Euroleague Basketball Tips
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Fenerbahce – Khimki
This game is a battle between powerhouses with deep, versatile rosters. Fenerbahce comes off a road win against ASVEL and wants to keep climbing the table in front of its fans. After a 6-2 start, Khimki suffered back-to-back road losses and needs to regain momentum as soon as possible. Nando De Colo (20.9 ppg.) has been Fenerbahce’s best scorer until now, followed by Derrick Williams (10.9 ppg.) and Kostas Sloukas (8.5 ppg.). De Colo, however, has been sidelined for the last three games. Alexey Shved (19.3 ppg.), Devin Booker (12.7 ppg.) and Janis Timma (12.7 ppg.) have led Khimki so far this season.
Fenerbahce must improve its scoring, as it ranks 16th overall with 73.6 points per game. It is also allowing opponents to make 40.2% of their three-point shots, so better and more aggressive perimeter defense is required. If Nando De Colo remains sidelined, Kostas Sloukas, Derrick Williams and Luigi Datome will keep sharing more responsibilities. Ali Muhammed and Vladimir Stimac, who both come off great games in France, must confirm their good form against Khimki.
Nikola Kalinic, Leo Westermann and Jan Vesely are out due to injuries. Nando De Colo has started practicing with the team, but he still remains as ‘game-time decision’.
Khimki is one of the best scoring teams in the EuroLeague (85.6 ppg.) and is shooting really well from two-point range (54.9%). Khimki is doing a good job of limiting its turnovers (13.0 per game) and is sharing the ball well (18.0 apg.). Good ball circulation will be needed against a tough team like Fenerbahce, so Jovic and Shved must be ready to help Khimki find open looks. If Khimki is patient and determined, it has the talent to beat anyone.
Alexey Shved will miss the game against Fenerbahce due to injury, but Janis Timma will be available in Istanbul.
Tip: 1 (-6.5) at 2.00 with bet365
(Price correct at 28/11/2019, 11:45 CET, could have changed)
Crvena Zvezda – Valencia
A pair of teams on the upswing will duel on Thursday when Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade hosts Valencia Basket. Zvezda comes off its first road win of the season last week at Zalgiris and even its 2-3 record at home is misleading since those losses were all close calls. Moreover, the Serbian champs should be rejuvenated by the arrival of new head coach Dragan Sakota. Valencia has won four of its last five games, but is winless in its four road trips thus far and now begins a run of three straight away games.
When a new coach arrives, many changes can be expected. Chief among them is always to fix what appears to be broken. Zvezda has excelled on the defensive end, allowing the fourth-fewest points per game (76.4). However, it is last in the league in both two-point (45.9%) and three-point (31.7%) shooting accuracy and has scored the second-fewest points (71.7 ppg.). Expect Coach Sakota to emphasize that and for the team to be taking better shots in what will be a key to this game.
Derrick Brown is doubtful due to knee problems while Stratos Perperoglou will miss the next 4 to 6 weeks also with a knee injury.
Valencia must take the confidence from its winning streak on the plane to Serbia, because to date when the team has left the borders of Spain, things have fallen apart. Its lone road loss by single figures was at FC Barcelona. In Valencia’s other three road games, it’s averaged 68.7 points and lost by an average margin of 16.7 points. In each of those games, Valencia has been outrebounded, too. Playing with greater confidence could make all the difference for Valencia in Belgrade.
Tip: 2 (+4.5) at 1.90 with bet365
(Price correct at 28/11/2019, 11:45 CET, could have changed)
ALBA Berlin – Zalgiris
After winning two of its last three games, ALBA Berlin will look to keep its positive momentum going when it hosts Zalgiris Kaunas. Before turning things around, ALBA had lost three games in a row. Zalgiris, which has now lost four straight games, hopes to change places with ALBA and start its own positive run. It will be a clash of styles as ALBA is fourth in the league in scoring (84.6 ppg.) and allows the most points (91.0 ppg.). Zalgiris is in the bottom third in both points scored (74.8 ppg.) and points allowed (76.5 ppg.). New signing K.C. Rivers could help change that.
It starts with defense. Despite a series of injuries, ALBA has found ways to score game-in and game-out. However, it has allowed the most points in the league. The only times ALBA has held opponents to 80 points or fewer, it has won. Teams are shooting 40.9% on three-pointers against ALBA and that is something that Coach Garcia Reneses must find a solution for, especially against Zalgiris’s standout shooters.
