FC Bayern Munich completed a perfect double-round week on the road in incredible fashion on Friday, rallying from 20 points down at halftime to stun host Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul 71-75. 

Bayern comeback stuns Fenerbahce, 71-75

FC Bayern Munich completed a perfect double-round week on the road in incredible fashion on Friday, rallying from 20 points down at halftime to stun host Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul 71-75. Bayern outscored Fenerbahce 26-50 after halftime to raise its record to 3-1, good for a share of second place. Fenerbahce dropped to 2-2. Vladimir Lucic scored 18 points for the winners – including 4 of 4 insurance free throws in the last 10 seconds – while Jalen Reynolds came off the bench for 17 and 8 rebounds. Zan Sisko added 11 points and Nihad Dedovic 10 for Bayern. Fenerbahce, which had led by a high of 21 late in the second quarter, got 25 points and 8 rebounds from Jan Vesely plus 18 and 7 assists from Nando De Colo. Bayern out-rebounded the hosts 25-6 in the last two quarters.

Vesely and former Bayern captain Danilo Barthel filled a 6-0 Fenerbahce start before a triple by Lucic was answered twice by Edgaras Ulanovas to suddenly make it 16-5. A six-point possession – 4 free throws by De Colo and a layup by Lorenzo Brown – boosted the difference 22-5. De Colo's first field goal, a triple, meant a 20-point lead on the way to a 28-9 score after 10 minutes. Dedovic and Reynolds got Bayern closer, 33-16, but Vesely was unstoppable as the lead reached 39-18. Sisko's first triple could not deter De Colo and Barthel from keeping Fenerbahce's dominance at 45-25 for the break.

Catch up on Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul vs FC Bayern Munich highlights from Round 4 of the 2020/21 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season, 16th October 2020

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul vs FC Bayern Munich Highlights - Round 4 - 16th October, 2020

Reynolds was everywhere as Bayern trimmed the difference after halftime. Suddenly Lucic jammed back a rebound, Wade Baldwin stole and Sisko drilled his third triple to make it 51-41. Lucic's 3 free throws lowered the difference to single digits, 55-46, while Ali Muhammad's late shot-clock triple and Leon Radosevic's buzzer-beating put-back left a 58-48 scoreboard after 30 minutes. Reynolds ruled the first minute of the fourth quarter, with 5 points to force a Fenerbahce timeout at 58-53. The battle was truly joined now. Free throws by Dedovic and Paul Zipser set up an open triple from Lucic to make it 63-62 with 6 minutes left. Nick Weiler-Babb soon did the honors from deep to give the guests their first lead, 63-65. Lucic kept it going with a layup to complete a 0-12 run at before Vesely hit a free throw and a bank shot for the hosts at 66-68 going into the final 2 minutes. Vesely's 12th two-pointer tied it 68-68 with 1:15 left. Baldwin broke the tie with 48 seconds left and then stole from Lorenzo Brown, who subsequently committed an unsportsmanlike foul with 28 seconds left. Lucic hit 1 of 2 free throws and then Bayern's missed field goal try was knocked out of bounds by Vesely with 11.5 left and the scoreboard at 68-71. Lucic hit 2 free throws before De Colo buried a transition triple with 6.5 seconds left. But Lucic hit 2 more free throws to assure an incredible first win ever for Bayern at Fenerbahce's court.

### Comeback record 

Bayern's comeback from back 21 points behind amounted to a club record in the EuroLeague. The previous biggest comeback by Bayern was 19 points to beat Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar 82-79 in February of 2014.

### History served

Neither Bayern (0-4) nor head coach Andrea Trinchieri (0-3) had ever won before on Fenerbahce's court. In his previous three games against the hosts – when he was coaching first Pallacanestro Cantu and then Brose Bamberg – Trinchieri's three defeats there had come by a combined margin of just 11 points.

### Star turn

Lucic had his team's highest PIR, 24, thanks to 7 fouls drawn and 8 of 9 free throw shooting, but the catalyst of the comeback was Reynolds. In his 11 second-half minutes, he had 11 points and 7 rebounds, the latter more than all of Fenerbahce's players combined in the half. His point total of 17 was his best in the EuroLeague yet, but his offensive rebounds per minute are by far the league's best and a big reason that Bayern pulled out the win.

### Moving up the charts

Vesely's 12-for-14 two-point shooting was not only impressive, but vaulted him into seventh place all-time in the EuroLeague. He now had 894 two-pointers, vaulting ahead of Luis Scola's 888. And it wasn't even Vesely's single-game best. He also moved past FC Barcelona head coach Sarunas Jasikevicius for 20th place EuroLeague scorers all-time by pushing his total to 2,360 points. De Colo, meanwhile, hit 3 of 6 triples to become the 19th player in EuroLeague history to make 300 or more. He now has downed 301 three-pointers.

Next games

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FC Bayern Munich completed a perfect double-round week on the road in incredible fashion on Friday, rallying from 20 points down at halftime to stun host Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul 71-75.  


Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul v FC Bayern Munich (2020-10-16T17:45:00.000Z)

FC Barcelona shrugged off sidelined players and a double-digit deficit to work its way past Panathinaikos OPAP Athens 97-89 in overtime on Thursday night for a home victory. 

