The final moments of the quarter belonged to Clyburn. He went right at mismatches, using his size against Cory Joseph and his mobility against Milutinov, scoring eight points in a flash. Barcelona had been down 17 after one quarter. By the end of the third, they were up five.

Olympiacos responded immediately in the fourth. They opened the period by hunting mismatches, moving the ball with more purpose, and tightening up defensively. Cory Joseph showed exactly why he matters, gliding over screens to disrupt Barcelona’s ball handlers and finding chemistry with Tyrique Jones on the other end. As the pressure rose, Barça’s offense stalled. Possessions devolved into heavy isolation. Olympiacos stayed aggressive after every switch, shrinking the mismatches and forcing Barcelona into lazy threes. The result was a crushing 13 2 run. Barcelona scored just four points in eight minutes, an impossible number if you want to compete at this level.

The ending came down to a game within the game. The matchup tiebreaker stayed alive until the final second. Dorsey delivered an and one and then buried a dagger three with 0.5 seconds left to swing the tiebreaker toward Olympiacos. Pascual countered with one last wrinkle, drawing up a sideline play that freed Vesely for a mid range jumper from zero degrees, one of his best spots. The shot flipped the tiebreaker back to Barcelona, even after a fourth quarter that felt like a humiliation.

In the end, the story for Barça was simple and harsh. Lack of physicality and turnovers nearly erased a remarkable comeback and very nearly the bigger prize attached to it.

 

Key Performances of the Past Week:

Rodions Kurucs vs Zalgiris

Rodions Kurucs earns his spot here after Baskonia’s home win over Zalgiris, a game where the box score undersells what actually happened. Fifteen points and seven rebounds in 24 minutes looks tidy. It does not capture the full impact. The team high plus minus of plus 19 gets closer.

Kurucs scored with ruthless efficiency. Perfect from two, one miss from three, and every touch seemed to arrive with purpose. The scoring was not just catch and finish either. There was self creation mixed in, and it mattered. Four huge points in the clutch swung the game when possessions tightened and margins disappeared. This was scoring that bent the outcome, not just padded a line.

Defensively, this was Kurucs doing Kurucs things. He guarded across positions, one through five, and brought real value on that end. The late game stop on a Francisco isolation summed it up. Right place, right time, right angle. This was a reminder that the best performances are not always the loudest ones. Sometimes they are clean, sharp, and relentlessly effective in the margins. Kurucs lives there.

Tyrique Jones vs Barcelona

Credit where credit is due. Tyrique Jones has been a wrecking ball, and the performance against Barça demanded attention. Before his signing, some thought he was a bulkier version of Donta Hall who would not move the needle much. That take has not aged well.

Context matters. His days at Partizan were uneven, and situation shapes everything. With better playmakers and a better defensive structure, Jones has shown exactly how good he can be. Against Barça, he was decisive. They had no real answers for him. Offensively, he fits this Olympiacos system perfectly. Defensively, the consistency has taken a real step forward.

In 20 minutes, Jones put up 16 points on 5 of 7 from two and 6 of 8 from the line, grabbed eight rebounds with five on the offensive glass, added three steals and three blocks, posted a plus 20, and finished with a PIR of 29. Those are not empty numbers. They reflect control, pressure, and physical dominance. This was a performance that tilted the floor every time he checked in.

 

Standings Watch:

Is there a league in the world with more parity than the EuroLeague? It is a fair question when just two wins separate the first spot from ninth. In a competition where any team can beat another on a given night, a bad run does not just hurt, it can completely rewrite the standings.

The Play In hunt stays tight. Dubai slipped one win behind the two Italian teams leading that chase and still sit two wins back of Zalgiris, who currently hold the last Play In spot. The margins here are thin enough that one result can swing the math in a hurry.

Compared to last week, there is no seismic shift, but the trends matter. Crvena Zvezda keeps climbing, gradually and methodically, now riding a four game winning streak. On the other side, Zalgiris has fallen to the final Play In position after losing to Baskonia and giving up 100 points. The loss itself matters. The way it happened matters more. This is one of the best defensive teams in the league, and that performance raised real questions.

At the top, the picture is clearer. Two powerhouses, Fener and Olympiacos, are setting the pace. Meanwhile, Hapoel is trending down, and the alarms are buzzing in Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv’s offices. In this league, nothing stays static for long, and right now the balance feels as fragile as it has all season.

 

Week 19 Games to Watch:

FC Barcelona vs Fenerbahçe

Another week, another classic involving Barcelona, and this time the assignment is as hard as it gets. They host the league leaders and defending champions Fenerbahçe.

