FINAL FOUR, 2011
An exciting 2010-11 Turkish Airlines Euroleague season came to an end with its marquee event - the Final Four, held at the state-of-the-art Palau Sant Jordi in Barcelona, Spain. Panathinaikos, Maccabi Electra, Real Madrid and Montepaschi Siena arrived to the event ready to fight for the continental crown. Madrid is the winningest team in European club basketball history and was the only Top 16 group winner present at the event but it was the Whites' first Final Four appearance since 1996. Panathinaikos and Maccabi looked for their sixth title while Montepaschi was hoping to reach the Euroleague final - and of course, lift the trophy - for the first time in club history. Panathinaikos beat Montepaschi 77-69 in the first semifinal behind 17 points from Nick Calathes - a career-best Euroleague performance. Maccabi defeated Madrid 82-63 in the second semifinal with 19 points from Chuck Eidson. Once in the title game, Panathinaikos conquered its sixth Euroleague title by downing Maccabi 70-78. Dimitris Diamantidis was chosen as the 2011 Final Four MVP for the second time in his career, something that only Dejan Bodiroga and Toni Kukoc did in the past.