According to coach Aito, Tim Schneider, Tyler Cavanaugh, Johannes Thiemann and Stefan Peno will not be able to play this game and Peyton Siva has just returned from his injury.
The Zalgiris playing style under Coach Jasikevicius is the antithesis of ALBA’s. Zalgiris plays slower, tougher and tries to make every possession count. Where that has gone awry for the Lithuanian champs this season is three-point shooting; after leading the league in that category two years ago and finishing top-five last season, Zalgiris is in the bottom third this season at 33.8%. New signing K.C. Rivers could help Zalgiris change that and with more three-pointers falling, the team will be a bigger threat to win in the German capital.
Marius Grigonis did not travel to Berlin, because of his foot injury.
Tip: 2 (-1.0) at 1.90 with bet365
(Price correct at 28/11/2019, 11:45 CET, could have changed)
Panathinaikos – Baskonia
Two teams that started winning streaks last week will face each other to keep it going when Panathinaikos OPAP Athens (6-4) welcomes KIROLBET Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (5-5) in Greece. Panathinaikos won its two road games last week, including a 75-87 win at FC Bayern Munich and reports claim that Hall of Fame coach Rick Pitino, who announced last week that he is returning to Panathinaikos, will be on the bench for this game. Baskonia also won both of its games in the double-round week, both at home against Russian teams. It now travels to Athens to try to increase its winning run to three games.
The Greens seem to have found their pace again and Coach Pitino will try to pick up where he left it last season with many of the players he coached last year still on the team. Panathinaikos currently boasts the best offense in the league and it also has the best passer, which means that it loves to run the ball and play as many possessions as possible. However, the Greens also have the third-weakest defense in the league, so they will have to try to regroup and keep the Baskonia players at bay, especially when crashing the boards, the only aspect where the visitors significantly outperform the hosts, aside from the blocks (Baksonia leads the league with 4.7 bpg.)
On paper, it looks like Panathinaikos has the upper hand in this game, especially with the fact that the game is in OAKA. However, Baskonia comes form defeating two Russian teams, including defending champs CSKA Moscow, so the visitors come to Athens with an injection of morale. Coach Velimir Perasovic will have to look for a way to stop the flow in the Panathinaikos offense, which seems to be thriving lately. Limiting players like DeShaun Thomas and Nick Calathes will be key to hampering the Greens’ progress in the game. Baskonia must also pay attention to improve its efficiency from the charity stripe, as it currently holds the lowest percentage from that distance in the league.
Tip: Under 165.5 at 1.95 with bet365
(Price correct at 28/11/2019, 11:45 CET, could have changed)
Maccabi – ASVEL Villeurbanne
In a matchup of teams looking to bounce back quickly from a rough double-round week of games, Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv hosts LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne on Thursday. The Israeli champs suffered a pair of road losses to see a six-game winning streak stopped, however, they remain undefeated in four games at home this season. ASVEL saw its perfect home record smashed by the two Istanbul teams, but can draw on the confidence gained in its last road game, a nail-biting win in the Serbian capital against Crvena Zvezda.
As a starting point, health. Omri Casspi has been spectacular for Maccabi this season and the team is 5-1 with him in the lineup and 1-3 without. Maccabi must also control the rebounding battle and get its points in transition. The team is tied for second in the league with 37.5 rebounds per game and its 86.3 points are second-most. Despite the presence of Tonye Jekiri, ASVEL is second-to-last in rebounding (31.7 rpg.) and its 71.5 points are bottom of the standings. Rebounding and running would play to Maccabi’s strengths and ASVEL’s weaknesses.
For a team relying on some teenage talents plus several other players in their first EuroLeague campaign, playing on a Thursday night at Menorah Mivtachim Arena is a challenge. However, ASVEL survived an equally stern test by beating Crvena Zvezda on the road. Playing its pace and style in Tel Aviv is a must; ASVEL is 0-4 this season when the opponent has scored at least 80 points. Point guards Antione Diot, Theo Maledon and Jordan Taylor – the latter of which has some experience in Tel Aviv from his two seasons with Hapoel Holon – will be charged with that task.
Tip: Over 154.5 at 1.90 with bet365
(Price correct at 28/11/2019, 11:45 CET, could have changed)
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News Source: Euroleague.net
Basketball tips: Livetipster