The identities could not be clearer. Fenerbahçe’s defense is in a league of its own, the only team sitting below a 110 DRTG. Barcelona answers on the other side of the ball, carrying the fifth best ORTG in the competition. Defense versus offense, pressure versus precision, the kind of contrast that usually decides itself possession by possession.

Talent is everywhere, at every position, which sets the table for a real clash. And then there is the bench chess match. This is Jasikevicius returning to Barcelona, where he was once coached by the current Barcelona coach Xavi Pascual. Apprentice meets the master, with smart adjustments expected on both sides. This one should feel big from the opening tip.

Hapoel vs Valencia

Not the most storied rivalry, but right now it might be one of the most fiery in the EuroLeague. These two teams hate each other, and they will do anything to come out on top.

In Israel, Valencia walks into a hostile environment. Pedro Martinez should be the principal target of the fans, but that noise should not affect the preparation or the work this Valencia side has done. Expect them to show their identity from the opening tip, steady and committed to what they do.

Hapoel, on the other hand, is not having the best moment of the season. Two defeats in a row have alarm bells ringing, and a loss here could push Hapoel’s owner to press the panic button, with consequences that could change things quickly.

This one has tension written all over it. Every EuroLeague fan should tune in.

Red Star vs Hapoel

This one has to be must see. Two passionate franchises, two very different momentums, and a lot riding on which version of each team shows up.

Red Star comes in flying, winners of four straight, playing with confidence and edge. They have size at every position and the offense has taken a real step forward, moving the ball better, stalling less, and looking far more fluid than earlier in the season. That balance changes the math of the game, especially against a Hapoel team that has struggled to control stretches lately.

Hapoel arrives after losing its last two matches against weaker opponents, Partizan and Bayern, and that matters. Momentum in this league is fragile. The matchup inside looms large, with Izundu shaping up as a hard problem for Hapoel, and the rebounding battle feeling like a potential swing factor that could decide the outcome.

Red Star will load their attention toward Elijah, trying to make someone else beat them. On the Hapoel side, more guys have to step up. Blakeney, in particular, needs to be that guy, but his inconsistency is the risk. In a game this physical and emotional, that volatility can become fatal.

Intensity, size, and confidence versus pressure, urgency, and unanswered questions. That is why this one belongs at the top of the watch list.

 

What’s at Stake:

FC Bayern is 5 and 3 since coach Pesic returned to the helm, and yet the standings remain unforgiving. Fifteenth place, four wins away from the Play In. That is the tension here. Is this another case of too little, too late, or does Pesic have one more “miracle” in him?

What is not debatable is the jump. Bayern has taken a real leap on both sides of the ball. Defensively, they went from a 116.5 DRTG before Pesic to a 108.9 after. Stretch that number across a full season and you are talking about a defense living next to Fenerbahçe at the very top of the league. The offense followed the same trajectory, climbing from a 107.1 ORTG to 113.7, and two players sit at the center of that shift.

Andreas Obst has seen his scoring rise by 4.3 points per game, moving from 12.1 to 16.4, but the biggest upgrade in overall impact belongs to Justinian Jessup. The American wing more than doubled his scoring, from 5 points per game to 11.8, thriving in many of the same actions that free Obst. The spacing, the timing, the confidence, it all looks different.

Whether a Play In berth is still reachable remains an open question. What is clear is that the improvement is notorious, and at minimum it gives fans a far better image of Bayern basketball than what they were watching earlier in the season.

Elsewhere, the stakes feel heavier and more volatile. The jobs of Ataman and Itoudis might be at stake, and they share more than elite coaching résumés. They work under unhinged team owners who want fast results and expect to win every competition. After Itoudis dropped the last two games, Hapoel’s owner publicly stated that no job was secure, putting his coach firmly in check. Then Greece added fuel to the fire. Panathinaikos lost in overtime to Aris, a good team with four EuroLeague players, and the reaction was loud. The owner said the coaching staff was fired, and even the players as well.

We all know that is not actually happening. But when there is smoke, there is fire, and right now the pressure across the league is as intense as the games themselves.

 

Biggest News Around EuroLeague

The last week delivered a quiet but telling shakeup, three players with expected impact in the EuroLeague either leaving the stage or being sidelined by club decisions. None of these moves happened in a vacuum, and all of them say something about where their teams are right now.

