By Lefteris Moutis / info@eurohoops.net
Here are the tips for this week’s EuroLeague games.
Fenerbahce lost in Tel Aviv to Maccabi so they will react at home against Real, who have many absences. It will be difficult for the Madrilenos to hold up in Turkey with so many absences even though they have gotten used to playing without Randolph, Llull and Ayon for some time now. The easy way or the hard way, Zeljko Obradovic’s team will get us paid. We will hold on to the home win with the handicap (-4,5 at 1,75).
Panathinaikos will play without Nick Calathes for the third game in a row. In the previous two, the Greens beat Maccabi (at home) and Crvena Zvezda (away) and proved they can do without their leader and best player this season. Dubljevic is back for Valencia, but the unsatisfying image of the Spanish champions hasn’t changed. The easy way or the hard way, Xavi Pascual’s team can get the away win (1,80), to close an excellent first phase in the EuroLeague in the best possible way.
Erick Green might not have scored a lot in recent games, but if he’s on a good day it will be difficult for someone to come close to his standards offensively. Especially in Panathinaikos, several players share the scoring, so the American could be the top scorer and get us paid at 2,15.
James Gist has been in form for a while now and the 10,5 seems like a pretty low line for him. The Over (1,65) has a good chance and is worth being included on one of our bets, either as a double bet or on its own.
Olympiacos’s line-up will have several absences for yet another game. Printezis, Milutinov and Mantzaris will not play and so Vassilis Spanoulis’s Over 10,5 takes on value. Olympiacos’s captain will play more, he will take on many shots and he can get us paid at 1,60. Besides, this is a player who goes to the free throw line very often through the way he plays, and in the end this might have an impact on our bet.
Another player bet that has value in the game between Zalgiris and Olympiacos is Ulanovas’s Under 8,5. The Lithuanian player is a very important tool in Sarunas Jasikevicius’s team, but he’s not consistent offensively. Zalgiris’s forward contributes in many areas of the game, like assists and rebounds, while he usually scores single digits. Against Ioannis Sfairopoulos’s team he will face good defenders (Papapetrou – Papanikolaou) and he might not score a lot. The Under 8,5 at 1,75 can be an option.
Khimki – Barcelona
Georgios Bartzokas will face his former team and this might give him an extra motivation in Khimki’s clash against Barcelona. The Russians are in better shape than the Catalans and they’re gunning for a spot in the top eight in the standings. Barcelona are on the opposite course, they are trying to react, but the result is the same every time. Every defeat now counts double for the Spanish team as things are getting tighter and tighter. The home team has the advantage in this game and the 1,38 for the home win can be included on a combo bet.
Dimitris Itoudis’s CSKA will play on a home court that usually makes things difficult for them. In fact, Baskonia are in much better form after changing coaches and now they’re looking at the top eight and a spot in the playoffs of the EuroLeague. The Russians lost in Piraeus in their last away game and they probably won’t lose for the second time in a row. One way or another, they will manage to get the away win and get us paid at 1,45. The Over 85,5 for the visitors also has a good chance, as they score a lot regardless of whether they’re playing at home or away. Besides, we’re expecting a rather high tempo game in Vitoria.
Maccabi – Malaga
Maccabi will have an important absence, that of Deshaun Thomas, who will be out of game action for 2-3 weeks. Malaga are on a steady upward course and seem able to steal the win in Israel. The away win with a handicap (+5,5 at 1,75) has some value, as does a clean win for the Spaniards at 2,55.
The picks
Spanoulis Over 10,5 / @1,60
Ulanovas Under 8,5 / @1,75
Valencia – Panathinaikos 2 / @1,80
Gist Over 10,5 / @1,65
Green top scorer of the game / @2,15
Fenerbahce – Real Madrid (+4,5) 1 / @1,75
Baskonia – CSKA Moscow 2 / @1,45
CSKA Moscow Over 85,5 / @1,75
Khimki – Barcelona 1 / @1,38
Maccabi – Malaga (+5,5) 2 / @1,75