By Dimitris Minaretzis / info@eurohoops.net
The remaining games will determine who goes to the Playoffs directly (top six) and which four teams will try to find a way for the remaining two spots through the Play-Ins (7-10).
In other words, we’re talking about finals in most arenas, as at least one team in each matchup is desperate for a result.
One of them is Panathinaikos…
Ergin Ataman’s side travels to Belgrade to face Crvena Zvezda, which is on the verge of going out of contention (though not mathematically confirmed), and they’re aiming for victory at all costs to secure a top-four spot.
Who should they rely on in this crucial battle?
We look to their key players.
So, in our Euroleague Fantasy lineup, we’re sticking with Mathias Lessort. While he comes at a high price, we acquired him at a lower cost and see no reason to remove him from our roster.
Aside from his relatively low performance against Olympiacos (14 PIR), Lessort has consistently delivered 20+ points in five straight games for Panathinaikos, making him a solid pick for our team.
Alongside Lessort, Kostas Sloukas
Despite having pricier guards like Facu Campazzo and Mike James on our roster, we’ve made room for Panathinaikos’ captain.
Sloukas is expected to shine in Belgrade, especially considering the absence of Yago dos Santos for Crvena Zvezda, which limits their options at the point guard position.
Sloukas had two excellent games (26 and 22 points) before facing Olympiacos under special circumstances at Piraeus – a team known for its formidable defense. We believe he’ll bounce back strong in Euroleague Fantasy.
Obradovic on the bench
Finally, for the coach position, we’ve chosen Zeljko Obradovic.
We apply the same logic as above.
Partizan hosts Baskonia in a “final” for the Play-Ins. Partizan sits marginally in 10th place, tied with two teams (Valencia and Bayern), while Baskonia sits comfortably in 8th place, seemingly safe for the Play-In spot.
The Stark Arena will be packed with 20,000 Partizan fans, hungry for victory, and we trust Obradovic to deliver the points.
Join the Eurohoops League (code 4A29B2B2) and play with us.
The winner of our league will receive a jersey of their choice from a Euroleague team.