Partizan's shooting numbers sound the alarm: Sign a shooter!

As noted previously, there is nothing alarming or catastrophic about Partizan's defeat to Panathinaikos last night, and with emotions now settled, there is certainly no reason to despair. PAO boasts a formidable squad—arguably the strongest in the EuroLeague and the frontrunner for the European crown—with Željko Obradović, the continent's most decorated coach, on its bench. Putting all of that into context, Partizan delivered a very respectable defensive performance.

They held PAO to just 72 points—a feat neither Fenerbahce, Maccabi, ASVEL, nor Paris could manage as the Greens swept past them in earlier EuroLeague rounds.

As Black-and-White head coach Joan Peñarroya highlighted during the post-game press conference, his team played solid defense for the vast majority of the contest, aside from an 11-0 run by PAO early in the third quarter that ultimately decided the outcome. Partizan brought relentless intensity and never let any opponent catch fire; Nigel Hayes-Davis was limited to just 14 points (well below his usual standards), Juancho Hernangomez scored 10, Sylvain Francisco was kept to a quiet eight, Guerschon Yabusele managed just seven, and Mathias Lessort finished with four.

However, as effective as Partizan looked on defense, their offense was equally dreadful. In truth, it stalled completely.

Scoring a meager 55 points—including just nine in the third quarter—they continued their shooting woes right where they left off last week in Madrid. The most telling statistic was from beyond the arc: the Black-and-Whites converted just four of 26 three-point attempts, while shooting a modest 45% (17/37) inside the arc. Over their last two EuroLeague fixtures, Partizan has knocked down just seven of 46 shots from downtown—a conversion rate simply insufficient at any professional level, let alone the EuroLeague.

These numbers make it glaringly obvious: Partizan urgently needs a proven sharpshooter. First and foremost, a small forward, followed by a stretch big (akin to Dylan Osetkowski last season) who can spread the floor and knock down corner threes. Partizan cannot afford to rely on Arijan Lakić hoisting up shots from deep when they simply aren't falling.

Although Ethan Thompson was brought in as a direct replacement for Sterling Brown (putting aside defensive duties) and is expected to provide steady scoring, the 27-year-old Puerto Rican international has clearly not yet adapted to European basketball. It is also evident that the transition will take time. Against PAO, he managed just one three-pointer in 16 minutes, alongside an uncharacteristic airball.

Naturally, scoring from distance is also expected from Kyle Allman and Luca Vildoza (especially the latter), but both have struggled for rhythm early in the season. That cold spell is precisely why Partizan dropped their last two games; as long as shots were falling, they took down Olimpia, Paris, and Bayern, but the moment the shooting dried up, problems emerged.

It is no secret that the EuroLeague market is heavily restricted, with very few proven free agents available. Nonetheless, Partizan must find a way to add firepower to its offensive arsenal. Whether from the United States, the EuroCup, or the FIBA Champions League, quality options exist for those willing to do the scouting and put in the work.

Time is of the essence. While Partizan remains at 3-2 in the EuroLeague, a grueling schedule awaits: Fenerbahce, Crvena Zvezda, ASVEL, Žalgiris... It will be a true test of endurance through the end of the year. Unless reinforcements arrive soon to ease the scoring load alongside Thompson, Partizan—despite all their grit and maximum effort on the floor—could quickly slip and lose ground in the playoff race.

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