Euroleague Basketball Predictions, News & Injury list

Euroleague Basketball Tips

Euro League basketball predictions appear under each mini game preview.

Open an account with bet365 today (T&Cs apply)

Zenit – Crvena Zvezda

Two teams from the bottom half of the table coming off uplifting wins meet on Friday when Zenit St Petersburg faces Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade. Zenit stunned Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul on a late game-winning triple from Andrew Albicy. Zenit is 1-6 in home games this season, but this one is different because Zenit’s home will be Basket Hall Kazan. Zvezda roared past Olympiacos Piraeus thanks to a big game from Lorenzo Brown, but the Serbian champs are 2-5 on the road and four of those losses have come by double figures. This will be the first-ever meeting between the sides.

Zenit has struggled at home this season; its 71.7 points per game at home is a league-low. The team has averaged 79.5 points per game in victories. Zenit must find a way to enjoy its home-court support and get the offense flowing at home. Now that Coach Joan Plaza has nearly his entire roster available, Zenit would be wise to enjoy its depth and play at a faster pace all night long. That could be the trick to winning back-to-back games for the first time this season.

Zvezda is tied for last in the league in scoring with 73.1 points per game and has scored more than 80 points in a game only three times this season; it is 2-1 in those games. The reasons for Zvezda’s low scoring include being ranked last in two-point shooting (46.7%), second-to-least in assists (15.1 apg.) and third-to-last in three-point accuracy (34.0%). Zenit’s defense is not among the toughest around having allowed 81.5 points on 52.4% two-point shooting, 39.6% on threes and 19.5 assists per game. If Zvezda takes advantage to score in the 80s, it could find itself challenging for an important road win.

Tip: 2 at 2.70 with bet365
(Price correct at 27/12/2019, 09:15 CET, subject to change)

Fenerbahce – Valencia

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul returns to action on Friday night when it welcomes Valencia Basket for a Round 16 contest. Fenerbahce has hit another bump in the road and lost its last three games, including a heartbreaking 81-84 home loss to Zenit St Petersburg on the buzzer last week. Valencia has won two of its last three games, but fell in Round 15 at AX Armani Olimpia Milan, 78-71. These two playoff hopefuls will play in a direct duel that could prove decisive in the long run.

Vladimir Stimac left the team this week and Malcolm Thomas has arrived in his place to try to bring some new morale to the team. The team is averaging less than 80 points per game and is the only team in the league with less than 30 rebounds per game. The hosts need to play with heart and with the support of their fans to try to get out of this unusual situation.

Valencia arrives in Istanbul to face a wounded opponent. At this moment Valencia outpoints Fenerbahce in scoring, rebounds and average PIR. The visitors have found their rhythm in the competition and will try to take advantage of Fenerbahce’s struggles. However, the hosts are talented, courageous and could turn the tide at any given moment, so Valencia will have to work hard to make sure that does not happen in this game.

Tip: 1 (-7.5) at 1.90 with bet365
(Price correct at 27/12/2019, 09:15 CET, subject to change)

Bayern – Zalgiris

Bayern comes into this game after a tough home loss against FC Barcelona – its seventh defeat in the last 10 games. Zalgiris has lost its last nine games, all by single digits, and looks for a win that can ignite a major comeback. Vladimir Lucic (12.3 ppg.) has been Bayern’s top scorer until now, followed by Greg Monroe (12.2 ppg.) and Maodo Lo (10.5 ppg.). Jock Landale (11.5 ppg.), Zach LeDay (11.3 ppg.) and Thomas Walkup (9.1 ppg., 4.7 apg.) have led Zalgiris so far.

Bayern ranks 17th in total rebounds this season (31.4 rpg.) and is last in offensive boards (8.2 orpg.). A bigger collective effort is needed to raise those numbers and make the team even more competitive. Bayern is shooting fewer three-point shots than any other team (18.7 per game) but at a good percentage (38.4%). Finding good looks from downtown for its best shooters – Petteri Koponen, Alex King and Vladimir Lucic – may prove important for the German champs.

Zalgiris ranks last in three-point shooting percentage (31.0%) despite generating good shots with a patient, dedicated offense. Unlike Bayern, Zalgiris is powering the offensive glass with great effectiveness (11.5 orpg.), and the Lithuanian champion must keep looking for those valuable second-chance points. Without Grigonis, Walkup and Arturas Milaknis will see extended playing time and getting them involved on offense will be important for Coach Sarunas Jasikevicius’s team.

Tip: 2 at 2.85 with bet365
(Price correct at 27/12/2019, 09:15 CET, subject to change)

Barcelona – Olympiacos

Two teams with different dynamics will put an end to 2019 together when co-leader FC Barcelona (12-3) hosts Olympiacos Piraeus (6-9) for Round 16. After a big home loss to CSKA, Barca has managed to win four in a row including its last game on the road at Bayern, 67-77. On the other side, Olympiacos has lost three of its last four games, including its last one at Zvezda, 88-81. The hosts will play to end the year with at least a share of the top spot while the Reds will try to get back on the winning path in one of the toughest arenas to start 2020 with some momentum.

Barca seems to have found its rhythm again after the wake-up call loss against CSKA. The hosts have the fourth-best defense in the league, and a roster full of individual talent at an offensive level, which makes for a deadly combination. Also, the team has allowed the fewest rebounds in the league (30.9 rpg.). Dominating the glass is one way to keep the ‘Comeback Kids’ under control.

Olympiacos needs wins right now. The trip to Barcelona doesn’t look like the best opportunity on paper, but the Reds’ capacity to fight and survive is legendary. Vassilis Spanoulis will be motivated to look for a once-in-a-lifetime record in the home of the current holder of that record and that will probably spark the team into high gear. Barcelona is a talented team on fire, but it has shown its weaknesses and the visitors will try to exploit them. An injury is keeping Milutinov out.

Tip: 1 (-13.5) at 1.90 with bet365
(Price correct at 27/12/2019, 09:15 CET, subject to change)