Barcelona fends off Panathinaikos in OT

FC Barcelona shrugged off sidelined players and a double-digit deficit to work its way past Panathinaikos OPAP Athens 97-89 in overtime on Thursday night for a home victory. Cory Higgins collected 24 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists and Brandon Davies posted 20 points and 5 rebounds for Barcelona, which improved to 3-1 despite missing Nikola Mirotic and Victor Claver and losing Alex Abrines during the game. Kyle Kuric added 14 points and Nick Calathes tallied 14 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists against his former team. Panathinaikos dropped to 1-2 despite Marcus Foster pouring in 24 points with Howard Sant-Roos scoring 17 points. Kostas Mitoglou added 16 points and 12 rebounds and Nemanja Nedovic chipped in 15 points in the loss for Panathinaikos.

Ioannis Papapetrou's jumper in the lane got Panathinaikos on the board first with Foster getting a layup and three-pointer as the guests raced ahead 2-11. Another Foster basket made it 4-15 and Coach Sarunas Jasikevicius called a timeout midway through the first quarter. Roland Smits netted 4 points to jumpstart Barcelona’s 9-3 finish to the first quarter, including keeping Panathinaikos scoreless for the final 3 minutes to trail 13-18 after 10 minutes. Barcelona’s good run moved into the second quarter with Calathes and Kuric hitting back-to-back triples to move ahead 21-18. Foster finally snapped the Greens' scoreless rut of nearly 5 minutes with a jumper and he added a steal and dunk for a 21-24 advantage. Barcelona punched back with Calathes and Kuric again hitting three-pointers to go up 29-24. Barcelona was held without a point for 4 minutes while Panathinaikos went to the line and reclaimed the lead, 29-31, with 5 free throws. Thomas Heurtel came off the bench with 5 points for the hosts, who went into the break up 36-35.

Catch up on FC Barcelona vs Panathinaikos OPAP Athens highlights from Round 4 of the 2020/21 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season, 15th October 2020

FC Barcelona vs Panathinaikos OPAP Athens Highlights - Round 4 - 15th October, 2020

Mitoglou continued his good game at the start of the second half with 5 points in helping Panathinaikos surge ahead 36-42. Barcelona finally got on the board after 2 minutes on a dunk by Higgins, who also had a three-pointer to pull within 41-42. The Greens were not impressed and responded with triples from Sant-Roos, Foster and Nedovic as well as a Foster dunk to grow the margin to double figures, 44-55. Barcelona picked up its defense to hold Panathinaikos scoreless for 3 minutes and Calathes and Kuric yet again hit three-pointers in a 12-0 run to take the lead 56-55. The game was even at 58-58 after 30 minutes. The back and forth continued in the fourth quarter with Barcelona’s 4 points answered by 5 points from Panathinaikos, including a Nedovic triple to make it 62-63. Nedovic hit another triple only to be answered by a Calathes three and 4 straight points from Davies as Barcelona was up 71-68 inside 2 minutes to play. Leonidas Kaselakis's jumper made it a one-point game before Higgins and Mitoglou both hit free throws. Davies followed with foul shots with 17 seconds remaining for a 75-72 lead. Kaselakis was fouled taking a three-pointer with 7.8 seconds left and he hit all 3 free throws to tie the game at 75-75.

Adam Hanga scored his first points of the game on a three-pointer to start overtime. Foster hit a triple at the other end, but Kuric countered with a three-pointer and Hanga hit another triple before a Davies alley-oop layin for an 89-81 lead. Panathinaikos would not go down without a fight as Nedovic and Sant-Roos both connected from long range to pull within 93-89 with 18 seconds left. But Higgins finished off Panathinaikos with 4 free throws in the final 27 seconds.

### Another Barcelona home victory over Panathinaikos

Barcelona won its fourth straight game against Panathinaikos to improved its record against the Greens in the EuroLeague since 2000 to 24-13. Barcelona has a 15-4 record at home including 10 consecutive wins. The Spanish power’s last home loss to Panathinaikos dates back to Game 2 of the 2013 playoffs.

### Did you notice?

Barcelona’s personnel problems got a little worse as Alex Abrines injured his ankle in the final minutes of the first quarter and he could not play the rest of the game.

### Telling numbers

Barcelona held Panathinaikos to 45.7% on two-point shooting while hitting 52.8% on twos. The home side also connected on 41.9% of its three-pointers.

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FC Barcelona v Panathinaikos OPAP Athens (2020-10-15T19:00:00.000Z)

Zalgiris Kaunas remained atop the EuroLeague standings by demolishing the team with the best record from last season, Anadolu Efes Istanbul, 89-73 on Thursday evening in its home opener at Zalgirio Arena.

Top-of-the-table Zalgiris rocks Efes

Zalgiris Kaunas remained atop the EuroLeague standings by demolishing the team with the best record from last season, Anadolu Efes Istanbul, 89-73 on Thursday evening in its home opener at Zalgirio Arena. The Lithuanian champs led from tip to buzzer in improving to 4-0 on the season while dropping struggling Efes to 1-3. Nigel Hayes led five Zalgiris scorers in double figures with 17 points, 5 rebounds and 2 steals. Marius Grigonis and Lukas Lekavicius scored 12 points apiece, Joffrey Lauvergne posted 10 points and 8 rebounds and Arturas Milaknis also scored 10 for the victors. Bryant Dunston came up big with 20 points on 8-of-9 shooting, 4 assists and 2 blocks to lead Efes, Krunoslav Simon compiled 16 points and 6 assists and Rodrigue Beaubois added 12 in defeat.