Devonte Graham and Crvena Zvezda chose to mutually terminate his contract after only seven EuroLeague games. The fit never quite clicked in Belgrade. The impact was not what was expected, and both sides pulled the plug early. Graham is now free to look for a new team, his EuroLeague chapter closing almost as quickly as it opened.

Mikka Muurinen’s situation feels heavier. The Finnish high flyer prospect has not seen the floor since round 13, and coach Penarroya did not sugarcoat the reasoning. He said Muurinen has the potential to be a top level player, but also that there is a part of basketball he does not understand right now. Even more concerning was the suggestion that he is only thinking about returning to America. That combination does not look good for Muurinen’s chances of getting back on EuroLeague floors anytime soon.

Then there is the Lorenzo Brown case, the most significant name of the three. The former EuroBasket MVP is no longer part of EA7 Olimpia Milano’s plans. Coach Peppe Poetta confirmed it after the Partizan game, stating that together with the club they decided he is out of the project. Brown has been a shell of himself this season, averaging 5.8 points and 2.7 assists while dealing with injuries, and his exclusion from Milano’s roster made it official.

Despite still being under contract, interest is already there. Several teams have been linked, including ACB options like Unicaja Malaga, with rumors also pointing toward Gran Canaria or Galatasaray. An ACB or Turkish League stop feels realistic, and at the very least, expect him to land in the Basketball Champions League. For a player of his pedigree, a new home should not take long to find.

 

This article was written by the European Hoops team: Tiago Cordeiro, João Caeiro and André Lemos. Make sure you give us a follow on Twitter at @EthosEuroleague!

The Games of week 17:

Monaco vs Crvena Zvezda

In the Principality, Monaco and the Red and Whites delivered the kind of game that bends late and snaps only after overtime. Crvena Zvezda arrived intent on imposing physicality, posting up Kalinic and other big wings on Mike James, but the early story belonged to Motiejunas. The Lithuanian center scored six quick points crashing the offensive glass, posting up, even running in transition. Monaco countered by attacking him relentlessly in pick and roll. Motiejunas held up well enough to help fuel an 11-0 run that put the visitors up 17-8 and forced Spanoulis into an early timeout.

Monaco responded with urgency. The pace picked up, the defense got more aggressive, and Diallo provided the spark with six points during a 13-3 run. Obradovic stopped the game, and the visitors steadied themselves. Scoring in the half court was still a grind, with most of their damage coming in transition or off offensive rebounds, but efficient finishing inside the arc carried Crvena Zvezda to a 27-21 lead after one on 11 of 17 shooting inside.

The second quarter tilted sharply. Monaco generated good looks and missed them. Crvena Zvezda punished that with a 10-2 start, opening a 14-point lead by playing with more flow while still hunting transition chances. At the media timeout it was 43-29. Then momentum flipped. The stoppage invited mistakes, three straight turnovers, and Monaco closed the half on a 15-7 run to trim what had been an 18-point hole down to six by halftime.

The third quarter belonged to Monaco. The defensive intensity jumped, switching with Hayes disrupted everything, and the visitors managed only five points in the first five minutes. Even small-ball looks stopped working consistently against the pressure. Blossomgame put Monaco back in front with a layup, and an Okobo three capped the surge with the home side leading 71-68 entering the fourth.

The final period opened evenly. Buckets were traded, and Cody Miller-McIntyre consistently stressed Monaco by attacking downhill. After a tie at 74, Monaco found separation with an 11-2 run led by Strazel’s six points and capped by a Nedovic three. Up nine with 5:31 left, it felt close to done. Jordan Nwora answered on both ends, getting stops and easy points at the line. Monaco misfired on quality looks, then Diallo buried a three to restore a seven-point cushion inside two minutes.

Crvena Zvezda refused to fold. Butler drilled a three to cut it to four. Two empty Monaco possessions followed. Miller-McIntyre missed from deep, but Ebuka Izundu soared for a putback dunk to make it a two-point game with 33 seconds left. After a timeout, the Serbian defense forced a five-second violation. Butler delivered again, driving left and banking in a game-tying layup with 12 seconds remaining. Mike James had the winner and left the three short. Overtime at 90.

Extra time rode the wave of the comeback. With a small-ball lineup, Nwora struck first with back-to-back threes, Hayes scoring in between. Monaco tried pairing Mirotic and Blossomgame, but it did not stick. Ojeleye’s two points completed an 8-2 run and forced another Monaco timeout. The response never fully came. Crvena Zvezda held the edge, and a last-second Alpha Diallo tip-in sealed a 100-96 final.

