Olympiacos arrived in Istanbul without four familiar names and left with an 81–73 EuroLeague win over Beşiktaş. Tyrique Jones and Donta Hall did the heavy lifting inside, while Tyson Ward helped steady a game that nearly slipped away in the final quarter.
The visitors led 42–36 at half-time and 61–58 after three quarters, but Beşiktaş kept coming. Jaylen Nowell put the home side in front during the fourth before Olympiacos answered with a decisive late run. The Beşiktaş match centre confirms the final score; Ajansspor's match report traces the swings that made it far less comfortable than the eight-point margin suggests.
Sasha Vezenkov led Olympiacos with 16 points, but this was no one-man rescue. Jones scored 15, Hall added 14 and Ward chipped in 13. With Nikola Milutinov, Evan Fournier and Jean Montero unavailable through injury, and Tyler Dorsey absent through suspension, coach Georgios Bartzokas needed production from players who might otherwise have carried less of the load. Jones and Hall supplied it at the rim; Ward offered another way to create and finish possessions. Sport24's account details the absences and the contributions of the reshuffled group.
A frontcourt opportunity with a clock on it
For EuroLeague fantasy managers, the intriguing part is how Olympiacos shared the work. Hall and Jones combined for 29 points with Milutinov sidelined. That is a useful sign of their ability to step into a bigger offensive role, particularly when the game tightens. It is not a reason to assume the same division of minutes or touches will survive Milutinov's return. His next availability update could change the equation quickly.
Ward's 13 points also deserve attention. The forward was part of the closing response after Beşiktaş briefly took control, rather than simply collecting points in a comfortable win. With several perimeter options missing, his versatility was valuable. Managers assessing him should watch the next team sheet as closely as this box score; the injured players' return timelines were not settled by Wednesday's result.
Beşiktaş had its moments, including Nowell's 15 points, but could not hold the lead when it mattered. Olympiacos improved to 6–2, while the Turkish side fell to 3–5. The turnaround is immediate: Beşiktaş's official fixture list places its next EuroLeague game away to Virtus Bologna on Friday 30 October, while Olympiacos host Armani Milan in the same round. The second game of a double-round week should tell us whether Istanbul's improvised frontcourt was a one-night fix or a role worth chasing.
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