The fans had plenty to cheer about early as Hayes and Grigonis knocked down three-pointers for a 6-2 start. Hayes remained hot with a jumper and another triple to make it 13-5 midway through the first quarter. Tibor Pleiss provided most of the Efes resistance, but Zalgiris remained in control as both teams started to turn to their second units. Lekavicius fed Rokas Jokubaitis for a fastbreak layup on the buzzer to make it 25-16 after 10 minutes. The Efes attack found its rhythm in the first few minutes of the second quarter, but Zalgiris matched it basket for basket. Things changed when Adrien Moerman drilled back-to-back three-pointers to bring Efes within 32-31. Dunston's second block of the night ignited a fastbreak that saw Zalgiris tie it at 35-35 on a layup by Simon. Lauvergne scored twice as the hosts regained the lead and went into halftime up 41-35.

Catch up on Zalgiris Kaunas vs Anadolu Efes Istanbul highlights from Round 4 of the 2020/21 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season, 15th October 2020

Zalgiris Kaunas vs Anadolu Efes Istanbul Highlights - Round 4 - 15th October, 2020

Zalgiris opened the second half with a bang as Lauvergne threw-down an alley-oop slam and Hayes converted on his third three of the night for a double-digit lead. Efes found its footing and the teams started to trade baskets in what became a high-scoring quarter. Dunston drew the visitors within 57-53 only for Steve Vasturia to respond with a three-pointer-plus-foul. Lekavicius's floater in transition pushed the margin back to 10 and prompted an Efes timeout. A layup by Vasturia made it 66-55 through three quarters. Zalgiris did not let up with the lead swelling as Lekavicius set up Martinas Geben for a slam and then nailed a three. Milaknis's layup stretched the margin to 75-58. Geben put the difference into the 20s with a layup with 4 minutes remaining. The lead peaked at 87-65 on a Grigonis triple with 3 minutes remaining as Zalgiris wrapped up a convincing victory.

### Pivotal player

Nigel Hayes went off for 11 points in the first quarter to stake Zalgiris to a lead it would not relinquish. The forward finished with 17 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals for a performance index rating of 23. Both the points and PIR tallies represented the second-best of his EuroLeague career.

### Stats that tell a story

The two teams each committed 11 turnovers, however, the hosts turned their opponent’s miscues into 18 points while Efes generated only 7 points off Zalgiris turnovers. The other big difference on the stat sheet was three-point shooting; Zalgiris was 10 for 19 (52.6%) with four players making multiple threes: Nigel Hayes (3 for 5), Lukas Lekavicius (2 for 2), Arturas Milaknis (2 for 2) and Marius Grigonis (2 for 4). Efes was 8 for 25 (32%) from downtown.

### Milaknis leaves his mark on the books

Arturas Milaknis made history with a pair of three-pointers that saw him leapfrog Dimitris Diamantidis for 11th place on the all-time charts for triples made. Milaknis, who made both shots in a short period in the second quarter, is up to 373 three-pointers for his career. It may not take him long to move into the top 10: the tenth place is held by CSKA Moscow legend J.R. Holden with 377. No player ahead of Milaknis on the charts has a better career shooting percentage than his 42.4%.

### Dunston becomes co-king of blocks

Bryant Dunston produced one of the best games of his career with 20 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 blocks for a performance index rating of 32, which was 1 off his career-best. The blocks gave him 249 for his career to tie Fran Vazquez for the most in EuroLeague history. Dunston can become the king of blocked shots as soon as his next game.

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Zalgiris Kaunas v Anadolu Efes Istanbul (2020-10-15T17:00:00.000Z)

ALBA Berlin grabbed its first win of the season in dramatic fashion with a thrilling 88-93 victory at CSKA Moscow. 

ALBA holds off CSKA in thriller to claim first win

ALBA Berlin grabbed its first win of the season in dramatic fashion with a thrilling 88-93 victory at CSKA Moscow. An exciting game was closely contested throughout, with 62 points scored in a pulsating second quarter which featured 8 lead changes. ALBA continued to battle hard to lead by 3 at the end of the third quarter, and a big charge early in the fourth gave the visitors a double-digit lead. CSKA battled back to within 2 points, but it wasn’t enough as ALBA held its nerve in the final stages to claim its first ever win over the Russian giant. Simone Fontecchio led the German team to success with 20 points, followed by 15 from Maodo Lo. Marcus Eriksson made 3 triples in his total of 13 points, while Peyton Siva added 12 and Luke Sikma scored 11. Mike James produced a heroic effort in defeat with 27 points and 6 assists, while Will Clyburn scored 25 in defeat.

