EuroLeague Power Rankings: Partizan, PAO, and Fenerbahce on the rise / News - Basketnews.com

In the latest BasketNews EuroLeague Power Rankings, Real Madrid continue to dominate, while Partizan, Panathinaikos, and Fenerbahce made the jumps.

Credit: BNS, Partizan Mozzart Bet/Dragana Stjepanovic, IMAGO/camera4+ - Scanpix, P. Moschandreou/Getty Images | BasketNews Illiustration/D.Rumša Credit BNS, Partizan Mozzart Bet/Dragana Stjepanovic, IMAGO/camera4+ - Scanpix, P. Moschandreou/Getty Images | BasketNews Illiustration/D.Rumša

With the 2023-24 EuroLeague season getting underway,BasketNewspresents the updated Power Rankings edition.

18 BasketNews staff members had a say, positioning the teams based on their current form and the potential they have in the foreseeable future.

The clubs received 18 points for the 1st place vote, 17 – for 2nd, 16 – for 3rd, 15 – for 4th, and so on.

For starters, we have seven teams falling down, seven going up, and four remaining at their previous spot.

Partizan and Fenerbahce made the biggest jumps, climbing up by four places. Meanwhile, Maccabi lost the most positions, dropping by four places in comparison to the previous Power Rankings edition.

18. ALBA Berlin ↔

Points: 33 Place in the previous Power Rankings: 18th Highest/lowest place received in Power Rankings: 16-18th

Since the last BasketNews Power Rankings, ALBA grabbed 2 wins in 10 games, but it wasn't enough to convince our staff that the German club should be higher.

For the third time in a row this season, ALBA remain in the last place.

17. LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne ↔

Points: 36 Place in the previous Power Rankings: 17th Highest/lowest place received in Power Rankings: 16-18th

Gianmarco Pozzecco managed to end ASVEL's 18-game losing streak and, later on, its 10-game losing streak. Despite that, the Italian coach was fired after only 2.5 months.

On top of that, ASVEL owner Tony Parker publicly slammed Pozzecco's work. Regardless, the reality is that nothing has changed, and ASVEL remain one of the worst EuroLeague teams.

16. Zalgiris Kaunas ⬇

Points: 54 Place in the previous Power Rankings: 14th Highest/lowest place received in Power Rankings: 14-17th

Zalgiris became another team to change its head coach, and we entered the Andrea Trinchieri era. So far, the Italian was present for only two Zalgiris games, so it's way too early to draw some kind of conclusions.

The vibes were something to behold after the win against ALBA, but the whole positive mood vanished or at least decreased with a loss to ASVEL.

Nevertheless, since the last edition of the BasketNews EuroLeague Power Rankings, the Lithuanian powerhouse went 2-8 and basically buried its chances of qualifying for the Play-In Tournament at least.

15. FC Bayern Munich ⬆

Points: 96 Place in the previous Power Rankings: 16th Highest/lowest place received in Power Rankings: 12-15th

After a 3-6 start, Bayern slowly but steadily improved and climbed to 14th place with an 8-11 record. Not perfect, but the Play-In spot is within reach, and the EuroLeague is so close this season that the German powerhouse is 3 wins away from the playoffs seed.

One thing Pablo Laso would certainly like to improve is an away form. Bayern won only 2 of 11 away games, holding one of the worst records in the whole competition.

The good thing for Bayern is that they are 6-2 at home, with 9 home and 6 away games remaining.

14. EA7 Emporio Armani Milan ⬆

Points: 114 Place in the previous Power Rankings: 15th Highest/lowest place received in Power Rankings: 11-16th

There's no doubt Milan looks better than it did at the beginning of the season. On the other hand, it would be difficult for a team like Olimpia Milan to look even worse.

Nevertheless, Shabazz Napier once again brought some spark with him, averaging 9.5 points and 5.0 assists per game. Meanwhile, two main players, Nikola Mirotic and Shavon Shields, remain sidelined.

Their and Billy Baron's return should give another boost for Ettore Messina, so it's too early to write off the Italian club. Especially when the club is still looking for reinforcements during the transfer window.

13. Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade ⬆

Points: 116 Place in the previous Power Rankings: 15th Highest/lowest place received in Power Rankings: 8-15th

At this point, it's probably fair to say that the coaching change didn't bring the results Crvena Zvezda management or fans expected.

