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This content was machine-translated from the French version.
Olympiakos restored order to its European week with a convincing 89-66 win over Anadolu Efes on Friday night in Round 4 of the EuroLeague. The score tells the story of a correction, but it also says something else: the European champions regained their impact after halftime, while Matthew Strazel’s Efes gradually lost its way. Evan Fournier did not need to force the scoring to make his mark on the game.
A clean start, then a quickly erased warning
The Greeks seized control of the first quarter, building a lead from the opening possessions and taking a 26-16 advantage after ten minutes.
The evening had begun in Olympiakos’s favor. The Greeks seized control of the first quarter, building a lead from the opening possessions and taking a 26-16 advantage after ten minutes. At that point, everything already seemed to be moving toward a one-sided game: controlled tempo, strong rebounding, and a defense high enough to prevent Efes from settling in.
The second quarter nevertheless served as a reminder that great teams do not win simply because they start well. Efes chipped away at its deficit, taking advantage of turnovers and a more confused spell from Olympiakos. At halftime, the gap was only four points, 35-31. For a Turkish team playing at the home of the reigning European champions, staying within reach at that point in the game was already a small victory.
Except that opening did not last. Olympiakos regained control after the break, not through a spectacular avalanche, but through a series of tougher, cleaner, better-organized possessions. The third quarter turned the game around: 27-18 for the period, followed by a final quarter in the same vein. Efes watched the gap widen without finding a lasting answer.
Fournier useful without monopolizing the spotlight
Evan Fournier finished with 7 points and 6 assists. It is not a stat line designed for the headlines, but it fit what was needed that evening. The French guard acted as a link, moved the defense, and contributed to the ball movement that allowed Olympiakos to attack more effectively after halftime. On a team that finished with 23 assists, his contribution was more about control than brilliance.
This type of game matters over the course of a EuroLeague season. On nights when Fournier does not have to make every offensive decision, Olympiakos gains balance. The victory does not depend on heroic shooting or a volcanic quarter from its French star. It is built on more collective dominance: rebounding, intensity, and managing difficult stretches.
The rebounding numbers illustrate the difference. Olympiakos largely controlled the battle inside, a decisive lever for limiting second chances and running when the opportunity arose. Once that foundation was established, Efes had to look for more difficult shots, often without any continuity.
Strazel in a closed-off evening
Matthew Strazel scored 7 points for Efes. His personal line is nothing to be ashamed of, but it came within an offense that never truly regained its comfort after halftime. The former Monaco player, like his teammates, endured a game in which every good stretch seemed to be followed by a setback: a rushed possession, a contested shot, or a more compact Greek defense.
For Efes, this heavy defeat above all raises questions about consistency. The EuroLeague regular season leaves time, but it rarely forgives prolonged lapses in intensity. Losing on the road at Olympiakos is nothing unusual. Losing by 23 points, however, requires a close look at defensive discipline and the ability to protect the ball when the opponent raises the pressure.
Olympiakos, meanwhile, leaves with a clear and useful victory. An October statement win does not secure any place in the spring, but it establishes reference points. For Fournier and his teammates, that is the value: winning comfortably without giving the impression that they have already emptied the tank. In this long and crowded EuroLeague season, that is often the most reassuring sign.