Darrun Hilliard’s jumper opened the scoring before Siva struck from deep to send ALBA in front in a low-scoring start. Tornike Shengelia scored twice, including a three-pointer, but Fontecchio also made a couple of scores for a 10-10 tie. James struck from deep and Ben Lammers dunked as the offenses started to click. Niels Giffey’s three-pointer and Jayson Granger’s long two sent ALBA back in front, but Clyburn’s triple made it 19-17 after ten minutes. Sikma, Giffey and Fontecchio scored close to the basket and Lo netted a threeball to make it 22-26, but Clyburn scored twice and Daniel Hackett struck from deep to give CSKA the lead. Siva forced yet another lead change from long-range, and Fontecchio’s driving layup made it 30-34. The hosts came back as Clyburn scored his third triple and Joel Bolomboy also struck from beyond the arc before James scored off-balance for a 38-36 edge. Clyburn from close range, James from the corner and Shengelia with a dunk put together a 7-0 run, before James, Clyburn, Siva and Lammers were all on target in a frantic finale to the first half, which finished 51-47.

Catch up on CSKA Moscow vs ALBA Berlin highlights from Round 4 of the 2020/21 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season, 16th October 2020

CSKA Moscow vs ALBA Berlin Highlights - Round 4 - 16th October, 2020

Fontecchio briefly brought ALBA level early in the third, but Hilliard and Clyburn sent CSKA in front. James penetrated to score for CSKA’s biggest lead so far, 60-53, but fastbreak baskets from Louis Olinde and Lo pulled ALBA closer. Eriksson’s threeball tied the game, and Granger penetrated to complete a 5-15 end to the quarter as the visiting team moved ahead 65-68. Granger doubled that lead from deep early in the fourth and a wide-open corner three from Eriksson forced CSKA into timeout at 65-74. James got CSKA moving with a long two, but Eriksson arrowed another long-range missile for a double-digit lead. James narrowed the gap but Fontecchio’s three-pointer made it 72-80 with 5 minutes left. James kept on leading CSKA to within 78-80, but Lo kept ALBA ahead with a three-point play and a layup. James struck from deep for 82-85 with 2 minutes left. Sikma’s layup stretched the lead, before Clyburn made it 85-87 inside the final minute. Giffey tipped in for 85-89, and ALBA got a big defensive stop followed by free throws to seal a famous victory.

### Slow start from both teams

Both teams struggled to get their offenses moving, with only one field goal apiece in the opening 4 minutes of the game. ALBA made only 1 of its first 9 field goal attempts and CSKA committed 3 turnovers in the first 5 minutes.

### Offensive explosion in second quarter

The second quarter was an entirely different matter as both teams launched an offensive explosion which was edged by CSKA, 32-30. The last two and a half minutes saw 24 points scored, with 10 of 14 field goals converted. That highly entertaining second period also featured 8 lead changes.

### Granger and Eriksson mastermind key run

The game was ultimately decided by a 1-15 charge from ALBA to bridge the third and fourth quarters. Marcus Eriksson (twice) and Jayson Granger struck from deep, while Granger also beat the third quarter buzzer to help his team establish a big lead which was never relinquished.

### Milutinov makes modest CSKA debut

After missing the first three games of the season, CSKA’s high-profile summer acquisition Nikola Milutinov made his debut. The former Olympiacos center entered the action late in the first quarter, and posted 4 points and 1 rebound in 7 minutes on the floor.

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CSKA Moscow v ALBA Berlin (2020-10-16T17:00:00.000Z)

Vladimir Lucic scored a career-high 26 points to lead FC Bayern Munich to an 82-85 road win over Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv on Wednesday night at Menora Mivtachim Arena. 

Lucic leads Bayern to victory in Tel Aviv

Vladimir Lucic scored a career-high 26 points to lead FC Bayern Munich to an 82-85 road win over Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv on Wednesday night at Menora Mivtachim Arena. The win was Bayern's second in a row on the road and its first-ever EuroLeague victory in Tel Aviv. The result lifted Bayern's record to 2-1 on the season and sent Maccabi to 1-2. Paul Zipser added 16 points for the winners, who led from late in the first quarter till the end. Jalen Reynolds scored 14 against his former team and Wade Baldwin IV had 13. Scottie Wilbekin paced Maccabi with 27 points and 7 assists and Ante Zizic contributed 19 points on 8-of-9 shooting plus 6 rebounds in defeat.



The Bayern defense forced Maccabi into turnovers on its first three possessions and Lucic got the visitors going with a three-point play. Zizic came to Maccabi's rescue with three baskets in the paint as the hosts went ahead, 8-5. Reynolds produced a pretty move in the low post as Bayern regained control, 12-13, and the teams reached the 10-minute mark tied at 15-15. Reynolds scored twice to start the second quarter and T.J. Bray added a triple, which prompted a Maccabi timeout. A three by Zipser extended the gap to 17-26. Zizic came back into the game and continued to dominate, but he had little help and the Maccabi turnovers continued to mount. Leon Radosevic free throws gave Bayern a double-digit lead, 23-34. Angelo Caloiaro trimmed the gap to 25-34 at the break.