Nevertheless, Ioannis Sfairopoulos' squad remains in the fight for the Play-In spot at least. At the same time, the last two wins against Fenerbahce and Partizan certainly bring optimism that Crvena Zvezda could turn around their season.

12. Anadolu Efes Istanbul ⬇

Points: 119 Place in the previous Power Rankings: 11th Highest/lowest place received in Power Rankings: 7-15th

Anadolu Efes are in a 6-game losing slump and dropped to 15th place in the standings. Out of these 6 defeats, 5 came in single digits.

Even the historic matchup against Real Madrid didn't go Anadolu Efes way, as the Turkish powerhouse lost in a 4OT thriller.

It's difficult to pinpoint one thing that could describe what doesn't go right for Efes this year. Especially when Shane Larkin is having one of the best seasons in Europe, while Daniel Oturu also has a really positive impact.

11. Valencia Basket ⬇

Points: 139 Place in the previous Power Rankings: 10th Highest/lowest place received in Power Rankings: 10-16th

Before the upcoming matchup, Zalgiris head coach Trinchieri described Valencia's season in one word: sinusoid.

It would be difficult to argue with the Italian. After a solid 5-1 start, the Spaniards dropped five games in a row but now seem to be on the rise again.

Taronges won 5 games in the last 8, and all 3 losses were by a very small margin, including defeats against Bayern (84-85) and Panathinaikos (81-82).

Valencia also brought Kevin Pangos, who is set to play the EuroLeague basketball after more than 2 months. The Canadian guard made his debut in the Spanish ACB League, finishing the game with 5 points, 3 assists, 1 rebound, and 3 EFF.

10. Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz ⬇

Points: 184 Place in the previous Power Rankings: 9th Highest/lowest place received in Power Rankings: 7-12th

Dusko started his fourth stint with Baskonia with a 7-1 record, but the Basque team slowed down a bit since then, having a 2-4 stretch. Those defeats came against Virtus, Maccabi, Olimpia Milan, and Barcelona. So, there could be worse opponents to lose to.

Despite the recent slump, the players seem to enjoy working under Ivanovic.

"I think it's just the rules," Chima Moneke said in the URBONUS podcast about what changed with Dusko. "When someone makes a mistake, you know who made the mistake, and there's no point in discussing it, it's 'yeah, that was me'. Guys are being held accountable."

"You don't like disappointing him because he has this presence about him – when he walks, he commands and demands respect. He's such a good person off the court. He talks to people, puts his hands on you, says what needs to be said. He's a leader," Moneke added.

More importantly, Baskonia went from a bottom team to a playoffs contender and is only one win away from 6th-place Fenerbahce.

9. Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv ⬇

Points: 199 Place in the previous Power Rankings: 5th Highest/lowest place received in Power Rankings: 5-12th

Even though Lorenzo Brown revealed to BasketNews that the war in Israel messes with the team's rhythm, Maccabi are still going strong.

Despite a 35-point defeat against Fenerbahce, the Israeli powerhouse maintains a solid form and remain inside the Top 8.

Moreover, Wade Baldwin IV recently returned from injury, so it's another welcome boost for Maccabi. Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see how Oded Kattash's squad will cope with the current circumstances, including the foreign players' refusal to play in the Israeli league.

"It is not a perfect situation," Kattash said in the post-game conference after the game against Zalgiris. "But nothing's [been the] same since October 7, with the war starting."

"Even if we [keep the players together], the schedule is really challenging. Without playing at home, in front of our home fans, it's tough enough. I think we have to find a way with the players and the management to keep the team together," the tactician added.

8. Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade ⬆

Points: 205 Place in the previous Power Rankings: 12th Highest/lowest place received in Power Rankings: 4-11th

Partizan had a 5-game winning streak, climbing to 4th place after Round 15. However, the last four games ended up in 3 defeats, and the Serbian powerhouse finds itself in 9th spot.

Zach LeDay and Alen Smailagic's injuries don't help as well, as Partizan prepare for a crucial stretch that includes games against Fenerbahce, Maccabi, and Panathinaikos.

Nevertheless, despite a recent slump, Partizan managed to make a jump in the Power Rankings, receiving even a 4th-place vote.

7. Olympiacos Piraeus ↔

Points: 237 Place in the previous Power Rankings: 7th Highest/lowest place received in Power Rankings: 3-9th

"We're healthy. And I think we're a very scary team because of that,"Shaquielle McKissic said in a recent conversation with BasketNews.

