Anadolu Efes Istanbul ended a difficult stretch with a late surge, defeating Zalgiris Kaunas 92-82 on Friday night at the Turkcell Basketball Development Center in EuroLeague Round 27. The Turkish club finished the game on a 13-0 run to secure its second straight victory after entering the week on a nine-game losing streak.
The result moved Pablo Laso’s side to 8-19 in the standings, while the Lithuanian squad dropped to 15-12 and remained in the tight race for playoff positioning. Efes relied on pace, spacing and ball movement, recording 24 assists and hitting 16-of-32 three-pointers.
Jordan Loyd led the hosts with 19 points on 4-for-6 shooting from long range, while Nick Weiler-Babb added 13 points, six assists and three made triples. Shane Larkin remained unavailable, yet the backcourt compensated by creating open perimeter looks and limiting turnovers to 11.
The Istanbul club established early control by making 10 three-pointers in the first half, matching its highest total through 20 minutes since detailed tracking began in the 2007-08 season. Efficient spacing allowed Laso’s players to stretch the defense, which opened driving lanes and quick swing passes around the arc.
Zalgiris responded in the third quarter with a 2-18 run that flipped a 10-point deficit into a 63-57 advantage. Tomas Masiulis’ group leaned on inside scoring from Azoulas Tubelis, who finished with 22 points, and perimeter production from Nigel Williams-Goss, who added 19.
Efes regained momentum early in the fourth quarter behind an 11-0 run, but the visitors countered with a 3-11 stretch to briefly reclaim the lead. The home side closed the game by moving the ball decisively against switching defense, which produced consecutive stops and transition chances during the decisive 13-0 finish.
Laso’s squad has now won three games under his leadership, all by double-digit margins and each time scoring at least 87 points. Before this double-round week, Efes had been held under 80 points in eight of nine losses, highlighting the impact of increased tempo and spacing.
Although playoff qualification remains unlikely, the Turkish side showed improved offensive rhythm and perimeter efficiency, while Zalgiris missed an opportunity to strengthen its top-eight position after allowing a decisive late run.