Catch up on Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv vs FC Bayern Munich highlights from Round 3 of the 2020/21 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season, 14th October 2020

Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv vs FC Bayern Munich Highlights - Round 3 - 14th October, 2020

Threes by Dragan Bender and Wilbekin drew Maccabi within 32-36 early in the second half, but Lucic came to the fore again for Bayern with a three-pointer and free throws to ignited a 0-7 run that pushed the gap back to double-digits. Caloiaro and Tyler Dorsey tried to change things for the home team, but Baldwin came alive to keep Bayern in control. Wilbekin scored a three and a layup on either side of a Bayern timeout, but a triple by Zipser on the buzzer ended the third quarter at 55-60. More threes by Lucic and Zipser pushed the Bayern advantage to double figures again, just 90 seconds into the fourth. Zipser added free throws for Bayern's biggest lead, 58-70. Wilbekin kept the Maccabi fight alive with a three-point play and a triple to trim the deficit to 70-75 with 3-plus minutes remaining. Lucic connected on a big three at the end of the shot clock to keep Bayern in control. Reynolds fouled out with 1:37 remaining and Wilbekin free throws got the hosts within 78-81. Lucic responded with 3 free throws – after a technical foul by Dorsey, who made amends with a steal from Zipser and an unsportsmanlike foul with 45.1 left. After he made free throws, Hunter missed from close range. Bayern was able to kill the clock thanks to an offensive rebound by Leon Radosevic and Wilbekin missed a three to tie it from mid-court on the buzzer.

### Pivotal performer

Vladimir Lucic scored early and often for Bayern en route to a career-best 26 points. He only missed 2 shots – a three-pointer and a free throw, while adding 3 rebounds and 2 steals. His previous career-best was 20 points last season against Anadolu Efes Istanbul. Lucic's performance index rating of 29 was also a career-best.

### The turnover tale

Bayern collected 12 steals and forced Maccabi into 18 turnovers, which played a major role in the game. However, none of those came in the fourth quarter, which is when Maccabi worked its way from a double-digit deficit to within 2 points in the final minute. When Bayern was generating those turnovers, it controlled the game.

### Zipser's major contributions

The last time these two teams played, Paul Zipser had a career-high 9 rebounds in a Bayern 80-68 home win. He had a major role for Bayern again in this game with 16 points and several key buckets. He hit one on the third-quarter buzzer to fend off a Maccabi rally and another early in the fourth to extend the lead that Bayern was able to protect late.

### Reynolds's return to Tel Aviv

Though he finished the game on the bench after fouling out, Jalen Reynolds had a big game for Bayern in his 20 minutes on the floor against his former team. He scored 14 points, grabbed 4 rebounds and blocked a shot.

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Vladimir Lucic scored a career-high 26 points to lead FC Bayern Munich to an 82-85 road win over Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv on Wednesday night at Menora Mivtachim Arena. 


Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv v FC Bayern Munich (2020-10-14T16:30:00.000Z)

Olympiacos Piraeus came from behind on its home floor for a 86-75 victory that meant the first loss this season for visiting AX Armani Exchange Milan. 

 Olympiacos hands Milan first defeat

Olympiacos Piraeus came from behind on its home floor for a 86-75 victory that meant the first loss this season for visiting AX Armani Exchange Milan. An explosive 27-16 third quarter changed the game after the Reds had trailed 36-42 at halftime. Olympiacos improved to 2-1 while Milan dropped to the same record. Kostas Sloukas masterminded the victory with 17 points and 11 assists in 36 minutes. marking his first double-double in an Olympiacos uniform. Georgios Printezis and Aaron Harrison scored 16 each while Shaquielle McKissic added 10, 8 of them in the turnaround third quarter. Sergio Rodriguez led Milan with 18 points, while Michael Roll came next with 16 and Zach LeDay added 10.



Kostas Papanikolaou hit twice among 5 two-pointers without a miss for the hosts as they led 10-8. LeDay answered from deep before Rodriguez drilled twice from the same distance to put Milan in front 15-19. Printezis beating the buzzer with a triple to cut the difference to 18-21 after 10 minutes. Vassilis Spanoulis busted his first attempt, a three-pointer, to give Olympiacos a 23-21 lead before a flurry of free throws and LeDay's coast-to-coast layup sent the visitors up 25-30. Another triple and a drop shot by Rodriguez pushed Milan's advantage to 32-39. Then he came back with a stellar shot from deep for a 36-42 halftime score. 

Catch up on Olympiacos Piraeus vs AX Armani Exchange Milan highlights from Round 3 of the 2020/21 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season, 14th October 2020

Olympiacos Piraeus vs AX Armani Exchange Milan Highlights - Round 3 - 14th October, 2020

McKissic fed Printezis twice in transition early in the second half. He and Luigi Datome traded triples but then McKissick added a three-point play and fed Sloukas for a triple as Olympiacos suddenly surged in front 49-48. The lead went back and forth until McKissick fed Harrison in the corner at 55-53. Harrison and McKissic added baskets before Roll's second triple calmed Milan. Hassan Martin exploded a dunk before Roll and Sloukas exchanged free throws for a 63-58 score after 30 minutes. Harrison's three-pointer in transition opened the fourth quarter and Sloukas soon followed for a 69-60 lead. Rodriguez and Charles Jenkins traded triples and Printezis inadvertently scored for Milan at 72-65. Martin's put-back and McKissic's free throws supplied the game's first double-digit lead, 76-65, with under 5 minutes left. Harrison hit from the arc, but Roll did it twice to trim the gap to 79-73 with 2 minutes left. Printezis calmed the hosts with layup to which Sloukas added a jumper at 83-74 with 1:25 to play that settled matters.

### Turnovers turnaround

Olympiacos coughed up 10 turnovers in the first half and then Printezis stepped on the sideline for the second time early in the second, bringing the Reds to the brink of their 11.5 average coming into the game, which was third-best in the league. From that moment forward, however, they committed just 1 turnover in 18 minutes while taking control of the game the rest of the way. Their final total of 12 was 4 below what Milan had forced on opponents through the first two games.

