Euroleague Basketball Predictions, News & Injury list

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Khimki – Zalgiris

Two teams that lost earlier this week will face off on Friday for Round 15 when Khimki Moscow Region (7-7) hosts Zalgiris Kaunas (3-11). Khimki has lost five of the last six games, including at Olympiacos by 109-98 in overtime on Wednesday. Zalgiris is currently riding one of its worst streaks in years, having lost the last eight games in a row, including at home against Efes, 68-74, on Tuesday. Both teams need to get into a positive rhythm with a win to gain some momentum.

Khimki has the second-best offense in the league with 87.1 points per game and faces a team that averages 13 points less. However, Zalgiris seems to be performing better on defense, so the hosts will have to try to run and create as many possessions as possible in order for the victory to stay on their turf. Zalgiris also struggles in assists, so if Khimki manages to play solid defense to maintain those problems for the guests, they will be able to score their eighth straight win against the Kaunas team.

Zalgiris is deep in a dark hole and will have to work hard in Russia to get out of it. The hosts average almost 20 PIR more per game, so Zalgiris will have to overcome many obstacles, not the least of which is limiting EuroLeague leading scorer Alexey Shved’s offensive pyrotechnics. Then again, the game starts 0-0 for both sides. Zalgiris will have to control the rebounds and use aggressive defense to try to keep Khimki at low scoring because if it turns into a run-and-gun game, the guests will struggle.

Tip: Under 169.5 at 1.90 with bet365
(Price correct at 20/12/2019, 07:45 CET, could have changed)

Anadolu Efes – CSKA Moscow

Round 15 is highlighted by a rematch of last season’s championship game as first-place Anadolu Efes Istanbul (12-2) welcomes CSKA Moscow (9-5) on Friday. Efes is on a roll with eight straight victories, the last by 68-74 one on the road at Zalgiris earlier this week, and has and seemed virtually unstoppable at times. CSKA is 3-3 over its last six games after a 100-74 blowout of visiting Zvezda on Wednesday. It lost away last week to fourth-place Maccabi but also demolished second-place Barcelona on the road in Round 11. Efes is thriving despite the absence of its anchor in the middle, Bryant Dunston, but has star forward Adrien Moerman available again, so expect two relatively healthy teams to put on a thriller in Istanbul on Friday.

This is probably the test that Efes needs to see if it really is the best team in the EuroLeague right now. Not only does it face another of the best teams in the league, but it’s also a chance for revenge from the championship game last May, which provides further motivation. These teams have practically identical numbers both in offense and defense, and where one team dominates in one category, the other makes up for it somewhere else. So it will all be down to strategy and talent, but the fans in Istanbul that can give Efes the extra boost needed to defeat the defending champs.

Efes will play again without center Bryant Dunston, who has missed the last seven games with injury.

CSKA seems to have found its rhythm again after a few doubts a couple of weeks ago, and now faces the ultimate foe in sole leader Efes. The guests will have to plan for stopping the unreal 59.1% two-point accuracy of Efes with tight defense to deny open shots and second chances after offensive rebounds. CSKA excels from beyond the arc with a EuroLeague second-best 41.1% accuracy rate, which could be the perfect way to punish Efes or to force the defense of the hosts to open up and leave some space inside for big men like Kosta Koufos and Kyle Hines.

CSKA is without long-term injured players Will Clyburn, last season’s Final Four MVP, and Mikhail Kulagin.

Tip: 2 at 3.15 with bet365
(Price correct at 20/12/2019, 07:45 CET, could have changed)

Crvena Zvezda – Olympiacos

Two teams in red will face each other on what could prove to be a historic night when Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade (5-9) welcomes Olympiacos Piraeus (6-8). After a three-game winning streak, Zvezda lost its last two games, including one earlier this week at CSKA, 100-74. Olympiacos snapped its own losing streak with a 109-98 overtime win in Greece on Wednesday. These two teams sit within one victory of each other, and both need to move up, so this game could well have heavy implications in the long run, particularly for Zvezda, which cannot afford to lose at home too often against direct competitors in the standings like Olympiacos.

