By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Azuolas Tubelis stood out as the Most Valuable Player in Game 3 of the 2025-26 EuroLeague Playoffs.
Euroleague Basketball formally confirmed the 24-year-old Zalgiris forward as the latest MVP of the Round on Thursday.
Per the press release: “Azuolas Tubelis delivered the most influential performance of his young EuroLeague career in Game 3 of the EuroLeague Playoffs, steering Zalgiris Kaunas to an 81-78 victory over Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul and earning MVP of the Round honors in the process.
⭐🇱🇹 The @azuolaz10 show in Kaunas last night
He is the MVP of Game 3 of the playoffs, doing it all for his team as @bczalgiris stayed alive and forced Game 4! pic.twitter.com/kt2PKd11uw
— EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) May 7, 2026
Tubelis set the standard across the night, posting a game‑best 31 PIR while leading Zalgiris in scoring with 26 points, which matched his career-high. He anchored his team with big plays on both ends of the floor in a tightly contested battle, helping Zalgiris execute in decisive moments to secure a narrow win and force a fourth game in the series. Tubelis made 3-of-4 three-pointers, grabbed 6 rebounds and blocked 2 shots.
Elijah Bryant posted the second-highest PIR of Game 3 with 28 in powering Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv to a 76-69 win over Real Madrid. Bryant paired his scoring punch with presence on the glass, finishing with 19 points, 9 rebounds and 3 assists while setting the tone for Hapoel.
Matt Strazel of AS Monaco finished his season with a strong game, posting a PIR of 25 in a 105-82 loss to Olympiacos Piraeus. Strazel scored 21 points and grabbed 3 steals as his team was swept out of the playoffs.
Evan Fournier was next on the list with a 23 PIR, playing a central role in Olympiacos’s road win in Monaco. Fournier racked up 22 points and 5 dimes.
His teammate Alec Peters and Jean Montero of Valencia Basket rounded out the top individual performances of Game 3 with PIRs of 21. Peters amassed 18 points and 6 boards in 17 minutes off the bench, while Montero led Valencia to a season-saving 87-91 road win as Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens. Montero orchestrated the offense with poise, finishing as the top assist man of the night with 9 dimes and guiding Valencia through a hostile environment.
Individual highs: Jean Montero dropped 9 dimes
Tubelis also topped the scoring charts in Game 3 with his 26‑point outing, setting the offensive benchmark for the week. Fournier followed with 22 points.
On the glass, Kessler Edwards led all players with 10 rebounds for Hapoel, with Bryant close behind at 9 boards in the same contest. Playmaking duties belonged to Montero, whose 9 assists were the most recorded in Game 3, while Sylvain Francisco added 8 assists to guide Zalgiris in its win.
Defensively, Strazel led the way with 3 steals, disrupting passing lanes throughout Monaco’s matchup, while blocks were spread evenly across the field. Alex Len, Nicolo Melli, and Tubelis each swatted 2 shots, highlighting a collective defensive edge across the playoff slate.”