### Chacho's perfect half

Sergio Rodriguez of Milan could not have had a much better first half. In fact, he was almost infallible, scoring 15 points in 9:18 with no misses on 2 two-pointers, 3 triples and 2 free throws, plus 3 rebounds, an assist and a steal while drawing 2 fouls and, alas, committing 2 as well, for a halftime PIR of 20.

### McKissic's boost for Reds

Olympiacos swingman Shaquielle McKissic started but sat after the game's first 100 seconds with 2 fouls. When he returned after halftime, however, he fueled the Olympiacos turnaround, first stealing a rebound and feeding Printezis full-court. He would go on to scored 6 points and assist Sloukas for a triple in a 9-0 run that put Olympiacos in the lead and supplied all the momentum to take over the scoreboard the rest of the way.

### Martin channeling Hines

A no less helpful contribution came from Hassan Martin, whose 8 rebounds gave Olympiacos a 31-25 edge on the boards. Martin, a 2.01-meter center, looked like a 25-year-old version of the player he was going up against and who once patrolled the same terrain for the Reds, none other than Kyle Hines.

Olympiacos Piraeus came from behind on its home floor for a 86-75 victory that meant the first loss this season for visiting AX Armani Exchange Milan.  


Aaron-Harrison-celebrates-Olympiacos-EB20-008930.jpg

Olympiacos Piraeus v AX Armani Exchange Milan (2020-10-14T16:30:00.000Z)

Real Madrid earned its first victory of the season by topping undermanned Khimki Moscow Region 94-85 in the Spanish capital. 

Three-point shooting propels Real past Khimki

Real Madrid earned its first victory of the season by topping undermanned Khimki Moscow Region 94-85 in the Spanish capital. The early exchanges were closely fought but Real raced ahead through a flurry of three-pointers before the interval and kept control in the second half. The hosts improved to 1-2, while Khimki is still looking for its first win of the season. Sergio Llull masterminded the triumph with 21 points on 7-of-9 field goal shooting, with backcourt teammate Nico Laprovittola making 5 of his 7 three-point attempts in a total of 19 points. Trey Thompkins scored 18 points and Facu Campazzo dished 8 assists for the winning team. Devin Booker led Khimki’s challenge with 22 points and Vyacheslav Zaytsev scored 21 with 9 assists. Jonas Jerebko added 18 points and 9 rebounds and young Vladislav Odinokov scored 11.



The early stages were closely contested, with Llull scoring Real’s first 7 points, but Zaystev equalling that and Jerebko also scoring twice for a 7-13 Khimki lead. Alberto Abalde struck from deep, Llull netted again and Walter Tavares gave Real its first lead, 14-13, but that didn’t last long as Odinokov and Zaytsev kept Khimki ahead. Llull scored 4 more points and Jeffery Taylor hit a corner triple to make the lead change hands. Sergey Monia and Odinokov were also on target from deep and it was 25-25 after ten minutes. Llull and Thompkins knocked down threes, but Booker and Odinokov also drained triples to keep Khimki level, 33-33. Laprovittola joined the three-point party with a trio of triples, with Egor Vialtsev also striking from the corner. Laprovittola hit his fourth triple of the quarter and Rudy Fernandez added yet another – Real’s 10th of the half – to make it 49-41 at the break.

Catch up on Real Madrid vs Khimki Moscow Region highlights from Round 3 of the 2020/21 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season, 14th October 2020

Real Madrid, Khimki Moscow Region Highlights - Round 3 - 14th October, 2020

Tavares opened the second half with a trio of buckets including a three-point play. A rainbow three from Llull made it 62-47. Jerebko scored three baskets in a hurry to keep Khimki hoping before a quiet passage of scoring was ended by a triple from Thompkins. It was 70-57 with 10 minutes remaining. Booker scored three times early in the fourth quarter to keep Khimki alive, but Thompkins also scored a couple of buckets and Jaycee Carroll entered the action to strike from deep. It was 81-69 with 5 minutes remaining. Zaytsev scored a couple of times in penetration, but Thompkins converted a pair of bullet passes from Laprovittola to maintain a safe distance. Carroll and Laprovittola knocked down another couple of triples and Thompkins netted two more baskets to eradicate any doubt over the outcome despite a late flurry from Zaytsev.

### Foul trouble hinders Khimki

With just eight players on the roster, the last thing Khimki needed was early foul trouble but that’s exactly what happened as Egor Vialtysev picked up 3 fouls in the first quarter and another midway through the second. Vyacheslav Zaytsev also reached 4 fouls early in the third quarter and youngster Vladislav Odinokov fouled out midway through the fourth. That all led to 21-year-old debutant Ivan Evstigneev spending 20 minutes on the floor.

### Laprovittola makes the difference

The game was level at 33-33 midway through the second quarter, but that’s when Nico Laprovittola took matters into his own hands by draining 4 three-pointers in the space of 3 minutes. That proved to be the key turning point as Khimki never led again.

### Argentine assists battle

In addition to knocking down those triples, Laprovittola also enjoyed an all-Argentine assists battle with his backcourt mate Facu Campazzo. They ended up with 7 and 8 respectively, accounting for the majority of the team total of 23.


