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feb 24 2026Crvena Zvezda (16-12) faces a crucial matchup to strengthen its position inside the Top 10. The Serbian team returns to continental competition with high morale after winning its sixth consecutive Serbian Cup, a success that reinforces its competitive momentum ahead of the decisive stretch of the regular season.
Anadolu Efes (9-19), meanwhile, arrives with mixed feelings. Although their record is not in their favor, the Turkish team has shown clear improvement in recent weeks and is confident in maintaining that positive trend on a demanding road.
Larkin's Possible Return and the Desire for Revenge
Efes hopes to recover its leader, Shane Larkin, after an extended injury absence. His return would provide an important boost to playmaking and outside scoring. However, the team must also digest its recent elimination in the Turkish Cup semifinals.
Additionally, the Istanbul squad has unfinished business: in January, they lost at home by 22 points to Zvezda, a game in which the Serbian team's interior presence was decisive.
Individual Keys
Zvezda will rely on Jordan Nwora's scoring form, who has surpassed 21 points in four consecutive games, establishing himself as the primary offensive reference.
In the January matchup, interior impact was decisive, with Chima Moneke posting 16 points and 8 rebounds to tip the scales in the paint. Controlling that scenario will be a priority for an Efes team that needs greater defensive consistency to compete on the road.
Much More Than a Game
For Zvezda, the objective is clear: protect its playoff position and capitalize on the emotional boost from its domestic success.
For Efes, the trip to Belgrade represents an opportunity to confirm its recent growth, seek revenge, and keep its options alive in the final stretch of the regular season calendar.
The clash pits confidence against necessity, in a duel that could set the competitive course for both teams in the final games of the regular season.
