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.
Zalgiris – Efes
Despite being last in the standings and all but eliminated from the playoffs, Zalgiris has recently improved, including a win over current leader Barcelona last week. On Tuesday, Kaunas was defeated by Olympiacos in a make-up game. In practically every statistical comparison this season, Efes has beaten Zalgiris, thus the hosts will have to draw extra energy from the boisterous home crowd to stop Efes perimeter talents like Larkin, Micic, and Beaubois. Expect Zalgiris to compensate with its inside game, but the hosts will need to play outstanding perimeter defence.
The reigning champions are now on the cusp of making the playoffs. With so few games left to play, every victory is crucial in the middle of the race. Zalgiris has been depending heavily on big guys Nebo and Cavanaugh recently. It’s also no coincidence that the team’s improved play has coincided with the return of centre Lauvergne from injury. Efes will have to concentrate on sticking to its own game plan – the visitors top the league in average PIR and third in scoring, while Zalgiris is last in both categories – while also keeping an eye on the Zalgiris inside trio, who have a tendency to perform better in front of their home crowd.
Tip: Over 156.5 at 1.90 with bet365
Olympiacos – Panathinaikos (live stream)
Olympiacos Piraeus (17-10) meets Panathinaikos (7-19) for a game in which the hosts have more on the line, but the visitors can sweeten their season with a win, as they often do in classic Greek Derby.
Olympiacos has the top home defence in the EuroLeague, allowing only 67.1 points per game, which is also the best figure in more than five seasons. The Reds, on the other hand, are coming off a tough away win while Panathinaikos is resting, and will need to rapidly recover from two one-way travels already this week. The Reds, of course, have plenty of reason to not only beat their archrivals, but also to better their fourth-place standing. They lead Panathinaikos in practically every statistical category, but the most important one is rebounds, as more possessions at home usually equals victory, as Olympiacos has demonstrated this season by finishing 11-1 at Peace and Friendship Stadium.
Panathinaikos, who are now in 17th position and have just a slim mathematical possibility of making the playoffs, will view this clash as the biggest possible morale booster left on the calendar. The Greens would benefit from relying less on one-on-one play and more passes to set up better chances, especially on the perimeter. It’s possible that the fact that they’re third-to-last in the league in both assists (14.8) and 3-point accuracy (33.1%) isn’t a coincidence. They can compete elsewhere, but they must take advantage of their extra rest at home compared to Olympiacos, which means stepping on the gas pedal early to try to play with a lead and put pressure on an opponent whose late-game stamina might not be enough for a comeback.
Tip: 2 (+8.5) at 1.90 with bet365
Real Madrid – Villeurbanne
Real had a four-game losing sequence during which it failed to score 70 points in any of them, including a EuroLeague club low of 47 against Zalgiris. Real Madrid bounced back with a 92-point overtime home win over AX Milan. It made 10 of 27 three-pointers (37.0 percent) after shooting poorly in the previous four losses, combining for 18 of 104 from beyond the arc (17.3 percent ). Yabusele, a former ASVEL forward, should play a significant role with his three-point shooting with the team lacking its normal size advantage in the paint.
ASVEL should be on a mission to bring down Tavares and Poirier, and they have the ideal players to accomplish so. TJ Parker has lots of alternatives to deploy against Real’s centres with Youssoupha Fall, Antetokounmpo, Gist, and Wembanyama. ASVEL is 15th in three-point shooting and 17th in scoring (73.0 ppg) (33.4 percent ). Finding open looks for Howard, Diot, and Lighty should help ASVEL be more competitive at WiZink Center.
Tip: 2 (+11.5) at 1.90 with bet365
(All prices correct at 17/03/2022, 08:25 CET, subject to change)
News Source: Euroleague.net
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