By John Rammas/ irammas@eurohoops.net
Time flies! How did 30 rounds pass so quickly? Only four more remain before the end of the regular season and the start of the playoffs! Heading into the final stretch, Eurohoops presents the sixth and final edition of the Power Rankings.
Status, dynamics, form, and importance of results are the criteria for the classification of the 18 teams, eight of which will continue in the postseason with the ultimate goal of winning the prestigious trophy.
Olympiacos Piraeus, Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, and AS Monaco have already secured qualification and are on the verge of getting the home-court advantage for the quarterfinals series, while FC Bayern Munich, Panathinaikos Athens, ALBA Berlin, and LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne have all been mathematically eliminated from playoff contention.
#18 LDLC ASVEL VILLEURBANNE
Previous ranking: 16 (-2)
Record: 8-22
Home: 4-12
Away: 4-10
Offense-Defense: 74.7-80.7
ASVEL at this point has little to hope for. With nine consecutive defeats, it is patiently waiting for the end of the year. It’s just hard to have ASVEL in any other position in the ranking than the last one where it also was two Power Rankings editions ago.
Remaining schedule: @ Olympiacos 29/3 | vs. Red Star 31/3 | @ Baskonia 6/4 | @ ALBA Berlin 13/4
#17 FC BAYERN MUNICH
Previous ranking: 13 (-4)
Record: 11-19
Home: 8-7
Away: 3-12
Offense-Defense: 76.7-80.2
Two defeats by large margins (-28 by Olympiacos and -25 by EA7 Emporio Armani Milan) and another one in the German derby (75-76 by ALBA Berlin) pushed Bayern out of playoff contention. Prestige and the chance to cause an upset that may be a factor in the playoff races are all Bayern has left to play for this season.
Remaining schedule: @ Panathinaikos 28/3 | vs. Monaco 31/3 | @ Real Madrid 6/4 | vs. Zalgiris Kaunas 4/14