Monaco placed five players in double figures, led by Diallo’s 19, but team shooting told the story at 11 of 36 from three. For the Serbians, three players topped 15, and the brightest light was Ebuka Izundu with 22 points and 12 rebounds, seven on the offensive glass. In a game defined by swings, his work on second chances ultimately made the difference.

Barcelona vs Dubai

Barcelona opened with Satoransky, Punter and Brizuela, the latter usually a bench piece but clearly empowered from the jump. Brizuela attacked early, hunting his own offense while Dubai loaded up on Kevin Punter. On the other end, Barcelona’s aggressive hedging came with a cost. Kabengele rolled freely, rarely tagged early, and Dubai cashed in with easy interior scores. The rhythm and physicality of Dubai’s start forced Pascual into an early timeout. Musa made his return in the first quarter, but it was Dubai’s size across positions that defined the opening stretch, pushing the visitors to an 18-22 lead after one.

Barcelona answered with size of its own. Norris and Parra joined Vesely, and even without much off the dribble creation, the tone flipped on defense. Hedges were sharper, Kamenjas was tagged early and fronted to deny post touches, and Dubai’s offense lost its flow. With Wright IV on the bench, the dribble pressure dipped. Barcelona ripped off a 17-6 run, closing the paint and playing run-and-gun basketball, with Punter heating up from deep. Dubai waited too long to get its best lineup back on the floor and had to stop the game again. Out of that, Satoransky dialed up a set straight out of Tenerife, a fake screen against the hedge followed by a slip and a backdoor feed to Vesely at the rim.

Once Dubai’s two best players were back, their offense loosened up. Ball movement forced Barcelona to chase, and the in-and-out game created open looks. Barcelona grew more passive, but still carried a 49-41 halftime lead, driven by Punter’s 15 points, 13 of them in the second quarter.

The third quarter became its own contest. Dubai struck first with a 7-0 run. Barcelona countered with an 8-2 response. Kabengele remained a constant problem inside, and Barcelona struggled to fully contain him. Brizuela took over, scoring 14 by himself in the quarter and pushing Barcelona into double-digit territory. On the other side, Wright IV shifted from table-setter to scorer, hunting his own shot on the way to 23 points by the end of the third, before going down injured late in the period. Defensively, Dubai had lapses, and Barcelona punished them by moving the ball and working for quality shots.

With Wright sidelined, Avramovic entered and leaned into what he does best. Defense. He pressured ball handlers, drew charges, jumped passing lanes, and suddenly Barcelona looked uncomfortable. Dubai searched for a scoring punch, hoping Bacon would deliver, but it was Alexa who stepped up with back-to-back threes to cut the margin to five. Wright IV returned with five minutes left, and Barcelona’s ball security unraveled. Turnovers fueled Dubai’s transition game. A Wright three trimmed the deficit to two after being down 12. Barcelona went nearly two minutes without scoring, and Dubai tied it.

In the end, shot-making decided it. Brizuela and Punter answered when it mattered most, with Brizuela delivering the game-winning floater. Dubai left everything on the floor, defending with intent and forcing mistakes, but offensively rushed decisions followed each Barcelona response in crunch time. Barcelona survived because its closers showed up when the game demanded it.

EA7 Milano vs Zalgiris

Milano was the backdrop for a game that felt heavy from the tip. Play In implications, familiar faces, and two teams trying to define who they are this late in the season. EA7 Milano set the tone early, playing with urgency on both ends. The offense hummed right away, 10 points in the first three minutes, and the defense matched the energy. Active hands, sharper rotations, a clear attempt to look nothing like the previous two outings. By the first media timeout it was 17-8, and Shavon Shields looked like he was headed for one of those nights with 8 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists, before two early fouls cooled him off.

Zalgiris steadied once Ulanovas checked in. His presence calmed things down, and after a string of stops Tubelis punished mismatches on the block. Four quick points trimmed the margin, and from that first timeout on the Lithuanians won the quarter 11-5, cutting the deficit to three by the end of the first.

Milano again opened fast in the second quarter, after Francisco scored three free throws, the first points of the quarter. Milano then went on an 8-0 run, prompting Tomas Masiulis to call an early timeout with the lead back to eight. Zalgiris chipped away patiently, helped by Milano miscues and Maodo Lo’s five points in the quarter. Ulanovas went to work on the block and eventually tied the game. A tough Leday basket followed by a Francisco three sent Zalgiris into halftime up 45-44. Milano’s eight turnovers stood out, while Zalgiris struggled on the glass, splitting rebounds evenly despite needing more there.

