Stage Set for Another EuroLeague Eternal Derby: Zvezda Control the Glass Even Without Centers as Partizan Lean on Carlik Jones

Any preseason grace period is officially over for Partizan and Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet.

While it is true that only six rounds of the EuroLeague season have been played, and summer signings on both sides will inevitably need more time to fully settle and adapt to new systems, teammates, and coaching staff, everything else goes out the window when the Eternal Derby arrives. Regardless of the early stage of the campaign, current form, injury woes, or roster gaps, winning the biggest fixture in Serbian basketball is an absolute imperative for both teams.

Speaking of form, the contrast could hardly be sharper. Partizan enter the Eternal Derby on the back of three consecutive defeats (against Real Madrid, Panathinaikos, and Fenerbahce), while Crvena Zvezda arrive at Belgrade Arena buoyed by a four-game winning streak (having beaten Anadolu Efes, Dubai, ASVEL, and Paris).

According to Sofascore data, Crvena Zvezda lead the EuroLeague in rebounding, pulling down an impressive 41.3 boards per game. That comes despite playing almost the entire season without injured summer recruit Johnathan Motley, who was brought in to start at center. Ebuka Izundu went down with an injury shortly after, but that hasn't stopped Zvezda from controlling the glass even without natural centers, largely thanks to Semi Ojeleye and Dejan Davidovac stepping up in their absence.

With Izundu now recovered and cleared for the derby (and Motley potentially available as well, though uncertain at the time of writing), controlling Zvezda's rebounding will be a primary objective for Partizan if they want to secure the win. One break for the black-and-whites is that Christian Koloko, Zvezda's new center signed just a few days ago, will not be registered for this game. His absence is a relief for Partizan, as the 7-foot (211 cm) big man boasts a 7-foot-5 (226 cm) wingspan and tremendous rebounding prowess.

Partizan, on the other hand, rank just 15th in the EuroLeague on the glass, averaging 33.8 rebounds per game. Making matters worse, they will be without Tonye Jekiri, one of their top rebounders, for the clash with their cross-town rivals.

When it comes to scoring, Partizan and Zvezda are the two lowest-scoring teams in the competition (Partizan 20th and Zvezda 19th). Paradoxically, both boast elite defensive records, with Partizan allowing the fourth-fewest points per game and Zvezda the third-fewest.

The standout area for Partizan has undoubtedly been their ability to generate turnovers. Averaging exactly 10.0 steals per game, Partizan lead the EuroLeague in takeaways, while Zvezda sit in ninth place with 6.8 per contest.

•     Rebounding Battle: Zvezda lead the EuroLeague with 41.3 rebounds per game, compared to Partizan's modest 33.8—a massive 7.5 rebound gap per contest.

•     Turnover Factor: Partizan pace the league with 10 steals per game, while Zvezda commit an average of 12 turnovers. In short, Partizan must aggressively target Zvezda's ball-handling vulnerabilities, while the red-and-whites need to protect the ball at all costs.

•     Defenses Reign Supreme: Partizan concede 78.5 points per game (4th best) while scoring 77.7 (20th). Zvezda allow 76.2 (3rd best) and put up 80.8 (19th). That gives Partizan a -0.8 point differential compared to Zvezda's +4.6.

•     Shooting Struggles: Partizan rank dead last from beyond the arc (30.1%), but shoot better overall from the field than Zvezda (44.8% to 42.4%). Zvezda rank last in overall field goal efficiency, while their three-point shooting is only marginally better at 31.0%. A single timely perimeter run could easily decide the outcome.

Carlik Jones and Chris Jones currently lead the EuroLeague in playmaking, sharing the top spot with 6.0 assists per game. Both floor generals possess exceptional court vision, great passing feel, elite pick-and-roll execution, and strong one-on-one scoring chops.

In terms of scoring, Carlik Jones had an explosive start across the opening four rounds, dropping 20 points against both Olimpia Milano and Paris, 16 against Bayern, and 19 against Real Madrid. However, his production dipped against Panathinaikos (8 points) and Fenerbahce (6 points), where opposing defenses keyed entirely on him. Shutting down his penetration and mid-range game disrupted Partizan's entire offensive rhythm. Despite that slowdown, Carlik still averages a robust 14.8 points per game.

His namesake, Chris Jones—Zvezda's primary backcourt engine—has registered much lower scoring numbers, averaging just 7.2 points per game, with a season-high 15-point outing against Zalgiris in the opener.

It goes without saying: if Zvezda manage to neutralize Carlik Jones the way Panathinaikos and Fenerbahce did, Partizan face an uphill battle. The same principle applies to Chris Jones, although Zvezda are somewhat less dependent on him offensively, with Jared Butler, Tyson Carter, and Nick Weiler-Babb all capable of creating off the bounce.

Here is how the individual leaders stack up across the major statistical categories:

The Eternal Derby has always produced high-voltage basketball, but ever since Partizan and Crvena Zvezda crossed paths on the EuroLeague stage in 2022, their storied rivalry reached an entirely new level.

To date, eight EuroLeague derbies have been played, with Partizan holding a 5-3 series advantage.

In their historic first EuroLeague meeting during the 2022/23 campaign, Zvezda edged Partizan 76-73 thanks to a memorable game-winning triple by Nemanja Nedovic. Partizan responded in kind later that season with a nail-biting 79-78 away triumph.

The following season saw home-court advantage hold up for both sides: Partizan edged the first contest 88-86 before Zvezda bounced back with an emphatic 88-72 victory.

The season after that, Partizan struck first on the road with an 89-77 win, only for Zvezda to return the favor by taking a 73-71 road victory of their own.

Finally, last season belonged entirely to Partizan, who completed a season sweep. They first claimed a 79-76 home win in December 2025 under interim coach Mirko Ocokoljic following Zeljko Obradovic's departure, before securing an 89-82 victory in March 2026 under Joan Penarroya.

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