By Aris Barkas/ barkas@eurohoops.net
The Top16 in its new long format started building slowly and many were afraid that the thrills of the previous six games format are lost for good. This is not the case. With three games left, every point counts and nobody knows yet what the future holds in the play offs, with the exception of Barcelona which could be the adjuster of group F.
In group E, Real Madrid and Anadolu Efes with a 9-2 record will be in the play offs, but the final standings is an other story. CSKA Moscow (8-3), Panathinaikos (7-4) and Unicaja Malaga (6-5) will fight for two spots and no one is safe. The games that will decided the outcome of the race are the following:
12th gameday
Zalgiris Kaunas – Anadolu Efes
Real Madrid – Panathinaikos
Unicaja Malaga – CSKA Moscow
13th gameday
CSKA Moscow – Real Madrid
Anadolu Efes – Unicaja Malaga
Brose Baskets – Panathinaikos
14th gameday
Unicaja Malaga – Alba Berlin
Panathinaikos – CSKA Moscow
Real Madrid – Anadolu Efes
Every game counts, even the top two spots and the home court advantage are for grabs and could be decided in the last Top16 week in Athens (Panathinaikos vs CSKA Moscow) and Madrid (Real vs Anadolu Efes). That being said, CSKA has the hardest schedule of all and its play off stop is in danger. The Russians have to play two road games in Malaga and Athens and they are hosting Real Madrid which has beaten them by 8 points (86-78). However, specially if the team of Messina next week beats Malaga, the fight for the fourth place will be a two horse race between Panathinaikos and Unicaja.
In group F, Barcelona has already qualified in the play offs (10-1) and five teams are on the race for three spots with Siena and Olympiacos (7-4) having the advantage over Khimki, Maccabi Tel Aviv and Caja Laboral (6-5). Only one game will not have any impact in the play offs, the Top16 last week’s Turkish clash between Besiktas and Fenerbahce/Ulker. The schedule is the following:
12th gameday
Barcelona – Caja Laboral
Khimki – Fenerbahce/ Ulker
Besiktas – Siena
Olympiacos – Maccabi T.A.
13th gameday
Maccabi T.A. – Besiktas
Khimki – Caja Laboral
Fenerbahce/ Ulker – Olympiacos
Siena – Barcelona
14th gameday
Olympiacos – Khimki
Caja Laboral – Siena
Barcelona – Maccabi T.A.
In theory, Olympiacos has the easiest schedule with two home games (Maccabi T.A., Khimki) and a visit in Istanbul against Fenerbahce/ Ulker. That applies also to Khimki with two home games (Fener, Caja) and a road game against Olympiacos in the last gameday. However, Barcelona is the team that can decide the final standings as it needs only to be defeated in Siena with less than 18 points in order to finish on the top. So, their opponents at this point of the competition will have a bigger motive than theirs, which will be pride, to win.