### Real’s big night from deep

Laprovittola wasn’t the only one in fine form from long range as Real finished the game converting 17 of 34 three-point attempts – the joint second-highest in club history. Laprovittola led the way by nailing 5 of his 7 attempts and there were also multiple triples from Sergio Llull, Trey Thompkins, Jeffery Taylor, Jaycee Carroll and Alberto Abalde .

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Real Madrid earned its first victory of the season by topping undermanned Khimki Moscow Region 94-85 in the Spanish capital. 


Real Madrid v Khimki Moscow Region (2020-10-14T19:00:00.000Z)

In an overtime thriller that came down to the final seconds, CSKA Moscow took the battle between Turkish Airlines EuroLeague powerhouses by edging Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul 77-78 on the road on Wednesday. 

Clyburn lifts CSKA past Fenerbahce

In an overtime thriller that came down to the final seconds, CSKA Moscow took the battle between Turkish Airlines EuroLeague powerhouses by edging Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul 77-78 on the road on Wednesday. The result left both teams with 2-1 records. Will Clyburn led the winners with 26 points and Mike James added 14 points and 6 assists for CSKA. Nando De Colo led Fenerbahce with 21 points before being ejected with two technical fouls. Jarell Eddie added 18 on 6-for-6 three-point shooting, Lorenzo Brown had 16 points plus 8 assists and Jan Vesely scored 11 for Fenerbahce, which led 69-66 in the final minute of regulation and 77-75 in the final seconds of overtime. Clyburn sent the game to the extra period with a three-pointer and also provided the go-ahead layup-plus-foul that allowed CSKA to win the game.



Joel Bolomboy scored in the post and Darrun Hilliard added a three-pointer post to get CSKA going. De Colo buried consecutive jumpers, igniting a 6-0 run that Brown capped with a backdoor slam. Toko Shengelia dunked off a steal and Johannes Voigtmann bettered Edgaras Ulanovas's fastbreak layup with a triple for an 8-10 CSKA lead. A close basket by James and an alley-oop dunk by Vesely fixed the score at 10-12 after 10 minutes. Dyshawn Pierre dunked to restore a 14-12 Fenerbahce lead until in the second quarter. Voigtmann and James tried to change things for CSKA, but Eddie downed consecutive three-pointers to keep the hosts ahead, 20-18. Brown took over with a coast-to-coast layup and improved on Shengelia's dunk with a bomb from beyond the arc. De Colo followed a layup with a jumper, but Clyburn struck twice from downtown for a 29-27 CSKA deficit. Daniel Hackett joined the three-point shootout in a 0-8 run that Clyburn capped with a close basket. Ulanovas scored down low to bring the hosts within 31-32 at halftime.

Catch up on Fenerbahce Beko Istanbu vs CSKA Moscow highlights from Round 3 of the 2020/21 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season, 14th October 2020

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbu vs CSKA Moscow Highlights - Round 3 - 14th October, 2020

Clyburn downed his third three-pointer immediately after the break. Brown answered from beyond the arc. Bolomboy and Vesely traded layups before James restored a 38-42 CSKA lead. Clyburn stayed on fire with a dunk and a driving layup, but a tip-in by Vesely and three-pointers by Ali Muhammed and Eddie tied it at 46-46. Voigtmann joined the three-point shootout, but De Colo made free throws and beat the third-quarter buzzer with a triple that restored a 51-49 Fenerbahce lead after 30 minutes. De Colo took over with a driving layup and a couple of jumpers early in the fourth quarter to make it 57-52. Nikita Kurbanov sank a three-pointer and Bolomboy matched De Colo's layup with a close basket. James tied the game at 59-59 and Eddie and Kurbanov exchanged triples. Shengelia put CSKA ahead, 62-64, with 2:12 left. After Eddie buried his fifth bomb from downtown, Clyburn answered with a driving layup and Vesely dunked for a 67-66 score with 37.6 seconds left. Brown hit free throws and Clyburn sent the game to overtime with a clutch three-pointer, 69-69, as Brown missed from downtown seconds before the buzzer.

Bolomboy scored off the baseline early in overtime and James added a floater to make it 69-73. Eddie buried another three-pointer, but Hackett sank foul shots for a 72-75 score in the next-to-last minute. Vesely split attempts and Brown tied it again, 75-75, with 56 seconds remaining. Brown sank free throws, but Clyburn did better with a layup-plus-foul for a 77-78 CSKA lead with 11 seconds to go. Brown missed a driving layup attempt down the stretch.

### Pivotal performer

Will Clyburn proved he is already at the same level he was when he was chosen as the 2019 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four - and that his ACL injury belongs to the past. He finished the game with 26 points - just 1 less than his career-high - plus 6 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals for a PIR of 27.

### Game-changing moment

Fenerbahce led 57-52 midway through the fourth quarter and CSKA was running out of options on offense. The guests found a go-to guy in Nikita Kurbanov, who buried a couple of three-pointers and got help from James and Shengelia to put CSKA ahead, 62-64, in crunch time. Kurbanov did not score more, but stepped up at the right time to give Clyburn the chance to win the game with his late heroics.

