ALBA and Olympiacos wasted their largest leads, while Zalgiris registered their biggest comeback win.
Friday night was packed with exciting action throughout Europe which capped off a EuroLeague Round 6.
| Player of the Game | |
|
EFF
23
|
| Edgaras Ulanovas | |
| Points | 21 |
| Accuracy | 6-7 |
| Rebounds | 3 |
| Assists | 0 |
It was the night when miracles came to reality, while three double-digit comebacks showed why EuroLeague is never easy.
The basketball show started in Zalgirio Arena, where Zalgiris Kaunas got their third consecutive win at home this season.
Kazys Maksvytis' men erased a 20-point deficit to defeat ALBA Berlin marking the largest comeback in the club's history (since play-by-play was introduced in 2007), per Darius Garuolis.
Biggest Zalgiris' comebacks:
| Rank | Deficit | Opponent | Season | Stage |
| 1 | -20 | ALBA Berlin | 2022-23 | Regular season |
| 2 | -18 | Prokom Trefl Sopot | 2007-08 | Regular season |
| 3 | -17 | Nizhny Novgorod | 2014-15 | Regular season |
| 4 | -16 | Olympiacos Piraeus | 2017-18 | Regular season |
| 5 | -15 | Olympiacos Piraeus | 2017-18 | Playoffs |
| 6 | -15 | Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv | 2019-20 | Regular season |
Zalgiris were down 23-43 in the second quarter. Nevertheless, Ignas Brazdeikis, Tyler Cavanaugh, and Lukas Lekavicius fueled a 14-1 run that Rolands Smits capped with a triple to give Zalgiris hope, 37-44, right after halftime. The Lithuanian powerhouse didn't stop in front of a sellout crowd.
Keenan Evans stepped up hitting four triples in a row and Zalgiris tied the game at 69 with 5 minutes to go. Both teams were trading buckets but Ignas Brazdeikis and Edgaras Ulanovas spoke the last words with Zalgiris leading 85-76 with 1:04 to play.
Ulanovas had 21 points and Evans added 15 on five second-half three-pointers that made a comeback win possible.
That was also the largest wasted lead by ALBA Berlin since 2007.
Largest wasted leads by ALBA:
| Rank | Wasted lead | Opponent | Season | Stage |
| 1 | 20 | Zalgiris Kaunas | 2022-23 | Regular season |
| 2 | 19 | Real Madrid | 2008-09 | Top 16 |
| 3-4 | 18 | UNICS Kazan | 2021-22 | Regular season |
| 3-4 | 18 | Valencia Basket | 2020-21 | Regular season |
| 5 | 17 | Baskonia Vitoria | 2019-20 | Regular season |
Olympiacos vs. Valencia
One hour later, Olympiacos Piraeus wasted a 16-point (53-37) lead against Valencia Basket and saw the four-time EuroCup winners get away with a rather unexpected win from the Peace and Friendship Stadium.
Valencia won a game in which their only other lead was in the first minute of the match (2-3).
The Spaniards took the W after Chris Jones' 3 free throws with 3.9 seconds left on the clock. Olympiacos had a final possession to try and win the game, but James Webb stuffed Alec Peters at the rim to preserve Valencia's victory.
Georgios Bartzokas and Olympiacos players unleashed after the final whistle as they didn't get the foul they wanted.
Jones finished with 17 points and 7 assists. He was assisted by the big men duo of Bojan Dubljevic and Kyle Alexander, who had 17 and 10 points, respectively.
16-point advantage was the largest wasted lead by Olympiacos in EuroLeague since 2007.
Largest wasted leads by Olympiacos:
| Rank | Wasted lead | Opponent | Season | Stage |
| 1-4 | 16 | Valencia Basket | 2022-23 | Regular season |
| 1-4 | 16 | Real Madrid | 2021-22 | Regular season |
| 1-4 | 16 | Zalgiris Kaunas | 2017-18 | Regular season |
| 1-4 | 16 | Galatasaray Istanbul | 2016-17 | Regular season |
| 5-7 | 15 | Anadolu Efes Istanbul | 2020-21 | Regular season |
| 5-7 | 15 | Crvena Zvezda Belgrade | 2019-20 | Regular season |
| 5-7 | 15 | Zalgiris Kaunas | 2017-18 | Playoffs |
Meanwhile, Valencia tied for their third-biggest recovery in the EuroLeague game.
Biggest Valencia's comebacks:
| Rank | Deficit | Opponent | Season | Stage |
| 1 | -18 | ALBA Berlin | 2020-21 | Regular season |
| 2 | -17 | Unicaja Malaga | 2017-18 | Regular season |
| 3-4 | -16 | Khimki Moscow Region | 2019-20 | Regular season |
| 3-4 | -16 | Olympiacos Piraeus | 2022-23 | Regular season |
Barcelona vs. Fenerbahce
EuroLeague was one point away from another monster comeback in the central game of Round 6.
FC Barcelona had the game under control, 60-44, late in the third period, but Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul rallied back and even had the last possession to tie the game.
The Turkish squad was trailing 81-78 with 10 seconds to go but Johnathan Motley decided to go for a two-point basket instead of trying the three. That meant Barca could celebrate besting the last unbeaten team in the 2022-23 EuroLeague.
If Fenerbahce could have pulled out an upset at Palau Blaugrana, it would mark the second-biggest comeback win.
Biggest Fenerbahce's comebacks:
| Rank | Deficit | Opponent | Season | Stage |
| 1 | -17 | Zalgiris Kaunas | 2021-22 | Regular season |
| 2-4 | -16 | Zalgiris Kaunas | 2018-19 | Regular season |
| 2-4 | -16 | Chorale Roanne | 2007-08 | Regular season |
| 2-4 | -16 | Panathinaikos Superfoods Athens | 2016-17 | Playoffs |
Biggest EuroLeague comebacks (since 2007)
| Rank | Deficit | Team | Opponent | Season | Stage |
| 1 | -28 | Asseco Prokom Gdynia | Montepaschi Siena | 2012-13 | Regular season |
| 2 | -26 | Brose Bamberg | FC Barcelona Lassa | 2017-18 | Regular season |
| 3 | -25 | Emporio Armani Milan | Darussafaka Dogus Istanbul | 2016-17 | Regular season |
| 4 | -23 | Partizan Belgrade | AJ Milano | 2008-09 | Regular season |
| 5 | -22 | AS Monaco | CSKA Moscow | 2021-22 | Regular season |
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