AS Monaco enjoyed a sweet Turkish Airlines EuroLeague debut by beating visiting Panathinaikos OPAP Athens 75-63 in the season-opening game at Salle Gaston Medecin on Thursday evening. The hosts dominated from the very beginning, building a 22-15 advantage in the first quarter and never looking back. The margin increased little by little in the second half to a maximum of 22 points midway through the last quarter, which allowed Monaco to enjoy an early celebration with its fans despite a late 0-10 late run by the Greens. Danilo Andjusic had a career-high 17 points in just 14 minutes to lead five Monaco scorers in double digits. Mike James scored 11 points and Paris Lee, Donatas Motiejunas and Donta Hall had 10 apiece. Ioannis Papapetrou set the tone for Panathinaikos with 16 points and 6 rebounds, followed by Daryl Macon Jr. with 13 points in the losing effort.

James ignited the hosts in the early going with a dunk and a deep three-pointer for a 5-0 lead. Papapetrou took over for Panathinaikos, but Monaco found solutions from inside with Motiejunas for a 10-7 lead midway through the first quarter. James launched the hosts’ escape attempt, 15-7, with a powerful steal and slam. The visitors’ answer came soon from the hands of Papapetrou, Macon and Okaro White, who made it 15-14. However, 5 straight points by Andjusic and free throws by Alpha Diallo closed the first quarter with the home team up 22-15. Will Thomas built the first double-digit with a three right after the game resumed. Andjusic made it even better for the home side, 30-17, with a couple of free throws and a corner three. The Greens tried to fire back taking advantage of Papapetrou and Georgios Papagiannis’s experience, but no one else joined and Monaco needed not much to keep a safe margin. The offensive game of both teams slowed down from then on, as nobody managed to score a single field goal in the final 3 minutes of the half and Monaco went into the locker room ahead 38-28.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">He got highlight reel HIGH ⚡<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/7DAYSMagicMoment?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#7DAYSMagicMoment</a> <a href="https://t.co/Qu5EtQM7T4">pic.twitter.com/Qu5EtQM7T4</a></p>&mdash; Turkish Airlines EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague/status/1443641725608734727?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The teams traded baskets after the break. Ibrahima Faye, Lee and James combined to again punish Panathinaikos and amass a 48-33 advantage after 25 minutes. The visitors struggled on offense, unable to break the trend. Hall took advantage to score 6 points in a row and turn the red lights on the visitors’ control panel, 54-37, right before Jehyve Floyd showed up to help his team keep breathing at 56-44 entering the last quarter. Monaco suffocated Panathinaikos's attempt to come back with Leo Westermann and Andjusic running the show. Thomas restored a 17-point margin, 64-47, with a reverse jumper. The visitors tried to stop it with a timeout, but little changed. Another three-point dagger by James, two inside buckets by Motiejunas and a pair of free throws by Lee made it 73-51 with 5 minutes remaining, making clear that nothing could prevent the hosts from claiming their first EuroLeague win ever.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">A first EVER win in The Turkish Airlines EuroLeague <br><br>What a way to start the season <a href="https://twitter.com/ASMonaco_Basket?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ASMonaco_Basket</a> 🙌<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EveryGameMatters?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EveryGameMatters</a></p>&mdash; Turkish Airlines EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague/status/1443647705776066562?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Monaco beats Panathinaikos in EuroLeague debut

AS Monaco v Panathinaikos OPAP Athens (2021-09-30T17:00:00.000Z)

The hosts found a key offensive contribution from its backcourt, as Mike James, Leo Westermann, Paris Lee and Danilo Andjusic combined for 46 out of Monaco’s 75 points. On the other side, Nemanja Nedovic finished scoreless while playing just 12 minutes.

Monaco’s backcourt rules

The Round 1 game between Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv and visiting FC Bayern Muncih featured several players facing their former teams. Maccabi’s Derrick Williams and Jalen Reynolds both played recently with Bayern - with Reynolds doing so last season. Bayern big man Othello Hunter spent the last two seasons in Maccabi and DeShaun Thomas played for Maccabi in 2017-18. And Maccabi's recent signing, center Mathias Lessort, who did not play, lined up for the German club in 2019-20. 

Maccabi, Bayern players say 'We meet again'

Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv v FC Bayern Munich (2021-09-30T18:05:00.000Z)

UNICS returns with quality firepower: Season Preview

On its return to the EuroLeague, UNICS Kazan made sure to bring along players who can put the ball through the basket, elite scorers Mario Hezonja, O.J. Mayo and Isaiah Canaan.

The Turkish Airlines EuroLeague is excited to announce a new digital streaming offering that will accompany fans while they watch some of most interesting games of the season.

The Watchalong will bring the atmosphere of watching a game with your friends to wherever you are!

Former professional player Anthony Goods of Swish Cultures will follow selected games live along with guest panelists to give you the perfect second-screen experience. Going live on YouTube, they will update what is happening at other venues, too, and focus on the big moments as they happen.

The program, which will be at least two hours on Thursday or Friday, depending on the game, and will also feature challenges, interviews, chat among panelists and fans, and much more.

Anthony will host the first episode of The EuroLeague Watchalong on Thursday evening with former EuroLeague star Curtis Jerrells as his special guest, starting at 20:25 CET. They will follow the first Game of the Week of the new season, AX Exchange Armani Milan vs. CSKA Moscow.

With this new EuroLeague digital offering, following the best basketball on the continent just got a lot more fun.

Introducing The EuroLeague Watchalong

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Barcelona seeks to go one step higher: Season Preview

After reaching the championship game last season, FC Barcelona and stars Nikola Mirotic, Cory Higgins and Nick Calathes have one goal: to rise one step higher and lift the trophy.

Zvezda reels back fan favorites: Season Preview

As many as three fan favorites from the past – Nate Wolters, Luka Mitrovic and Nikola Kalinic – are back in the Serbian capital with a plan to lead Crvena Zvezda MTS Zvezda to bigger heights.

The 2021-22 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season will begin with something for which everyone has been waiting a long time: a packed arena!

Among the teams hosting games in Round 1, three have no restrictions on arena capacity. One of them, Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv, has already announced a sell-out, with all 11,192 tickets to its season-opener against FC Bayern Munich at Menora Mivtachim Arena snapped up by the club's loyal fans.

In total, at least two-thirds of the 18 EuroLeague teams will begin the season with more than 4,000 fans permitted in their arenas. Nine clubs are working under guidelines that will allow the arenas to be at more than 50 percent of capacity and five others are between 40% and 50%.

In addition to Maccabi, the two teams that can sell every seat at their respective home openers are AS Monaco and LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne.

Monaco will make its EuroLeague debut against Panathinaikos OPAP Athens at 19:00 CET on Thursday in the first tipoff of the new season. ASVEL hosts Zalgiris Kaunas the next day. In all three of those cases – as in several other arenas – fans must meet the local COVID-19 passport conditions for entry.

For some teams, these games will mark the first time since the 2019-20 season that they will play a home game in the EuroLeague with fans in attendance!

At the very least, the season arrives blessed at its start by the return of cheering fans to the stands and the excitement of some packed houses already in Round 1.

* with capacities confirmed by local authorities as of September 29

Fans to return in big numbers to start EuroLeague season

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Hello all! This is Javier Gancedo and like every season, I will be telling you all about the EuroLeague - and EuroCup! - [Fantasy Challenge](https://euroleaguefantasy.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/home) this season. We have worked hard for many months to offer a brand-new Fantasy Challenge. Dunkest is our new partner and they have done a great job putting together the new Fantasy Challenge. As you have probably seen, there are some new features which we think it will make the game more interesting, more tactical, and cause all Fantasy Challenge managers to pay more attention to what is going on in the competition.

So, which are the new features? There are more players per team (10) plus a head coach who should make the difference in each round's standings. Your coach can score up to 25 points if his team wins by more than 20 points, but can also have a negative score of -20 if his team loses by more than 20! That 45-point swing will be very important going forward.

The starting five, the sixth man and the coach are credited with 100% of their fantasy points, while players on the bench get 50%. Like in previous seasons, the team captain's score is worth double. Three trades will be allowed between rounds and the coach can be changed without losing any of those three trades. At the end of a game night, you can modify your lineup and name a different captain if your previous choice has not played yet. Or, you can promote a bench player on Friday, before the games, to the starting lineup. That can be done when the first night of games in one round is over, but the second night has not started, so be smart!

There are different lineups to use, which is also an interesting change, choosing how many guards, forwards and centers you want in it - never more than 3 per category. Initially, each Fantasy Challenge team has 100 credits to purchase 10 players by position – four forwards, four guards, and two centers – plus the head coach.

Now that I’ve summed up the most important rules - the rest can be found [HERE](https://euroleaguefantasy.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/rules-fantasy-euroleague) - let's get into business. I put together a team to start the competition in style. I went for who I think will be the biggest Fantasy Challenge star this season, Mike James of AS Monaco. And since I believe in James so much, I am also buying Zvezdan Mitrovic, his coach. I tried to spend as little money as possible on backup players without losing competitiveness.

And with all that, here is my first lineup of the season. And, by the way, I am keeping the same name, Gancedato.

**Mike James, AS Monaco (16.0 credits) -** He is a great scorer, playing against a former team, with a lot to prove. I am making him team captain.

**Maodo Lo, ALBA Berlin (7.9 credits) -** I expect a lot of big things from Lo this season, in which he should be one of the leaders of his hometown club, ALBA. He should step up.

**Ioannis Papapetrou, Panathinaikos OPAP Athens (11.5 credits) -** Papapetrou is an effective scorer, can rebound and played a lot of minutes last season. He's already a EuroLeague star.

**Sasha Vezenkov, Olympiacos Piraeus (11.2 credits) -** Vezenkov finished the 2020-21 season strong and should build on that momentum now that he has extended his contract through 2024.

**Devin Booker, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (10.7 credits) -** He can shoot from the outside, play above the rim and rebound well at both ends. Playing time, however, may be a big issue.

**Kyle Kuric, FC Barcelona (7.9 credits) –** With Alex Abrines sidelined, Kuric should be Barcelona's main threat from downtown. He is automatic! I am making him my sixth man in Round 1.

**Marco Spissu, UNICS Kazan (6.3 credits) -** With so many scorers in Kazan, a pass-first playmaker is highly appreciated and that is why I signed Spissu, who should control the team.

**Andreas Obst, FC Bayern Munich (7.1 credits) -** Pizza jokes aside (ask Bayern fans), Obst is a terrific three-point shooter who should surprise a lot of people, but not me.

**Youssoupha Fall, LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne (8.8 credits) -** Fall can post a high PIR in limited playing time. If he stays out of foul trouble, he can dominate.

**Yovel Zoosman, ALBA Berlin (7.4 credits) –** Zoos will get the playing time he needed to prove to everybody what a great versatile, talented swingman he is. ALBA is a perfect fit for him.

**Coach Zvezdan Mitrovic, AS Monaco (4.8 credits) –** The cheapest coach in the game and with a good opportunity to win. I don’t see why I shouldn’t pick him in Round 1.

That's all I have for you today. Stay safe. And, if you are going to a EuroLeague game this week, enjoy the show. I’ll see you here next week!