Euroleague Basketball Tips
Euro League basketball predictions appear under each mini game preview.
Darussafaka – CSKA Moscow
Two weeks after knocking off a top-six visitor, Darussafaka aims even higher with CSKA Moscow coming to Istanbul for Round 17. The hosts sit last in the standings, while the visitors are third and stopped their three-game road losing streak last week. Darussafaka can take confidence from its first game against CSKA, despite a 79-75 loss in Moscow, because that difference was a lot less than the 20-5 points per game by which Darussafaka lost all eight road games in the first half of the regular season. A new year offers new opportunities and Darussafaka has nothing to lose in this second attempt at surprising CSKA.
Low shooting percentages marked the first, quite even game between these teams, and Darussafaka’s recipe needs to be more of the same: disruptive defense and solid rebounding. Darussafaka struggles mightily with the league’s worst three-point shooting accuracy, but even if everything else goes well, will probably need to hit a few more attempts than usual from downtown. To get good shots requires lower turnovers and better ball movement, both of which are essential to have a chance against CSKA.
Depth, depth and more depth. CSKA’s talented and hard-working rotations are hard for any team to match, but Darussafaka lacks more than most in experience. Daniel Hackett has been surging for the visitors; expect him to be assigned to stop Douglas. CSKA’s big men have been quiet offensively in the last few road games, so watch for one of them to bust out. And don’t forget Clyburn, a matchup nightmare whose PIR average is 24.8 over the last six games. His old team will have to slow him down – or else.
Tip: 1 (+12.5) at 1.90 with bet365
(Price correct at 09/01/2019, 09:55 CET)
Panathinaikos v Bayern
Panathinaikos goes home to lick its wounds from a big loss in the Greek Derby and to get revenge for a one-point defeat to Bayern in Munich back in Round 2. Bayern now sits in the last playoffs position, eighth place, a victory ahead of Panathinaikos, so the outcome of this game could have long-range consequences. Keith Langford was the big gun for Panathinaikos back in the first game with Bayern, scoring 18 points, but he has not played since Round 14 due to an injury. Nihad Dedovic won their duel with 19 points for Bayern in the first game, which Vladimir Lucic sealed with a steal in the closing seconds for an 80-79 victory
Three-point accuracy continues to be the Achilles heel of Panathinaikos, which would like nothing better than to rebound and run for easier points. That will require defensive patience and quickness against a well-schooled Bayern team, but if the Greens can wait out the visitors some, their better depth should come into play, as will a home-crowd atmosphere that Bayern is not used to seeing. Keep an eye on big men Stephane Lasme, Konstantinos Mitoglou and Thanasis Antetokounmpo. If they are thriving, as they tend to at OAKA, it will be a good sign for the Greens.
Keith Langford and Thanasis Antetokounmpo will be out with injury for Panathinaikos.
Bayern has been missing center Devin Booker for the last five games and point guard Stefan Jovic for the last two, so their presence – or not – will be influential. Panathinaikos is the second-worst team making three-pointers (30.9%), while Bayern has the fifth-ranked three-point defense. The visitors need to keep that up, grab the long rebounds and play either quick-strike transition offense or long possessions to grind out points and keep the Greens from running. If that succeeds in subduing the crowd, too, Bayern can turn the pressure on Panathinaikos late in the game.
Tip: 1 (-8.0) at 1.90 with bet365
(Price correct at 09/01/2019, 09:55 CET)
Maccabi – Buducnost
One of these teams has to make a move soon to join the playoffs race. Maccabi has won four of nine games since Ioannis Sfairopoulos took over the bench, including three of the last four at home. Its only win before that run was at Buducnost back in Round 3. Buducnost has a new coach, Jasmin Repesa; a new point guard, Norris Cole; and a new center, Goga Bitadze, since that first meeting and will come to Tel Aviv with little to lose, in search of its first EuroLeague win ever over Maccabi.
Rule number one against Buducnost this season is: don’t let the shooters get hot. Although that has not happened on the road yet, Maccabi can’t be too careful, so expect DeAndre Kane to lead the perimeter defenders. Inside, Maccabi will have its hands full with Bitadze, so the mid-range games of Michael Roll, author of 6 three-pointers last week, and Angelo Caloiaro, who has played best against the biggest Euroleague teams, but needs to show the same against Maccabi’s direct competitors for moving up.
The visitors first game under Jasmin Repesa was a 111-94 loss at AX Armani Exchange Olimpia Milan. Needless to say, Buducnost’s defense needs to close ranks. Cole can do a lot by joining with Nemanja Gordic to control the pace better. A ball-moving, inside-out offense that takes advantage of Bitadze and kick-outs to the many shooters on the team would go a long way to putting Buducnost in a position to try for an upset.
Tip: Over 165.0 at 2.00 with bet365
(Price correct at 09/01/2019, 09:55 CET)
Milano – Barcelona
It will be a true clash of styles in the Game of the Week for Round 17 as Milan, owner of the league’s third-best offense (87.5 ppg.), hosts Barcelona, which has the second-best defense (76.1 points against). What’s more, the game has clear ramifications in the standings, where sixth-place Barcelona (9-7) has a one more victory than seventh-place Milan (8-8). Should Barcelona win, after having done so at home when these two teams played back in Round 9, that would effectively rise to a three-victory advantage as the head-to-head record is the first tie-breaker, if necessary, at the end of the regular season.
Milan’s playoffs aspirations hinge on winning games like this one. It’s club-record offensive explosion of 111 points in Round 16 against lower-rated Buducnost was nice, but the hosts will have to bring defense and toughness to combat Barcelona’s own. Newly-signed center Alen Omic should be available to help rebound and defend inside, which will be essential. Scoring won’t be as easy for Milan, so it will need to match Barcelona’s defensive intensity for long stretches. Players like Micov, Bertans and Mindaugas Kuzminskas must be ready to step in as scorers if Barcelona focuses on locking down James.
Containment is the key for the visitors, as Milan is tied for the league lead in three-pointers made per game, and when those shots fall, the team’s confidence rises. Otherwise, expect Barcelona to test Milan again inside, where Tarczewski was negated in the first game due to five fouls. Barcelona is deeper inside, with Seraphin, Ante Tomic and Pierre Oriola, among others, so on both ends of the court, a battle under the rims is in the interest of the visitors. It worked well for them back in Round 9, so don’t be surprised to see the same recipe now.
Tip: Over 164.5 at 1.90 with bet365
(Price correct at 09/01/2019, 09:55 CET)
Source: Euroleague.net
Basketball tips: Livetipster