The second half began with a clear adjustment. Milano deliberately hunted Leday, who had only four points on two shots in the first half, and he scored on the opening possession. Zalgiris answered with the next six points, and then came a dubious third foul on Shields. Poetta’s frustration earned him a technical, and the temperature of the game rose immediately. Milano fed off that sense of injustice. Nebo dominated the offensive glass, Shields caught fire, and Milano’s shooting from deep finally showed up. Shields poured in 15 points in the quarter, matching Milano’s entire first half output from three in just ten minutes. The defense tightened as well, pushing Zalgiris’ turnover count to eight for the quarter. Milano carried that surge into a 67-62 lead entering the fourth.

Zalgiris refused to fold. They opened the final period with six of the first eight points, but Marco Guduric answered with a personal 5-0 run to restore a six-point cushion. Maodo Lo responded in kind. First he brought Zalgiris within one, forcing Poetta to call timeout. The ATO worked, freeing Ellis for an open layup, but Lo came right back with a three to tie it at 76. Milano’s offense bogged down at the worst time. The threes stopped falling, just 1-of-8 in the quarter, and turnovers piled up. A Sleva free throw and a Francisco three pushed Zalgiris ahead by four with just over three minutes left.

Shields hit two free throws to keep Milano alive, but another controversial charge call led to a second technical and gave Zalgiris breathing room. This time there was no Milano response. Shields missed from deep, and Maodo Lo finished the night with a layup that stretched the lead to six with a minute to play, effectively sealing it.

Zalgiris walked out with an 86-82 win. Francisco led the way with 25 points and six assists, while Maodo Lo delivered the knockout stretch with 12 of his 17 in the fourth quarter. For Milano, Shields was brilliant with 27, and Guduric, Nebo and Leday all reached double figures, but turnovers, cold shooting late and a few costly moments swung a game that felt within reach until it wasn’t.

 

Key Performances of the Past Week:

Ebuka Izundu vs AS Monaco

Every week has a moment when a player introduces himself to the wider EuroLeague audience. This one belonged to Ebuka Izundu.

The rookie big man delivered the most dominant performance of the week against AS Monaco, putting up 22 points and 12 rebounds, seven of them on the offensive glass. The stat line pops immediately, but it still undersells what his 21 minutes actually did to the game. This was an announcement performance, the kind that makes people rewind possessions instead of just checking the box score.

Izundu’s presence on the offensive boards became a slow grind on Monaco’s spirit. Possession after possession refused to end, and that pressure built over time. The putback dunk late in the game was the exclamation point, a play that felt enormous in the context of Crvena Zvezda’s comeback and the road environment.

Defensively, he was more than solid. Izundu held his ground at the rim and even survived switches onto Monaco’s guards in isolation, using positioning and effort to make shots uncomfortable. There was no hiding him, and that mattered.

In a very important road win for the Serbians, Izundu was not just productive. He was central. For a rookie, that is the loudest statement you can make.

Kevin Punter vs ASVEL

This was one of those games that slipped through the cracks. Barcelona played ASVEL, Barcelona won by seven, and the night moved on. ASVEL scored 91 points, which tells you they had a real offensive game. Barcelona scored 98, and a big chunk of that belonged to Kevin Punter.

Nothing about the box score screamed for attention in the usual way, and that is probably the point. When a guy scores 31 points, adds four assists and two steals, it somehow does not make headlines anymore because we are used to it. That level of production has become the baseline expectation.

Punter’s scoring drove Barcelona’s offense in a game that could have gotten uncomfortable. ASVEL kept putting pressure on the scoreboard, and every time it felt like momentum might tilt, Punter was there with a bucket, a read, or a play that steadied things. His best plus minus on the team tells the story cleanly. When he was on the floor, Barcelona was in control.

This was not a loud performance in the media cycle, but it was a loud one on the court. Efficient scoring, timely playmaking, defensive activity, and a constant presence that shaped the game. Nights like this explain why Barcelona leans on him and why they can survive games where the margin is thinner than it looks at first glance.

Standings Watch:

This is the part of the season where the table stops being a list and starts feeling like a pressure test. The Play In race is tightening by the week. There are just three wins separating the 10th spot from the 11th, and that is the kind of margin where every possession starts to matter a little more. For the teams on the outside looking in, the room for error is shrinking fast. One bad week can quietly doom a season.

At the top, things are just as crowded. Four teams are sitting on 16 wins, and they are only one win clear of the trio of Olympiacos, AS Monaco and Valencia, all of them still hunting for home court advantage in the Play Offs. Nothing is settled, and the order can flip quickly with a single result.

