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| Turkish Airlines EuroLeague MVP for March: Wade Baldwin IV, Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv |
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With crucial Turkish Airlines EuroLeague games being played an average of every four days last month, one player stood out as the biggest difference-maker in the uniquely intense race to reach the playoffs. For his steady brilliance as Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv finished the month with a six-game winning streak, Wade Baldwin of Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv is Euroleague Basketball's choice as MVP for March. Baldwin ranked second among all EuroLeague players with 18.7 points per game for the month; fourth in performance index rating with 20.3 on average; and sixth in a assists, at 5.0 per night. His outsized influence on Maccabi's fortune was illustrated by the fact that he led the team in PIR, scoring, assists or all three in five of the seven games in March. Most importantly, when the most consequential month on the schedule had finished, Maccabi was sitting alone in fifth place with one foot in the playoffs.
The MVP of the Month award is now in its 18th season. The winner is named by Euroleague Basketball based on his and his team's performance during the month in question. The March award was based on the seven or eight games that all teams played last month. Baldwin has won the first such award of his four-year EuroLeague career, encompassing 120 games total. He is Maccabi's first monthly honoree since Alex Tyus won it in January of 2019.
It could have been another story after Maccabi opened the month with a hard 86-67 loss at AS Monaco despite Baldwin's game-high 17 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals. Back home a week later, he contributed 15 points – including 5 in the final 100 seconds – to a pivotal 78-74 victory against then-higher-ranked Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul. Two nights later, Baldwin poured in a game-high 23 points in Maccabi's inspirational 64-86 triumph on the floor of defending champion Anadolu Efes Istanbul. The next week, another direct competitor, Cazoo Baskonia Vitoria- Gasteiz, came to Tel Aviv and left defeated 93-79 as Baldwin dropped another game-high of 24 points while dishing 8 assists and pulling 7 rebounds for a PIR of 31. He put up 23 points and 7 assists the next week for a PIR of 26 as Maccabi swamped host LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne 67-85 for its fourth consecutive win. Home again for the month-ending double-round last week, Baldwin combined 14 points with 7 assists, 3 rebounds and 2 steals for a PIR of 23 in a record-breaking 111-80 win that eliminated Virtus Segafredo Bologna from playoff contention. And 48 hours later, he posted 14 points, 6 assists and 4 rebounds as Maccabi made it six wins in a row, topping EA7 Emporio Armani Milan 85-66.
On March 3, Maccabi was sitting in a three-way tie for ninth place with a 13-13 record. Just 28 days later, having reeled off six straight victories by an average score of 17.8 points, it had a 19-13 record and had leap-frogged three of its March victims in the standings. During the streak, which is ongoing, Baldwin has averaged 19 points, 5.3 assists and a PIR of 21.7 while shooting 60.1% on two-pointers (28 of 46) and 91.7% on free throws (22 of 24). Maccabi fans will have the chance to thank Baldwin for his exploits when he receives the MVP trophy at an upcoming home game.
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