### Did you know?

Eddie shot 6 for 6 on three-point shots, tying the second-best mark in EuroLeague history for most triples without a miss. The record belongs to Saulius Stombergas, who hit 9-of-9 in Game 1 of the 2001 EuroLeague semifinals for Tau Ceramica against AEK Athens. Eddie joins 13 other players who have made 6 of 6 three-point shots; the last one to do so was Mike James with Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz against Real Madrid on April 1, 2016.

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In an overtime thriller that came down to the final seconds, CSKA Moscow took the battle between Turkish Airlines EuroLeague powerhouses by edging Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul 77-78 on the road on Wednesday. 


Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul v CSKA Moscow (2020-10-14T17:45:00.000Z)

On November 1, 2007, FC Bayern Munich guard Zan Sisko’s outlook on basketball changed forever. He was just 10 years of age at the time and a member of Union Olimpija's youth team in his native Ljubljana. That cold autumn night, he was inside the city’s Tivoli Arena to watch his club’s opening home game of the new EuroLeague season against visiting Olympiacos Piraeus.

The Greek team featured an exciting young new signing – a 20-year-old point guard who was playing in only his second EuroLeague game, having previously shined as a teenager with FMP in his home country, Serbia, to earn his big move to Olympiacos. It was Milos Teodosic. 

"He's a player with something else, who can do things that nobody else can do or see." 

As a young point guard himself, Sisko was naturally drawn to closely studying players in the same position. And when he saw Teodosic, he was instantly hooked.

"That was the first time I saw him," recalled Sisko. "And immediately I fell in love with him as a player. Olimpija won the game, but the main thing I remember is Milos. He was really young, but he really impressed me."

From that moment onwards, Sisko followed his new idol's career as closely as possible.

"He was 100 percent my hero. He's a player with something else, who can do things that nobody else can do or see. And that's what I like to see: different things on the court," he explained.

"It's easy to say Teodosic is one of the best passers in the history of EuroLeague. His way of playing basketball, everything looks so easy. He does everything with big confidence and his way of passing the ball without any care or thinking always really impressed me. He can make tough things look very easy, and he has that in his blood. That's what makes him unique."

Naturally, the young Sisko initially made great efforts to directly copy his hero's style of play, but as he developed and became more mature, he realized that he would be better served to use Teodosic as an important guide without necessarily trying to do exactly the same things on the floor.

"When you're a young player, you like to copy your idols and do things like them," Sisko said. "So in the beginning, for sure I would try to play like him. But when you get older and start to realize your strengths and weaknesses, you focus more on yourself. Over the years I stopped copying Milos and tried to become the best version of myself."

And now that he has advanced as far as the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, the 'best version of himself' is a selfless team player who loves to serve his teammates rather than covering himself in glory.

"From the first day I started playing basketball until now, my biggest happiness has always been to pass the ball, share the ball and make my teammates happy," he explained. "For sure, I’m a [pass-first] point guard. A lot of players like to build their confidence by scoring shots, making points, but I grow my confidence in the game by passing and by making other players better. That has always been my way of thinking about how I should play basketball." 

"I know that I have a big opportunity this year with Coach Trinchieri." 

As you might expect, considering the strong influence left upon him by Teodosic even though he was only 10 years old, Sisko has always been – and continues to be – a keen student of the game, making great efforts to think about how he can become a better player.

"When I started, I was always watching point guards, how they played and read things on the court," he said. "I always liked to watch pick-and-roll players and, as well as games, I spent a lot of time online watching clinics and interviews with players and coaches.

"As well as Teodosic, I always loved to watch players like Sarunas Jasikevicius, Dimitris Diamantidis, Sani Becirovic, and more recently Nick Calathes. Those kinds of players, who have a lot of talent to play pick-and-roll really well and pass the ball, I have always admired them and tried to watch and learn from them.

"I like to analyze games and that's how I have improved my passing ability through the years. Especially in the position I play, I have to think. I cannot play only with my physique because I'm not as big as most other players, so I have to use my brain and my mind to compete. For sure, point guards have to think a lot – both for themselves and for others. So I always try to analyze the game, thinking about every practice and every game, and listen to my coaches."

On the subject of coaches, Sisko is greatly enjoying the early days of his new relationship with Coach Andrea Trinchieri, who has a long history of improving young players.

"I know that I have a big opportunity this year with Coach Trinchieri," he enthused. "He is a really good coach who likes to teach his players how to think and how to play the game. Every day he always talks to his players, both individually and as a team. Already I have learned a lot from him, and I’m really looking forward to this season." 

This is Sisko's first full season in the EuroLeague after he joined Bayern from Slovenian club Primorska Koper last December and he believes the challenge of going up against the continent's strongest players will also help him improve, saying: "Last season I had the opportunity to play against some great teams and even in those seven EuroLeague games I think I improved my game and my mind. For sure, when you are playing against the best players and best teams, you can learn a lot, so I’m really excited about it."

And although it won't happen this season, because Teodosic is currently playing in the 7DAYS EuroCup with Virtus Segafredo Bologna, Sisko is also hoping that his blossoming career will one day allow him to make personal contact with his boyhood hero.

"I have never met him!" Sisko smiled. "I would really like this to happen in the future, to have a conversation with him and ask him some questions."

Point guard Zan Sisko was just 10 years old the first time he saw former EuroLeague MVP Milos Teodosic play live. Studying the play of Teodosic and other EuroLeague greats has helped Sisko reach the top level with FC Bayern Munich.