Fenerbahçe are right in the middle of that chaos, already fighting for first place after a shaky start to the season. This has become familiar territory for a Sarunas Jasikevicius team. They start slow, they absorb the noise, and then they turn into a well oiled machine. Right now they are tied with Hapoel at the top after Hapoel’s loss to Partizan.

On the other side of the Play Off picture, Valencia have slipped into the seventh spot, tied with Monaco after losing three of their last four games. It is a reminder of how unforgiving this stretch can be. In a league this tight, a short skid is enough to change the entire outlook, and the standings reflect that reality every single week.

 

Week 18 Games to Watch:

Fenerbahçe vs Anadolu Efes

Standings do not matter when we talk about a Turkish derby. Games like these simply mean more. They mean more for the players, they mean more for the coaches, and they definitely mean more for the fans who want bragging rights that last well beyond forty minutes.

This one sets up as a half court battle, the kind of game where every possession feels negotiated. Head coaches will have a decisive impact here, with small tweaks and subtle adjustments swinging momentum. One coverage change, one lineup decision, one timeout at the right moment can decide it.

The talent level is high across the board, but the guard position jumps off the page. Both teams are deep there, and the matchup between Weiler Babb and Talen Horton Tucker is the kind of duel that can define the night. Different profiles, same responsibility, control the game.

This is one of those games you circle without thinking twice. A true can’t miss.

Olympiacos vs FC Barcelona

This matchup almost sells itself. Olympiacos versus FC Barcelona is always appointment viewing, and this one comes with real weight attached. The teams are separated by just one win in the standings, and home court advantage in the Play Offs is very much in play.

On paper, this looks like an offensive showcase. Both teams are very good on that end of the floor, loaded with creators and shot makers who can tilt a game in a hurry. That said, don’t expect a track meet without resistance. Defense is going to be crucial here, and whichever team executes better on that end is likely to decide the outcome.

This is also a coaches’ game. Xavi Pascual and Giorgios Bartzokas are not coming in empty handed. Both will have a few tricks up their sleeve, adjustments layered within adjustments, probing for small edges that can swing a tight contest.

When the stakes are this clear and the margins this thin, skipping this one is not an option.

Asvel vs Panathinaikos

The last time these two teams met at OAKA, Panathinaikos won only by six points. That night, PAO had every player available and Kendrick Nunn went off for 26, doing much of the heavy lifting in a game that never fully felt under control.

Fast forward to now and the context is very different. Panathinaikos might not have Nunn available, and suddenly this trip to Lyon carries a different kind of pressure. A win here will not be considered a great achievement, but a loss could do real damage to a team that has been unable to find consistency over the last month.

That is what makes this game uncomfortable for PAO. The margin for error is thin, the reward is limited, and the risk is obvious. For a team searching for stability, this is the kind of night where you either quietly take care of business or let the doubts grow louder.

 

What’s at Stake:

EA7 Milano is in a rough stretch, and the numbers are loud. Three straight losses have pushed the Italians three wins away from the Play In spots, a dangerous place to be in a league where the margins are already thin. The slide is not subtle and it starts on the defensive end.

Over this stretch, Milano’s defense has been abysmal. A 144.1 defensive rating is not just bad, it is almost 20 points per 100 possessions worse than the worst season average in the league, the 125.3 posted by Maccabi. That kind of drop off changes everything. It turns solid offensive nights into uphill battles and close games into losses that feel inevitable by the fourth quarter.

Milano can score, that part is not in question. But offense alone is not enough to stop the bleeding. If the defensive level does not rise quickly, even a good offense will not be enough to get them back into the win column, let alone pull them back into the Play In picture. The clock is ticking, and the fix has to start on the other side of the ball.

 

Biggest News Around EuroLeague

Olympiacos just added Cory Joseph, and it’s exactly the type of move that addresses a glaring need. The Canadian guard brings steady ball-handling and scoring, the kind of presence that becomes noticeable the moment the ball moves through him.

This is particularly timely given Monte Morris’ injury. Olympiacos has struggled with live-ball turnovers, and that has cost them more than a few games this season. Joseph’s ability to manage the game, protect the ball, and create scoring opportunities should help plug that leak. It’s not a flashy headline signing, but in a league where details like turnover rate can define a season, this is the kind of addition that could quietly make a huge difference.

 

This article was written by the European Hoops team: Tiago Cordeiro, João Caeiro and André Lemos. Make sure you give us a follow on Twitter at @EthosEuroleague!