Euroleague Tips with Previews

• This is the first ever encounter of the two Russian teams in the history of Euroleague.

UNICS Kazan and Zenit St Petersburg have faced each other dozens of times in VTB United League action, but this is their first-ever EuroLeague showdown and is therefore a special one. Zenit added talented players over the summer, including Conner Frankamp, Mindaugas Kuzminskas, Jordan Loyd and Jordan Mickey, making Coach Xavi Pascual’s team even more competitive after it reached the playoffs last season. UNICS brought in a new coach, Velimir Perasovic, elite scorers in O.J. Mayo and Mario Hezonja, and experienced players such as Lorenzo Brown, Tonye Jekiri and Andrey Vorontsevich. It also kept Isaiah Canaan and signed physical power forward Jarrell Brantley. These teams faced each other in the VTB Supercup semifinals in mid-November; Zenit 76-83 behind 33 points from Shabazz Napier but he is injured and will not be able to help his team this time. Hezonja led UNICS with 22 points. It should be a physical, intense game at Basket Hall Kazan, as both coaches are known for giving their teams discipline, attention to detail and high energy.

EuroLeague action returns to Ulker Sports and Event Hall with an exciting game. Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul signed head coach Sasa Djordjevic and brought in experienced players Devin Booker, Achille Polonara and Pierria Henry, who should help the team’s main leaders, Nando De Colo and Jan Vesely, going forward. Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade underwent a lot of roster changes. Its main addition was forward Nikola Kalinic, who won the EuroLeague with Fenerbahce in 2017 and spent five successful seasons with the club. Nikola Ivanovic, Austin Hollins, Nate Wolters and Luka Mitrovic should make Zvezda even more competitive. Dejan Davidovac, Ognjen Kuzmic, Marko Simonovic and team captain Branko Lazic remained in Belgrade, too. The Serbian powerhouse looks for its first road win against Fenerbahce, which has a 6-0 home record against Zvezda and is 10-2 overall since the turn of the century. Last season, Fenerbahce defeated Zvezda 77-63 at home behind 17 points from Lorenzo Brown.

• Tyler Cavanaugh (Zalgiris) has made 20 consecutive free throws dating back to the 2019-20 season.

It is an interesting showdown between two teams that have undergone many roster changes. LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne put together an athletic, physical squad that promises to be fun to watch with newcomers Elie Okobo, Kostas Antetokounmpo, Chris Jones, Youssoupha Fall and Victor Wembanyama. Zalgiris Kaunas signed playmaker Emmanuel Mudiay and athletic big man Josh Nebo and also brought back homegrown talents Edgaras Ulanovas and Mantas Kalnietis. The Lithuanian champs also Niels Giffey and Tyler Cavanaugh, too, to have an even deeper roster. Paulius Jankunas is back for his 19th EuroLeague season, along with Arturas Milaknis, Lukas Lekavicius and Joffrey Lauvergne. Both teams have depth and size, well-rounded veterans and up-and-coming talents, and are proud powerhouses with tradition and willingness to keep winning, so expect a big showdown at the Astroballe.

• In 42 meetings between these two, Olympiacos is holding a 24-18 advantage.

A classic rivalry in the competition, Olympiacos Pireaus and Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz are set to face each other for the 43rd time since the turn of the century. Olympiacos has a 24-18 lead in the all-time series, but Baskonia beat the Reds twice – by a combined margin of 39 – last season. Baskonia has a revamped roster with the additions of former Olympiacos playmaker Wade Baldwin IV, Simone Fontecchio, Matt Costello, Landry Nnoko and Jayson Granger, who starts his second stint with the club. Rokas Giedraitis, Alec Peters and Tadas Sedekerskis, among others, remain with key roles for Coach Dusko Ivanovic. Olympiacos has a new team captain in Georgios Printezis and new players in Thomas Walkup, Tyler Dorsey and Moustapha Fall to complement a well-known core of players featuring Kostas Sloukas, Sasha Vezenkov and Kostas Papanikolaou. Both teams missed the playoffs last season. Both teams know how important it is to start the season on the right foot, so expect an intense showdown at Peace and Friendship Stadium.

• Barca has lost only once to ALBA Berlin (9-1).

Round 1 comes to an end with a high-profile showdown at Palau Blaugrana. FC Barcelona reached the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Championship Game last season and managed to keep the core of players that brought it there, including Nikola Mirotic, Cory Higgins, Nick Calathes, Brandon Davies and Kyle Kuric. It added depth and talent with center Sertac Sanli, versatile forward Nigel Hayes, playmaker Nico Laprovittola and combo guard Rokas Jokubaitis. ALBA Berlin promoted Israel Gonzalez to the head coaching job, added talented players to its backcourt in Jaleen Smith, Yovel Zoosman and Tamir Blatt and kept most of its main players, such as Maodo Lo, Luke Sikma and former Barcelona bomber Marcus Eriksson. Barcelona is undefeated at home against ALBA in the past two decades. ALBA’s last win at Palau Blaugrana, 66-67, came on February 17, 2000, behind 13 points from Wendell Alexis. Barcelona is also on a five-game winning streak against the German champs.