SINGLE TIPS : I recommend to play single tips, because the chance of winning is bigger than if you place ticket bets !! This is a list of matches where I think both teams will score, but for bigger odds you can try both teams to score in first half or both teams to score in 2nd half :
* Dimitris Diamantidis is the all-time Euroleague leader in
assists (1.052) and steals (397). He needs two points to overcome Gianluca
Basile for 12th place in the scorers list. Diamantidis totals 2,161 career
points against Basile’s 2,163.
* Paulius Jankunas ranks seventh in the all-time rebounding
list. Jankunas pulled down 1,102 rebounds and needs 16 to overcome Mike
Batiste. * Robertas Javtokas is seventh in the all-time blocks list at
135. He could go past D’or Fischer (138) and Denis Marconato (140) soon.
Two former Euroleague winners meet again, as Zalgiris Kaunas
looks for its first-ever road win against Panathinaikos Athens. Robertas
Javtokas, who helped the Greens win the Euroleague title in 2007, leads a
rock-solid Zalgiris frontcourt which combines veterans Paulius Jankunas and
Darius Songaila with young talent Arturas Gudaitis. James Gist and Antonis
Fotsis will their athleticism against Jankunas and Songaila, while Javtokas and
Gudaitis face a test of strength against centers Esteban Batista and Loukas
Mavrokefalidis. Of course, stopping Dimitris Diamantidis is the goal of
Zalgiris playmakers Will Cherry, Vaidas Kariniauskas and Lukas Lekavicius.
DeMarcus Nelson will try to use his athleticism against Zalgiris's point
guards. Panathinaikos relies on streak shooters Janis Blums and A.J. Slaughter
and young guns Nikos Pappas and Vladimir Jankovic to make the difference at
both wings. Jankovic will not have it easy against James Anderson, a key
matchup in this game. Pappas, Slaughter and Blums will test their perimeter
scoring skills against Arturas Milaknis, Vytenis Lipkevicius and Edgaras
Ulanovas, who can also be really dangerous in the low post.
Zalgiris has never beaten Panathinaikos on the road – 8 games, 8 losses and from my point of view today Panata is clearly the favourite of the game and I think they will win the game by 6-10 points - 4.50 (Bet365) | ✖
If you are thinking to bet on player total points, I recommend the great shooter of Panata : A.J. Slaughter. He is the best scorer of the team in Euroleague, followed by Uruguayan Center, Esteban Batista, but he will face strong opponents under the basket, so I think, if the home team will move the ball well and A.J. will be in a great mood, he can score over 12.5 points - 1.85 | ✖
CRVENA ZVEZDA - GALATASARAY
* Galatasaray has lost nine straight Euroleague road games going back to last season’s Top 16.
* Boban Marjanovic leads the 2014-15 Euroleague in average
performance index rating (22.9 per game) and in rebounding (10.2 rpg.).
* Marjanovic has seven double doubles this season and eight in
his last 13 Euroleague appearances.
* Marcus Williams ranks second in assists with 6.7 per game.
Only Milos Teodosic of CSKA Moscow (7.6 apg.) ranks higher.
* Kerem Gonlum needs 3 more rebounds to catch Mike Batiste for
fifth place on the Euroleague's career rebounding charts. He enters this week's
game with 1,114 rebounds.
* Gonlum is 4 offensive rebounds away from becoming just the
second player in competition history to 400. Real Madrid's Felipe Reyes is the
Euroleague leader with 477 offensive boards entering the Top 16.
These teams face each other for the third time this season.
Galatasaray Liv Hospital Istanbul used an incredible three-point shot by Zoran
Erceg to down Crvena Zvezda 110-103 in double overtime the last time they
played. Galatasaray needs to stop Boban Marjanovic down low and relies on
Patric Young, Aleks Maric and Kerem Gonlum to do so. Marjanovic will get plenty
of help from Maik Zirbes and Luka Mitrovic, who must be ready for a critical
matchup against Erceg. Galatasaray is deep at both wings, with Vladimir Micov,
Justin Carter and Martynas Pocius. Micov will use his experience against
up-and-coming forward Nikola Kalinic while Pocius needs to be a ready to run
with Jaka Blazic. Nemanja Dangubic and Charles Jenkins give Zvezda coach Dejan
Radonjic a lot of options to use against Micov and Pocius. The biggest battle,
however, comes at point guard, as Marcus Williams faces Carlos Arroyo. Williams
had a Euroleague all-time record 17 assists against Zvezda the last time
around. Ender Arslan will help Arroyo control the game tempo against Williams
and Branko Lazic.