Zvezda needs to win at home after having already dropped four decisions in Belgrade. Olympiacos seems to be in a good moment, but the hosts are currently showing better numbers on defense even if the Reds have higher figures in offense. Zvezda will have to make the most of its strong defense to try to stop the best producers in Olympiacos: Spanoulis, Georgios Printezis and big man Nikola Milutinov, who returns to play in his home country. On offense, ball circulation will be key for Zvezda to try to find good options that allow its shooters to increse the second-worst two-pointers accuracy, 46.7%, in the league.

Olympiacos seems to be finding its place this season little by little. It showed against Khimki an ability to persevere and win. Now, the Reds are ready to take on an opponent that could be a threat going forward. Olympiacos has better numbers overall on offense, but the defensive wall that Zvezda can create, together with the noisy and passionate Belgrade fans, could force a change of plans for the Reds. With a record in sight, expect Spanoulis to step up again and lead the charge for Olympiacos to try and get another win.

Tip: 1 (+2.5) at 1.90 with bet365
(Price correct at 20/12/2019, 07:45 CET, could have changed)

Bayern – Barcelona

Two teams looking to sweep the double-round week face off when FC Bayern Munich (6-8) welcomes FC Barcelona (11-3) to Bavaria on Friday. Bayern started this week with an overtime road win at ALBA Berlin, 76-77, while Barcelona has triumphed in its last three, including an 80-67 home win on Tuesday against ASVEL. It looks like a tall order for Bayern to try to increase its winning streak against Barcelona, but the hosts are playing at home and are full of confidence again after two straight victories.

It won’t be easy for Bayern. The guests average 10 points more per game on offense and also have a better defense by some 4 points, making it a 14-point gap in total. Bayern fares better in blocks and free throws, and in a couple other aspects the teams are practically tied, but Barcelona averages a higher PIR by 20 than the hosts. In order to win, defense will be paramount for Bayern if it wants to stop or, at least limit, the vast talent of the guests’ roster.

Barcelona enters the game with the upper hand. The team is ahead of Bayern in offense and the guests have also started focusing a bit more on defense lately, trying to play total basketball on both ends of the court. Vladimir Lucic and Greg Monroe are the hosts’ biggest threats in the paint, so if Barca’s big men can limit those two pillars in the Bayern system, the guests will be halfway to getting their fourth win in a row.

Tip: Under 163.0 at 1.90 with bet365
(Price correct at 20/12/2019, 07:45 CET, could have changed)

Villeurbanne – ALBA Berlin

Two teams coming from the 7DAYS EuroCup last season and in need of wins now meet up on Friday when LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne (6-8) hosts ALBA Berlin (4-10) in Round 15. ASVEL started the double-feature week with a loss on the road at Barcelona, 80-67, while ALBA saw how Bayern stole the German derby in Berlin after overtime, 76-77. ALBA is still struggling with many injuries, so it will be a good time for ASVEL to try and win another home game this season.

Going into the game, ASVEL is 20 points below ALBA in average PIR and also scores 13 points less per game. That’s a big handicap to start with, but the hosts have shown that at home they can beat huge teams like Olympiacos, Panathinaikos, Milan and, of course, CSKA. Anything is possible at the Astroballe, but defense will play a big part in making that happening for ASVEL. ALBA leads the league with 20.1 assists per game, so if ASVEL can limit the guests running and sharing the ball, the legend of the Astroballe could be extended to another win.

Coach Aito Garcia Reneses is juggling injuries as the season goes by, and ALBA is doing a remarkable job of competing nonetheless. With ASVEL, the guests have the chance to go the extra mile and get back home with a win this time. Numbers speak in their favor, but after the feats accomplished by ASVEL at home so far this season, ALBA will be wise to play carefully and making the extra effort on defense to stop players like Tonye Jekiri, who can dominate the paint at ease if given the chance.

Tip: 1 (-3.5) at 1.90 with bet365
(Price correct at 20/12/2019, 07:45 CET, could have changed)