Davies captures EuroLeague Round 30 MVP title 2

Not only did Zalgiris Kaunas grab a playoff spot with a brilliant Round 30 road win against Real Madrid, but one of its players earned the MVP honor for the last game of the regular season. Brandon Davies was all over the place against Madrid, leading Zalgiris to a 93-86 victory, the team’s first this century in the Spanish capital, with a performance index rating of 34, the highest among all Turkish Airlines EuroLeague players this week.

Davies matched his career high with 27 points, including 12 in the game’s crucial final 5 minutes. Davies hit 10 of 15 two-point shots and 7 of 7 free throw attempts. He also grabbed 10 rebounds for his third double-double of the season, adding 2 assists, 2 steals, a block and 5 fouls drawn to earn his second MVP of the Round honor this season.

Davies had a great battle with Madrid center Walter Tavares, who posted a PIR of 32, the second-best in this round. Tavares scored 22 points on 10-for-10 two-point shooting, along with 7 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 blocks.

Next up on the list of round’s best performers were Panathinaikos OPAP Athens teammates James Gist and Nick Calathes, who led the Greens to an 87-67 playoff-clinching win over the visiting Buducnost VOLI Podgorica. Gist had a PIR of 31, scoring 23 points with 6 rebounds, 2 assists and 6 fouls drawn. Meanwhile, Calathes made history by amassing 11 points, 18 assists and 12 rebounds to join the great Nikola Vujcic as the only EuroLeague players this century to post triple-doubles. Calathes finished the game with a PIR of 29.

Anadolu Efes Istanbul point guard Vasilije Micic and Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv center Tarik Black round out the list of top performers this week, each with a PIR of 28. Micic had 18 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals in a come-from-behind 101-95 win over AX Armani Exchange Olimpia Milan, and Black had 23 points and 7 rebounds in a road loss against Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul.