Anadolu Efes have put one foot in the EuroLeague Playoffs while at the same time all but confirmed Zalgiris’ elimination from the post-season race with a 76-68 win in Kaunas on Tuesday.
With three games left, Anadolu’s win means they improve to a 15-12 record, good enough for eighth, while Zalgiris stay in tenth with a 12-15 record, leaving the race for the final Playoff spot, effectively between Istanbul rivals Efes and Darussafaka Dogus.
Jayson Granger led the winners with 25 points and eight assists while Derrick Brown hit 13 and the decisive basket with 45 seconds left to seal the win.
“We have very athletic, physical guys and every time we play physical, we dominate the rebounds and have a big chance to win the game,” Granger said afterwards.
“It was probably my best game this season because I have been struggling and having a lot of ups and downs. Like I always say, I try to do my best for my team and help.”
Another team knocking on the Playoff door is Baskonia as they breezed past already eliminated Brose Bamberg 96-71 in Germany.
The visitors scored the game’s first eight points without reply and never looked back, leading by double figures for the entirety of the final 36 minutes.
Shane Larkin led Baskonia with 17 points and six assists.
“We are very happy,” admitted Baskonia coach Sito Alonso.
“The score makes it look easy, but it wasn’t. Brose always play well at home, but we started very well, especially with Shane Larkin’s shooting, and after that we defended very well.”
With both Anadolu Efes and Baskonia making significant progress, Fenerbahce missed their chance to clinch a EuroLeague Playoff spot after they were stunned by Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv in Istanbul.
A Sylven Landesberg buzzer-beater gave Maccabi an 81-79 win and stalled Fenerbahce’s qualification possibly until the end of the week.
Landesberg finished with a career-high 22 points to lead the winners, including 4/4 shooting from three-point land.
“I felt good the whole game, and the players kept telling me to stay aggressive,” Landesberg said.
“On the last possession, Yogi [Ohayon] got the rebound and when I got the ball, I knew I won’t have time to pass. I stepped back, took the shot and it bounced on the rim, felt like for an hour. On the second bounce I thought it would bounce out. I was praying it would go in because I was dead tired and didn’t want it to go to overtime. Then when it went in I was in shock, I couldn’t believe it.”
Panathinaikos came away with a 74-61 win over EA7 Milano in the other EuroLeague clash and the Greek side’s Playoff confirmation could be confirmed before they next step out on to the court on Thursday if CSKA Moscow beat Darussafaka Dogus in the Russian capital on Wednesday.
Nick Calathes and Mike James scored 13 points for Panathinaikos against a depleted Milano side missing Rakim Sanders, Krunoslav Simon, Zoran Dragic and Simone Fontecchio.
