Anadolu Efes secured an important 90-80 road win against Paris in a tense game that even saw their coach, Igor Kokoskov, ejected in the third quarter. Despite the drama, a balanced team effort, led by Shane Larkin’s 19 points, helped Efes overcome the challenge and get the victory.
The key difference in the game came down to shooting. While Efes had five players scoring in double digits, Paris struggled to find their rhythm. The home team’s poor shooting from the field, especially on two-point shots, was a major factor in their loss.
🏀 A Balanced Team Effort
Efes showed great teamwork on offense, with five players reaching double-figure points. Shane Larkin was the top scorer with 19 points, while Ercan Osmani contributed an impressive 18 points. This widespread scoring made it difficult for Paris to defend and was crucial for Efes in maintaining their lead.
📉 Paris Struggles with Shooting
Paris had a tough night offensively. Their leading scorer, Nadir Hifi, scored 17 points but was very inefficient, making only 2 of his 16 shots. As a team, Paris shot just 37.9% on their two-point attempts and made only 12 of their 35 three-point shots. This inability to convert scoring opportunities ultimately cost them the game.
📈 How the Game Unfolded
Paris started the game well, leading 21-17 after the first quarter. However, Efes fought back to take a 46-39 lead by halftime. They continued to build on this lead, entering the final quarter up by nine points. A three-pointer by Larkin in the fourth quarter extended their advantage to 17 points (80-63), which secured the win for the visiting team. With this result, Efes improves to a 3-4 record, while Paris falls to 4-3.
