EuroLeague - Round 5 MVP: Gustavo Ayon, Real Madrid

IReal Madrid needed to come back from a double-digit deficit in a tough road venue on Friday night, and its big man Gustavo Ayon had a big all-around performance to help the reigning champs do just that. Madrid remained perfect on the season with a come-from-behind 79-90 road win over Zalgiris Kaunas and in the process Ayon earned the MVP honor for Round 5. He scored 13 points on 4-for-5 two-pointers and 5-of-8 from a free throw line. He also pulled down 10 rebounds, dished 4 assists, had 3 steals and a block, while drawing 8 fouls and accumulating a performance index rating of 30. It is Ayon’s highest PIR since Round 1 of last season, and the fifth MVP of the Round award of his EuroLeague career. Will Clyburn of CSKA Moscow had an index rating of 29, second best in this round. In a win over Olympiacos Piraeus, Clyburn had 17 points, 9 rebounds, a career-high 4 steals, 1 assists, 1 block and 7 fouls drawn. Next among this week’s best performers was Arturas Gudaitis of AX Armani Exchange Olimpia Milan who had 13 points, 11 rebounds, 3 steals and 1 block for an index rating of 28 in a dramatic win over Anadolu Efes Istanbul. Zalgiris veteran forward Paulius Jankunas made 9 of 12 two point shots to score 18 points, and also had 7 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocks for a PIR of 27. Rounding out the top performers of Round 5 are Efes forward Adrien Moerman, and Herbalife Gran Canaria big man Anzejs Pasecniks, both with an index rating of 26. Moerman scored a career-high 23 points, along with 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal, while Pasecniks had 9 points, 9 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 blocks and 5 fouls drawn in a road loss at Khimki Moscow Region.