By Melikşah Bayrav / info@eurohoops.net
We’ve now reached the most critical stretch of the regular season in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague. With just two games remaining, we are witnessing an exceptionally intense battle for the top four, the Playoffs, and the Play-In Showdown at an unprecedented level.
Naturally, at this point in the season, every team is fighting hard to reach their goals. However, one team specifically has managed to stand out from the rest, thanks to the remarkable form they’ve shown in recent weeks.
As you might have guessed, that team is none other than Anadolu Efes Istanbul.
In fact, the 2024–25 EuroLeague season has been full of ups and downs for Efes. Especially during the stretch when team captain Shane Larkin was sidelined due to injury, Efes appeared to be one of the league’s most inconsistent teams on the court.
But since the national team break, that picture has completely changed. Just a month or two ago, even making the Play-In Showdown seemed like a long shot for Efes, yet they have now won six straight games and can even get homecourt advantage in one of the many end-of-season scenarios.
Right now, no team in the EuroLeague is hotter than Efes. Eurohoops takes a closer look at the key reasons behind the Turkish side’s recent surge.
1. The Captain’s return
First, we need to rewind the tape a bit. Shane Larkin, one of the greatest stars in EuroLeague history, was recently—and rightfully—named among the 25 best players in the history of the league.
Even though his team missed the playoffs for the second consecutive season last year, Larkin had one of the best individual seasons of his career. As a result, Anadolu Efes extended their captain’s contract for another four years after it expired in the summer of 2024.
Naturally, the expectations for Shane Larkin were to continue leading the team and to play a central role in Efes’s return to the playoffs. However, the American had an unlucky streak with injury problems during the season, which caused things to unfold differently than expected.
The star guard appeared in 21 of Efes’s 32 EuroLeague games this season. Moreover, injuries had a clear impact on his overall performance, which remained below the elite level we’ve come to expect from him.
It was obvious that Efes would not be able to achieve its goals this season without Larkin’s leadership. That’s why his return just before the most critical phase of the season has become a turning point for the remainder of Efes’s campaign.
The good news is that the star guard stepped up precisely when his team needed him most. After that string of injuries, Larkin now looks much healthier and more confident on the court. Unsurprisingly, this has been directly reflected in Efes’s recent results.
Larkin scored in double figures in five of the team’s last six wins. The only game in which he didn’t reach double digits was the home game against ALBA Berlin. But considering how early Efes built a comfortable lead in that game, it’s fair to say they Larkin’s scoring wasn’t needed that night.
Perhaps the most important aspect of Larkin’s return is his readiness to take responsibility in big games. Just two weeks ago, Anadolu Efes faced FC Bayern Munich—one of the toughest home teams in the EuroLeague—on the road. Larkin led his team to victory with a season-high 25 points, delivering a performance that arguably saved their season.
In a post-game interview with EuroLeague TV after the Bayern win, Larkin made it clear: “We’ve switched into playoff mode,” sending a strong message to the rest of the league.