By Leftetis Moutis/ moutis@eurohoops.net
The four days of EuroLeague action had an ideal – and in fact, rather easy – start for Eurohoops’ betting column, with 3 out of 3 correct predictions. So let’s continue the trend.
Galatasaray – Efes
In the Turkish derby, Galatasaray will try in yet another game to bounce back and break free from the last place in the standings, having one win in the last four games. Efes have lost some of their momentum and with two heavy defeats by Bamberg and Zalgiris, they’ve also taken a plunge in the standings. The home team now has quite a different roster and with the departure of Dentmon, Smith and Thompson, they’ve lost considerable power. Now, Ataman’s rotation is small and Efes can probably react and impose themselves, overcoming the small handicap of 2,5 points (@Bet365 1,76).
Crvena Zvezda – Real Madrid
Crvena Zvezda want to be competitive at home even against a behemoth like Real. The Serbs are going to try to slow down the tempo and trap the Madrilenos, but because of the greater depth on their bench, the visitors will probably manage to get the win. The 5,5-point handicap (@Stoiximan 1,70) is rather small and Pablo Laso’s players can win by a wider margin.
Zalgiris – Unics Kazan
Zalgiris are on the rise with four wins in the last seven games, having been defeated only by CSKA, Real and Olympiacos. At home, they can have an extra edge against teams like Unics Kazan, who are coming off a win over Galatasaray, without Keith Langford actually. The top scorer in the EuroLeague is in doubt and so the outcome of the game is hard to predict, both in terms of its development and its rhythm.
Bamberg – Olympiacos
Bamberg are coming off the heavy defeat in Madrid in a game they played without Causeur, who is in doubt for the game against Olympiacos. The red-and-whites have a four-win streak, their spirits are high and against Zvezda they had an extended rotation. Olympiacos can keep Bamberg at a low score, below 76,5 points, but it’s preferable to go with the away win since the handicap is very small, just 1,5 points (@OPAP 1,75).
The choices
Galatasaray (+2,5) – Efes 2
Crvena Zvezda (+5,5) – Real Madrid 2
Bamberg (+1,5) – Olympiacos 2