Euroleague Basketball Tips
Euro League basketball predictions appear under each mini game preview.
Khimki – Maccabi
Both teams were deep into the fight to reach the EuroLeague Playoffs last season but fell short. The goal remains the same for Khimki and Maccabi in the 2019-20 campaign – keep fighting to survive the regular season. Both teams underwent many roster changes to be even more competitive this time, and both are ambitious clubs that will give everything they have to start a new season with a big win.
As in the last three seasons, Khimki’s offense starts with Shved and he will be his team’s first option due to his unbelievable skils to score and generate for others. With a couple of pass-first playmakers and a lot of great scorers around him, Shved will get better shots and be more dangerous than ever. If Mozgov, Evans, Jerebko and Anthony Gill are able to control the boards, Khimki’s offensive talent should do the rest.
Maccabi will rely on Hunter and Tarik Black to stop Mozgov down low. Both players are really athletic and effective on offense, which could give the entire Khimki frontcourt a lot of trouble. Wolters and Scottie Wilbekin must set the right game tempo, allowing Maccabi to run the floor as often as possible, and rely on Yovel Zoosman and Casspi’s versatility to make the difference at the other end.
Tip: 2 (+4.0) at 1.90 with bet365
(Price correct at 03/10/2019, 10:05 CET, could have changed)
Panathinaikos – Crvena Zvezda
Two continental powerhouses meet again right at the start of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season. Panathinaikos made it to the EuroLeague playoffs in each of the last seven seasons and that should be its initial goal in the 2019-20 campaign. Zvezda returns to the EuroLeague after a one-year absence, fully reloaded to try to make some serious noise in the competition. Expect high intensity and a lot of action at Olympic Sports Center Athens.
As always, Panathinaikos will run its offense through Nick Calathes, arguably the best pass-first playmaker in the competition. Getting Johnson and especially Fredette involved will be very important for Panathinaikos. It has an advantage at both forwards position, as Ioannis Papapetrou, Bentil, Brown and DeShaun Thomas can give the team a lot of energy. As always, count on many thousands of Panathinaikos fans to give their team a big push.
Even without Kuzmic, players like Michael Ojo, Mouhammad Faye and Nikola Jovanovic can give Zvezda a size advantage in the paint. Zvezda relies on Derrick Brown and Gist’s experience to make the difference in the final minutes if the game is close. Lorenzo Brown, Branko Lazic and Baron must do their best not just to stop Calathes and Fredette, but also to put them in trouble with efficient offense.
Tip: Over 159.0 at 1.90 with bet365
(Price correct at 03/10/2019, 10:05 CET, could have changed)
Bayern v Milano
A new Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season starts in Munich with Bayern will hoping to continue the positive signs shown in 2018-19 and take one step further – into the playoffs! Its home opener will be against AX Armani Echnage Milan, a largely re-built team under new head coach Ettore Messina with high hopes for this new campaign. Starting on the right foot with a valuable road win would lift those hopes higher.
Bayern has many new players, but so does Milan, so the hosts could benefit from that and the fact of starting the season at home. Bayern will need team leaders like Dedovic and Danilo Barthel to help the new players adjust fast and try to strike first against a Milan team that, just through sheer individual quality, could punish each and every mistake. A a win against such a powerful, well-coached visitor could prove to be the perfect start for Bayern.
The season does not start with an easy trip for Milan, which arrives without at least two players, center Arturas Gudaitis and scorer Nemanja Nedovic. Bayern has been a tough customer all along on its home floor, and will went to re-establish that from the get-go this season. Milan needs to be focused and including as many of its players as possible in the effort at the Audi Dome if it wants to come away with a road win.
Tip: 1 (-1.5) at 1.90 with bet365
(Price correct at 03/10/2019, 10:05 CET, could have changed)
Real Madrid – Fenerbahce
Two of the best teams in recent Turkish Airlines EuroLeague history – indeed, two of the last three champions – go head-to-head to get the continental season started. Expect a hard-fought battle between two of the best squads in Europe. Both teams managed to keep most of their stars players and will be better after another season playing together. The tactical battle between Madrid’s Pablo Laso and Fenerbahce’s Zeljko Obradovic will be one of the biggest keys to this exciting showdown.
Real has more depth in general, particularily at the point guard spot: Facu Campazzo is right at the prime of his career and was unstoppable in the recent World Cup. Sergio Llull and Laprovittola are other options to use against Kostas Sloukas, Muhammed and Westermann. Anthony Randolph, Walter Tavares and Mickey give Real a size advantage in the paint, too. Real plays at home in front of a sellout crowd, which is always a plus.
De Colo has been a nightmare for all Real defenders in the last five years due to his ballhandling, deep range and very valuable experience. Fenerbahce has more flexibility at the forward spot, with Luigi Datome and Nikola Kalinic being able to switch and look for mismatches, while Williams brings another, athletic dimension to the frontline. Adding Stimac gives Coach Obradovic another weapon to use against Tavares and Mickey.
Tip: 2 (+7.0) at 1.90 with bet365
(Price correct at 03/10/2019, 10:05 CET, could have changed)
Source: Euroleague.net
Basketball tips: Livetipster
