Monaco suffers one of its worst defeats of the season at Zalgiris Kaunas: « They destroyed us »
Azuolas Tubelis set a season-high with 24 points against a helpless Monaco side.
Photo credit: BC Žalgiris Kaunas
Off-court chaos affecting on-court performance
The words of Vassilis Spanoulis after the game spoke volumes about Monaco’s current struggles. « Congratulations to Zalgiris, they are a strong team at home. We didn’t exist on the court… Basketball-wise, Zalgiris destroyed us tonight, » the coach told EuroLeague TV after witnessing his team’s fourth straight EuroLeague defeat.
This losing streak represents Monaco’s longest drought in the competition for quite some time, coming at a particularly difficult moment for the club dealing with significant off-court issues.
Defensive struggles without key players
The impact of external factors on the team’s performance was evident throughout the contest. Spanoulis didn’t hide the reality of the situation, explaining: « It’s not just basketball. As I said last time, there are many things occupying our minds, and ruining our concentration. »
With 104 points conceded – tying their season-high in regulation time alongside their game against Paris – and a 17-point deficit, this ranks among Monaco’s worst defeats of the campaign. The margin told only part of the story, as Zalgiris led by more than 25 points on multiple occasions.
Several plays epitomized Monaco’s struggles, including a missed uncontested dunk by Nemanja Nedovic in the first quarter (40-22, 13′) and Alpha Diallo’s fast-break dunk being blocked from behind by Sylvain Francisco (88-66, 35′), followed immediately by an and-one conceded by Daniel Theis (91-66, 36′).
Playing without Kevarrius Hayes and Yoan Makoundou, Monaco’s rim protection suffered significantly. The team fell behind early and never managed to recover, prompting Spanoulis to deploy an unprecedented EuroLeague starting five featuring Terry Tarpey, Juhann Begarin, and Nemanja Nedovic in the opening quarter.
Nemanja Nedovic missed the dunk in transition and Vassilis Spanoulis COULD NOT BELIEVE IT
— Eurohoops (@Eurohoopsnet) February 3, 2026
While Monaco managed to edge the second period by a single point, they never threatened the comeback that has become their trademark. Their defensive standards and concentration remained far below usual levels throughout the contest.
Azuolas Tubelis exploited these weaknesses perfectly, scoring a career-high 26 points in EuroLeague competition, while Sylvain Francisco dominated Monaco’s defense with relative ease.
This latest setback drops the Roca Team to 10th place in the standings, a dramatic fall from their leadership position just weeks ago. With the poor run continuing, Monaco must prevent complete collapse when they travel to face Bayern Munich in two days, seeking to restore confidence and halt their slide.
A phenomenal first EuroLeague game in February and a big Round 26 win against Monaco. 👋🔥 pic.twitter.com/sILSTogxEv
— BC Zalgiris Kaunas (@bczalgiris) February 3, 2026
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