Euroleague Basketball Predictions
Enjoy every single game preview of this season’s 34-round regular season and our expert Euroleague predictions.
Our EuroLeague basketball tips appear under each mini game preview.
Crvena Zvezda – Monaco
When Crvena Zvezda hosts Monaco in the first game of Round 25, it will be offensive vs defence. No club has scored more points this season than Monaco, which is averaging 83.0, while Zvezda’s 72.9 are the fourth-lowest in the league. Conventional wisdom would suggest that slowing the pace to suffocate Monaco is the best approach for Zvezda to win, but it is worth recalling that the Serbian champions are 4-4 this season when keeping opponents to less than 70 points. Zvezda, on the other hand, is 3-1 when it has scored at least 80 points. Trusting Nate Wolters and Nikola Kalinic to operate the offence at a high level even at a faster pace, and relying on the always boisterous support of the Belgarde faithful to provide the energy needed to outlast a Monaco team playing its second road game in three days, could be the difference for the hosts.
Monaco’s offence begins with Mike James, but opponents must be prepared when a club like Zvezda seeks to take away the top choices. The squad from the principality triumphed in Athens on Tuesday owing to strong performances off the bench from Paris Lee, Dwayne Bacon, and Danilo Adjusic, and Coach Obradovic may rely on the three to carry the scoring load against Zvezda. James is a capable distributor as well as a scorer, ranking second in the league in assists (6.0 apg.) and third in scoring (15.9 ppg.). The services of other players, in addition to James, may be crucial in defeating Zvezda on Thursday.
Tip: 1 (-1.5) at 1.90 with bet365
Bayern – Maccabi
Bayern Munich had won three games in a row until losing to Barcelona on Tuesday. One of the challenges Bayern had in that game was the attacking troubles of its big men. Othello Hunter, Augustine Rubit, and Leon Radosevic played a total of 55:39 minutes and combined for 5 points on 2-for-18 shooting. Despite having a combined 17 boards, they committed 6 fouls and drew only one. To improve its prospects against a Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv frontline anchored by Ante Zizic and Jalen Reynolds at centre, and with former Bayern player Derrick Williams helping at the ‘4,’ Bayern must make the opponent work at both ends.
Maccabi appears to have found its stride recently, with three straight victories in which it has reduced turnovers and shot better from deep. During that time, three different players — Ante Zizic, Scottie Wilbekin, and James Nunnally – led the club in scoring. Sizing up the opponent and finding the best matchup or shot has been key, and one of the guys running the show has been rookie guard Keenan Evans, who has averaged 11.0 points, 6.0 assists, and 1.7 steals per game over that time. During that span, Wilbekin has averaged 17.0 points on 10-for-17 three-point shooting, 5.0 assists, and 1.3 steals. Quality playmaking from Evans and John DiBartolomeo, which allows Wilbekin to focus more on scoring, puts rival defences on their heels and may be the route to overcome Bayern.
Tip: 2 (+3.0) at 1.90 with bet365
Milano – Fenerbahce
Fenerbahce was simply a tiny anomaly in terms of scoring against Milan’s defence the first time around. During its previous seven victories, the same defence has kept opponents to an average of 62.9 points. Milan’s successful recipe has been Kyle Hines anchoring the paint and everyone else clamping down one-on-one around the perimeter. Don’t hold your breath waiting for things to change. Although Fenerbahce is competing for a playoff spot and is undermanned, a no-loss mindset heading into Mediolanum Forum, combined with their recent success, might make the visitors dangerous.
Fenerbahce’s Round 9 fiasco began with a 3-22 first quarter, one of the lowest-scoring quarters in EuroLeague history. This occurred at home, despite the absence of previous MVPs Nando De Colo and Jan Vesely, both of whom are now injured. Needless to say, the visitors must start strong, especially given that Milan is 12-1 this season when leading at halftime. Expect Fenerbahce to run its inside-out offensive via Dyshawn Pierre and urge defensive ace Pierria Henry to keep Milan’s passing star Sergio Rodriguez under wraps. In what appears to be a low-scoring game, limiting easy baskets will be crucial.
Tip: Under 149.5 at 1.95 with bet365
Barcelona – Panathinaikos
When these two teams met in Athens in mid-December, Barcelona outscored Panathinaikos in an 82-85 away triumph with the rebounds (32-42) playing a crucial role. Barcelona had a season-high 17 offensive boards in the Athens game, leading to a crucial victory. This season, the squad ranks second in rebounding (35.5 rpg.) and leads the league with 11.1 offensive rebounds. Furthermore, Barcelona has outrebounded its opponents in 15 of its 23 games this season, going 14-1 in those games. Barcelona has a 4-4 record in the other games. Taking control of the glass will be one of Barcelona’s most essential duties once again.
Panathinaikos has the third-fewest assists (14.4 apg.) this season, and has only had 20 or more assists three times. However, four of the Green’s five victories have occurred when they have provided more assists than their opponents. Offensively, increased ball movement implies more scoring chances for players like Daryl Macon Jr. (14.4 ppg.) and Nemanja Nedovic (11.5 ppg.). Simultaneously, minimising the other team’s assists would enable Panathinaikos’ defence hold its own against the EuroLeague’s highest-scoring attack. In the first game between the two clubs, Panathinaikos had only 11 assists and went 6-for-25 from long range, while Barcelona had 21 assists. Winning this battle in Barcelona would have far-reaching consequences for Panathinaikos.
Tip: Panathinaikos Over 70.5 at 1.83 with bet365
(All prices correct at 03/02/2022, 08:00 CET, subject to change)
News Source: Euroleague.net
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