Tip off (EL 4th g.): Week of first time

By Nikos Varlas/ varlas@eurohoops.net

It’s Euroleague time again with the gameday this time equally divided in six Thursday and six Friday games. Group A and C play on Friday, while Group B and C on Thursday, an arrangement that seems ideal for this competition format.

Once more Group A produced a traditional derby, while Zeljko Obradovic returns to Belgrade as an opponent. But this is the week of first time. In seven games the two opponents haven’t played against each other in the past and for sure this is some kind of record.

Game of the week: Barcelona – CSKA Moscow

For the third consecutive week, game of the week comes from the same Group, but it’s not our fault. The powerhouses included in Group A are clashing once more and this time Barcelona having a mediocre 1-2 start and its share of issues hosts CSKA Moscow. After last season’s failure in London, coach Messina tried to boost his roster, but there are still questions in the “army team” that have to be answered.

It’s a game that will create even biggest insecurity for the losing team and we expect a low scoring dog fight. It’s a traditional Euroleague derby with the opponents sharing the wins in 22 previous games by having 11 each, including their five Final Fours’ duels in the current form of Euroleague.

Honorable metion: Bayern Munich – Unicaja Malaga

They are sharing the second place in Group C standings with a 2-1 record and they are coming from great games. Malaga destroyed undermanned due to injuries Galatasaray, while Bayern with a little bit of luck and more experience could have won the game in Piraeus against back to back champions Olympiacos. The winner of this week’s encounter will stay alone on the second place of the standings and can even catch up with the Greeks, if they are defeated by Siena.

The know how and the experience of coach Pesic have helped Bayern to make quick steps forward and the Bavarians have already proved in the first three gamedays that they are ready for this level of competition. It’s a difficult to predict game, but we expect a high scoring affair, despite the possible absence of injured Nik Caner Medley, one of Malaga’s top guns. After all both teams like high tempo games with lots of possessions.

This is war: Siena – Olympiacos

Α Euroleague couple that loves to hate each other. Despite many negotiations between them, a player transaction – like in the cases of Zisis and McIntyre – between the two of them never came to fruition and since the 2010-11 season they always meet during the season. The Italian champions (0-3) have the tradition in their favor (8-4), but Olympiacos has a deeper roster with bigger quality as it’s evident from his record (3-0).

We will never forget the playoffs series of 2011 and 2012 with the team not having the home court advantage getting the ticket to the Final Four in both cases. Last season the basket of Bobby Brown (72-74) in Piraeus created a series of Olympiacos protests, Siena won all the cases in court, but the Greeks got the win in Tuscany, the ticket to the play offs and one more Euroleague title. There is always passion in a game between Siena and Olympiacos and for the first time this passion will be displayed in Florence.

Under the microscope: Zoc in Belgrade

The king of Euroleague returns to his city, against the team in which he spend the best years of his career as a player, debuted as a coach and won his maiden Euroleague title back in 1992. The only Euroleague trophy he won with Partizan, the first of eight titles for Zeljko Obradovic in a epic final which was played in Istanbul, the city in which now he calls home. Isn’t life strange?

On the court there is a clear favorite named Fenerbahce/ Ulker. despite the tradition being equally divided (5-5) with Partizan. It’s also worth mentioning that Tarence Kinsey will face Fenerbahce as an opponent, having won in total five domestic titles in Turkey as a member of the club.

The question: Is it finally time for a win?

In the first game of Thursday, Lietuvos Rytas (1-2) hosts Maccabi Tel Aviv (2-1) in one more unpredictable game, as Rytas, after a strong start including the qualifying round, seems to be in a slump. However, what’s really interesting in this game is the fact that a perennial powerhouse like Maccabi has never won a game against Lietuvos Rytas. In four encounters the Lithuanians have a perfect 4-0 record. So is it time for Maccabi to win or not?

The record: First time for seven match ups!

We mentioned it in our prologue and it’s no joke. In seven games there is no previous encounter between the two teams, something really unusual and a sign that Euroleague is expending and includes enough new clubs. Those games are: Nanterre – Budivelnyk, Brose Baskets – EA7 Milano, Strasbourg – Real Madrid, Zielona Gora – Galatasaray, Bayern Munich – Unicaja Malaga, Laboral Kutxa – Crvena Zvezda and Panathinaikos – Lokomotiv Kuban.