Euroleague Basketball Predictions
Euro League basketball tips appear under each mini game preview.
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CSKA Moscow – Fenerbahce
This is a battle between two of the last three Turkish Airlines EuroLeague champions. CSKA Moscow (15-5) leads the standings despite two losses in its last three games. Mike James (20.4 ppg., 5.9 apg.), Nikola Milutinov (9.4 ppg., 8.6 rpg.) and Darrun Hilliard (11.1 ppg.) are leading the team right now. Fenerbahce (10-10) is on a five-game winning streak, led by Nando De Colo (12.1 ppg.), Jan Vesely (11.8 ppg., 5.3 rpg.) and Marko Guduric (11.6 ppg., 4.0 apg.).
CSKA leads the EuroLeague in scoring at 84.6 points per game and in offensive rebounds (13.8 orpg.). It is struggling to score in the paint, however, as CSKA ranks 17th in two-point shooting (50.7%). Playing at a really high rhythm, with James running the show in transition and elite, mobile big men in Milutinov and Toko Shengelia should allow CSKA to find advantages everywhere. Stopping former CSKA star De Colo may be one of the biggest keys to this game.
Will Clyburn is out with an ankle injury. Daniel Hackett has missed the last three games with an ankle injury.
Fenerbahce has combined for 30 of 52 three-point shooting (57.7%) in its last two games. Adding a great scorer like Guduric has paid off right away, as all shooters – Eddie, De Colo, Lorenzo Brown, Melih Mahmutoglu – have found more space to pull the trigger. Stopping Milutinov should be a priority, and Fenerbahce relies on Vesely, Ahmey Duverioglu and Johnny Hamilton to do so. Brown and Alex Perez must be ready to play on-the-ball defense against James to prevent him from making the difference in this game.
Tip: Over 157.5 at 1.90 with bet365
(Price correct at 22/01/2010, 08:40 CET, subject to change)
Crvena Zvezda – Barcelona
After beating Real Madrid on Monday, Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade will look to keep its momentum going when it hosts FC Barcelona, which has won three in a row. Both teams hope to have their star players back; Jordan Loyd has missed five straight games for Zvezda (7-13) and Nikola Mirotic has sat out the last four for Barcelona (14-6). Only 4-6 at home this season, Zvezda has won two of its last three in the Serbian capital. Barcelona is 6-4 on the road.
Despite the presence of Duop Reath and Ognjen Kuzmic, Zvezda is last in the league in two-point shooting at 49.4%. It won’t get any easier against Barcelona, which has allowed a league-low 48.9% in such shots. The potential return of Loyd could create more room in the paint for the Zvezda bigs, who must become threats to help the team put pressure on Barcelona.
Marko Simonovic has missed the last four games with an injury. Jordan Loyd has missed Zvezda’s last five games with an illness.
If there is any rust in the Barcelona attack as it brings Mirotic back into the fold, Coach Jasikevicius can always rely on his defense; Barcelona’s 73.7 points allowed per game are the second-fewest in the league. Strong defense and the excellent perimeter scoring of its battery of swingmen that includes Cory Higgins, Alex Abrines and Kyle Kuric may be the recipe for a victory in Belgrade.
Brandon Davies has missed Barcelona’s last six games. Nikola Mirotic has missed Barcelona’s last four games.
Tip: 1 (+7.5) at 1.90 with bet365
(Price correct at 22/01/2010, 08:40 CET, subject to change)
Zalgiris – Olympiacos
Zalgiris Kaunas will look to put an end to a two-game losing streak when it hosts Olympiacos Piraeus on Friday night. Zalgiris (11-9) had won six straight before its recent slide, with both of those losses on the road. The Lithuanian champs have won four straight at home. Olympiacos (11-9) comes off an overtime road win at LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne on Tuesday and has won four of its last five games. The Reds have also won five of their last six on the road.
Zalgiris is second in the league in three-point shooting at 42.3% and it may choose to lean on the long ball a little bit more against Olympiacos, which is among the league’s best at blocking shots with 3.2 per game. Alternatively, attacking the paint early through Joffrey Lauvergne, Augustine Rubit or penetrating guards to put the Olympiacos bigs into foul trouble could prove vital, since allowing the Reds big men to control the paint would be a problem for the hosts.
Zalgiris swingman Patricio Garino remains out of action after a knee operation. Steve Vasturia will be sidelined at least until mid-February with a knee injury.
The Reds have relied heavily on star guard Kostas Sloukas (11.9 ppg., 6.1 apg.), who has played at least 32 minutes in three of his last four games. Consistent playmaking when he rests in critical and Olympiacos has the man in former MVP Vassilis Spanoulis. A strong game from Spanoulis could be the recipe for another road win.
Kostas Papanikolaou has missed Olympiacos’s last five games. Giannoulis Larentzakis has not played in Olympiacos’s last two games.
Tip: Under 157.5 at 1.90 with bet365
(Price correct at 22/01/2010, 08:40 CET, subject to change)
Baskonia – ALBA Berlin
Round 21 will come to a close late Friday with a showdown between TD Systems Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz and ALBA Berlin. Baskonia (9-11) returns home after losing twice on the road last week. Coach Dusko Ivanovic’s men have won their last two games at home and are 6-4 this season at Buesa Arena. ALBA (7-13), which has lost three in a row and ix of its last seven games, is slowly getting back to health after being without several key players – and Coach Aito Reneses Garcia – recently. The German champs are 3-6 on the road this season.
Baskonia leads the league in steals (7.9 apg.) and has an elite transition leader in Pierria Henry. When quick shots aren’t there, Baskonia can rely on patience against an ABLA defense that has allowed teams to shot 57.6% on two-pointers and 40.7% on threes – both league highs – this season. Good persistent ball-movement and the use of both threats such as Yousoupha Fall and Polonara in the paint and Alec Peters and Rokas Giedraitis on the perimeter can propel Baskonia at home.
Baskonia is third in the EuroLeague with 11.2 offensive rebounds per game and ALBA has collected the fewest defensive boards (20.2 per game) this season. ALBA must crack down on the glass because giving up extra second-chances to Baskonia could be dangerous. Ben Lammers, Sikma and Johannes Thiemann are the players tasked with this job.
Head Coach Aito Garcia Reneses has missed ALBA’s last five games after testing positive for COVID-19. Marcus Eriksson has missed ALBA’s last 11 games. Niels Giffey is expected to miss several weeks with an injury.
Tip: 1 (-8.5) at 1.90 with bet365
(Price correct at 22/01/2010, 08:40 CET, subject to change)
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