With EuroLeague on an one-week break, we take a look at what happened in Round 24, as all 18 teams are now preparing to participate in the final stage of their respective domestic Cups.
That said, and with round 24 almost complete, here are the most important topics to be mentioned:
#1 – People in Turkey and Syria continue to suffer following the catastrophic earthquakes
The catastrophic earthquakes in Turkey and Syria led to the loss of thousands of human lives and left millions of people homeless. More than a week after the tragic incident, millions of people continue to suffer.
Due to the earthquakes, EuroLeague had to suspend the Turkish teams’ games, with Anadolu Efes vs Real Madrid now scheduled to take place on 14/3 and Fenerbahce vs Armani Milano a week later, on 21/3.
Our thoughts are with all those affected by the earthquake and its terrible consequences 🙏
From Euroleague Basketball, we would like to encourage everyone to help by cooperating with these 2 emergency funds here:
UNHCR: https://t.co/AoojQRaoMm
OXFAM: https://t.co/YGAInPp2xj pic.twitter.com/TSiXSdvZhw— Turkish Airlines EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) February 8, 2023
#2 – Partizan wins fourth straight; makes another step towards the playoffs
Partizan is in the zone lately, getting better and better. They are now on a four-game win streak and have emerged as one of the main contenders for the playoffs, currently being sixth in the standings.
It makes sense for head coach Zelimir Obradovic to create a winning team, he only needed time to see his team rolling. We expect to see more from the Serbians as time goes by.
#3 – EuroLeague playoff battle remains intense with 10 games left
People keep saying that this is probably the most competitive EuroLeague regular season we have seen under the current format. So far, this statement is true 100%.
There are currently 8 teams with a two-win difference that are fighting for the playoffs. As it seems, this fight will go on till the end of the regular season.
Zalgiris Kaunas, Partizan, Valencia and Baskonia are tied for sixth with a 13-11 record. Maccabi Tel-Aviv is just a win behind (12-12), while Anadolu Efes is at 11-12. For their part, Virtus Bologna and Crvena Zvezda are two wins behind, at 11-13.
#4 – Wade Baldwin, Nemanja Nedovic, Sasha Vezenkov with MVP-caliber performances in Round 24
One cannot overlook the performances of Wade Baldwin, Nemanja Nedovic and Sasha Vezenkov in Round 24.
Olympiacos’ star forward claimed the MVP of the Round award for a fifth time this year and keeps leading the race for the MVP of the EuroLeague regular season.
Vezenkov had a season-high 28 points, 13 rebounds and a PIR of 40 on the “Reds” road win over ALBA Berlin (60-93). He leads the league in PIR (23.5) and rebounds (7.4), while being second in scoring (18.4).
Meanwhile, Nemanja Nedovic went for 28 points, on 6/9 from beyond the arc, and kept Crvena Zvezda’s playoff chances alive, while Wade Baldwin had a career-high 38 points, on 11/19 shooting, and a PIR of 39, yet Maccabi suffered a painful home loss (86-89).
Both Baldwin and Nedovic have found their place in their teams’ rotation and have the space and plays to make the difference offensively. They will both be crucial for their teams in the playoff race.
#5 – Olympiacos remains the best and most fun-to-watch team in the EuroLeague
Olympiacos is by far the most fun-to-watch team. With optimal play on both sides of the court, the “Reds” lead the way in performance index rating (105), steals (8.1) and assists (22.1), and trail only Baskonia for the best offense in the EuroLeague (85.4 to 85.3).
You can only enjoy watching this well-balanced team playing on top form. If the “Reds” remain at top form (currently on a six-game win streak), they will end up on top of the regular season, as they have already emerged as the grand favorite to reach the Final Four and claim the title.
