Euroleague Basketball Tips
Euro League basketball predictions appear under each mini game preview.
Panathinaikos – Real Madrid
Two giants of the sport clash in the Greek capital on Thursday when old rivals Panathinaikos and Real Madrid meet. The Greens are the hottest team in the league with six straight wins and a seventh would give Coach Rick Pitino’s men a playoff berth this week. Panathinaikos could also advance with a loss depending on other results. Madrid, which has lost three of its last four road games, retains an outside chance of finishing the regular season in the top spot, but must win this game to do so.
During its current winning streak, Panathinaikos has scored 90 points four times and the Greens are 6-0 this season when reaching that number. Defense has also played a role with Panathinaikos twice keeping its opponents to 70 points or fewer in that run. Against Madrid, the Greens will need a little bit of both, but an efficient Nick Calathes-led attack is a must in an effort to outscore Madrid.
Few men can look Madrid’s 2.21-meter tower of power Walter Tavares in the eyes, but Panathinaikos’s young center Georgios Papagiannis is one of them. Madrid has made a habit of dominating the paint with Tavares and Gustavo Ayon at the pivot and Anthony Randolph and Trey Thompkins complementing them at the ‘4’. However, Papagiannis is on the rise and the Greens have veterans at power forward with James Gist and Ioannis Papapetrou. It won’t be easy, but if Madrid can stamp its usual authority on the painted area, it will have a great chance to win on the road.
Tip: 1 (-3.5) at 1.90 with bet365
(Price correct at 28/03/2019, 10:45 CET)
Maccabi – Gran Canaria
In its final home game of the regular season, Maccabi will look for a decisive win to remain in the playoff hunt. The Israeli champs are one of seven teams vying for one of the three remaining playoff berths. Gran Canaria is playing carefree basketball and routed Olympiacos Piraeus last week in a game that hindered the Reds’ playoff push. However, while Gran Canaria has won two of its last three games, it has not won on the road since Round 11 in December.
Maccabi set a club rebounding record with 54 boards on the road at Khimki Moscow Region last week and similar rebounding dominance against Gran Canaria could be a key to victory. Not only is Maccabi, which ranks fourth in the league with 35.4 rebounds per game, superior to Gran Canaria, 12th with 31.6 per game, but the visitors also allow the second-most rebounds (35.7). That sounds like good news for Tarik Black, Johnny O’Bryant and Alex Tyus.
For the season, Gran Canaria is ranked 14th in three-point accuracy at 34.2% and has made 8.8 threes per game however in its last two wins the team has been hot from downtown. Against Darussafaka the Islanders eight different players struck from downtown and the team was 12 for 25. Against Olympiacos, Marcus Eriksson was 6 for 10 from downtown and Siim-Sander Vene 3 for 3 as the team made 13 of 29. Great outside shooting could be the trump card in Tel Aviv.
Gran Canaria announced it will be without Eulis Baez (calf), Anzejs Pasecniks (ankle), Luke Fischer (shoulder), Xavi Rabaseda (knee) and Kim Tillie (knee) in Tel Aviv.
Tip: Over 1 (-12.5) at 1.90 with bet365
(Price correct at 28/03/2019, 10:45 CET)
Milano – Fenerbahce
There will be much at stake when AX Milan hosts Fenerbahce on Thursday night in the fashion capital. Milan can clinch a playoff berth with a win and some help from others, but a loss would see the Italian champs sink into a quagmire with a handful of other teams seeking the final playoff spots in Round 30. Milan only controls its destiny if it wins both of its remaining games. Fenerbahce has already clinched a playoff berth and home-court advantage in said playoffs. Another win would secure the top overall spot in the standings for Coach Zeljko Obradovic’s men.
Milan has allowed opponents to score at least 90 points in more than half its games so far this season and despite its great offensive prowess is only 4-11 when that happens. Fenerbahce has reached 90 on seven occasions this season and won each time. Accordingly, Milan may not want to play at a breakneck pace, since Fenerbahce may be able to stick with it. However, in a slower game, Milan may be able to use its size in the paint against Fenerbahce, which is ranked 14th in rebounding (30.5 rpg.) and the foul-drawing abilities of Mike James, Nemanja Nedovic and Vladimir Micov to get the Fenerbahce defenders in trouble.
Fenerbahce’s iron defense has allowed the fewest points (75.3) in the league this season, but now faces the league’s leading scorer in James, and Milan’s offense that puts up 86.9 points per night, second most this season. Fenerbahce’s defense has been successful not because it targets the opponent’s best weapons, but because it limits scoring opportunities for the entire team. However, no defense has stopped James all season. If Coach Obradovic has something up his sleeve to neutralize James, Fenerbahce would be in great shape.
Fenerbahce’s Tyler Ennis, Joffrey Lauvergne, Jan Vesely and Kostas Sloukas did not travel with the team to Milan.
Tip: 1 (-2.5) at 1.90 with bet365
(Price correct at 28/03/2019, 10:45 CET)
Barcelona – Buducnost
FC Barcelona Lassa will look to lock up fifth place when it hosts Buducnost VOLI Podgorica on Thursday. Barcelona already qualified for the playoffs for the first time in three years last week and now will secure fifth place if it defeats the visitors, who were eliminated from the playoff race several weeks ago. Barca comes off a last-second loss to FC Bayern Munich, but managed to win El Clasico in domestic competition over the weekend. Buducnost dropped its eighth straight last week against Anadolu Efes.
Barcelona is already in the playoffs and that’s a step forward compared to the last two seasons. However, the hosts will be playing to secure fifth place, which would pair the team with Anadolu Efes in their series. Barca boasts the second-best defense in the league and is playing against the fourth worst. Also, Buducnost has the poorest percentage in two-point shots overall (48.2%) and also a league-low 14.6 assists per game. Playing at home, the hosts should be able to set the pace form the beginning and avoid the same situation as in Podgorica.
The visitors arrive in Barcelona with no chances to move up, but winning in that city is always a badge of honor, so expect Buducnost to come ready to play. The guests should try to capitalize on Barcelona’s 12.9 turnovers per game. Buducnost is playing against a that wants revenge and who plays for a big goal so it won’t be easy, but it’s never late for the first road win of the season.
Tip: Over 156.5 at 1.90 with bet365
(Price correct at 28/03/2019, 10:45 CET)
Source: Euroleague.net
Basketball tips: Livetipster