Indeed, Olympiacos were dealing with many injuries at the beginning of the season but welcomed all of their players recently, and it brings the results. Georgios Bartzokas' squad has a 4-game winning streak, and there's still room for improvement.

Filip Petrusev is still looking for his place after returning from the NBA, while Ignas Brazdeikis also has work to do to reach the best version of himself. So, the Reds still have some reserves left.

Despite the shaky start to the season, Olympiacos already managed to climb up to 5th spot.

6. AS Monaco ⬇

Points: 241 Place in the previous Power Rankings: 3rd Highest/lowest place received in Power Rankings: 2-10thth

Even in the last Power Rankings edition, Monaco's results were not that great. Nevertheless, it seemed that the Monegasque team received a little bit of the benefit of the doubt.

However, this time, Monaco lost three places, and it's not difficult to understand why. Throughout the season, Monaco simply lack consistency.

Apart from their 5-game winning streak in October, the Monegasque club couldn't win more than 2 games in a row. Add the fact that the EuroLeague is as tight as it could get, and Monaco currently find themselves outside the playoffs. The mysterious Elie Okobo suspension doesn't add the positive vibes, either.

However, Mike James is having the best season in his career efficiency-wise. The team's core that reached the Final Four last year remained, so it's reasonable to expect Monaco to bounce back.

Nevertheless, it's time to rack the victories.

5. Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens ⬆

Points: 261 Place in the previous Power Rankings: 6th Highest/lowest place received in Power Rankings: 2-9th

Panathinaikos are heating up. After three losses in a row against Partizan, Anadolu Efes, and Real Madrid, PAO got 5 victories in the last 6 games.

Kendrick Nunn found his form rather quickly. Jerian Grant got into a DPOY conversation, while Marius Grigonis has been playing his best basketball since leaving Zalgiris.

All in all, Ergin Ataman can hold his fists tight and high.

Ergin AtamanCredit Vangelis Stolis

4. Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul ⬆

Points: 284 Place in the previous Power Rankings: 8th Highest/lowest place received in Power Rankings: 2-7th

Sarunas Jasikevicius era in Istanbul has begun. It's been almost a month since the Lithuanian took over Fenerbahce, and the improvement is clear.

Dimitris Itoudis left Fenerbahce in 12th place with a 6-7 record. Meanwhile, Saras holds a 5-1 record, and thanks to that, the Turkish powerhouse is already in 6th place.

The only loss came against Crvena Zvezda, but Jasikevicius' squad responded to it by demolishing Maccabi by 35 points, setting a new club's scoring record at 109.

Is it too early to call Fenerbahce the Final Four contender with their current form and Jasikevicius' record in Barca?

3. FC Barcelona ⬇

Points: 286 Place in the previous Power Rankings: 2nd Highest/lowest place received in Power Rankings: 2-8th

Barcelona suffered from a little slump, and it seemed that at one point, Roger Grimau's debut season would end before 2024. Despite that, Barca finished the previous double-round week with 2 wins, including the victory against Real Madrid.

Barcelona also remained in the 3rd place and have a 2-win cushion against the 8-team pack that finds itself somewhere in between the playoffs, the Play-In, and nothing.

Could it be better? Probably. But not everyone could be what Real Madrid are this season, and at the same time, it could be much worse than cementing yourself in 3rd place.

2. Virtus Segafredo Bologna ⬆

Points: 309 Place in the previous Power Rankings: 4th Highest/lowest place received in Power Rankings: 2-5th

Well, if Virtus' place in the previous Power Rankings edition seemed like a fluke, it can't be seen that way anymore after more than half of the games were played.

Luca Banchi's squad continues to impress, having a stellar 14-5 record, winning 8 games in the last 10.

Iffe Lundberg looks like the new version of himself, Tornike Shengelia is building a strong MVP case, while Luca Banchi might be trying his new suit soon for his Coach of the Year award.

However, with great results comes great responsibility. It might be too soon to talk about the Final Four, but at least a competitive playoff series will probably be the minimum requirement in Bologna.

1. Real Madrid ↔

Points: 342 Place in the previous Power Rankings: 1st Highest/lowest place received in Power Rankings: 1st

It's the Real Madrid world we are living in this season. Once again, Los Blancos collected every single 1st place vote.

Real Madrid recently lost El Clasico, and it's the worst thing that has happened to Los Blancos this season. This alone speaks volumes about the season Real are having.

The only question remains whether Real can maintain such an incredible form until the end of the season.

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