Two typically home teams will play in this game : Crvena played really good basketball this season in front of their fans, while Galata is playing very good in front of their fans, but on road they had poor performances this season, BUT... despite this fact, I think the odds for this game 1.30 - 3.70 are unbalanced from my point of view. After a great regular season, Zvezda lost the first two games in top16 against top teams (Real, Maccabi). Maybe the statistics and H2H results are against me, but I expect a tougher encounter than the odds suggest, I'm sure the Turkish side will play a good game, maybe they can produce a huge surprise - 3.70 | ✓, so the handicap +11.5 - 1.43 | ✓; +10.5 - 1.51 | ✓; +9.5 - 1.58 | ✓; +8.5 - 1.70 | ✓; +7.5 - 1.82 | ✓; +6.5 - 1.94 | ✓on guests can be good options..
ROUND 2 - GROUP F FENERBAHCE - OLYMPIAKOS
In a a high-profile showdown, Fenerbahce Ulker Istanbul
hosts Olympiacos Piraeus in Group F. Fenerbahce relies on first-class shooters
Andrew Goudelock and Bogdan Bogdanovic to make the difference at both wings.
Fenerbahce Ulker head coach Zeljko Obradovic also looks to Nemanja Bjelica and
Emir Preldzic to generate mismatches all over the place. Bjelica and Preldzic
will not have it easy against hard-nosed defenders Tremmell Darden and Matt
Lojeski. Meanwhile, Bogdanovic and Goudelock will have the key mission of
guarding Kostas Sloukas and, above all, Vassilis Spanoulis, Olympiacos's
undeniable leader. The point guard battle will be interesting, as Fenerbahce linked
Nikos Zisis, who will try to control the game tempo against his Greek national
team backup, Vangelis Mantzaris, and Oliver Lafayette. If available after
missing Fenerbahce's last Euroleague game, Ricky Hickman will give the hosts
athleticism and experience in the backcourt. Olympiacos need its very athletic,
strong frontcourt, led by Othello Hunter, Georgios Printezis, Bryant Dunston
and Brent Petway, to dominate the paint. Semih Erden, Luka Zoric and Oguz Savas
must take the physical challenge while Jan Vesely faces a stellar matchup
against Petway. Sparks will fly when those two and their teams face off
Thursday!
"First of all, I have to say that it is a very
important game for both teams. Fenerbahce Ulker is a very good team, with a
very good coach. I believe that they are the favorite for this game since they
are playing at home in front of their fans. We, on the other hand, have to be
focused, do in court what we have prepared in practice and fight for 40
minutes." – Giannis Sfairopoulos, Olympiakos' coach
I totally agree with this quote... Fenerbahce at home can't be underdog against either team in Euroleague. The atmosphere is incredible and their roster is very good this year and with a great coach, they can beat everybody in Istambul, but will be a tough match for sure. I don't recommend to bet 1X2 on this game, is an unpredictable match from my point of view, but I choosed a player from each team : Nemanja Bjelica, one of my favourite European players and one of the best power forwards (at least in Euroleague) is clearly a very important piece in Fener's game, but he scored under his total points line in both top16 game, so in this derby, maybe he will try to score more than 10.5 points - 1.85 | ✖
On the other hand, my favourite player of Olympiakos, super point guard, a legend : Vassilis Spanoulis, the leader of the greek team, a man who loves to score points... He averaged 17.5 points in this Euroleague Regular Season, but against Unicaja and Emporio he scored just 11, respectively 9 points. He and his team will have a tough game, but this huge player always shines in this kind of matches, so even if total points line is set high, I think he can score at least 16 points - 1.90 | ✓ in this stelar match !
LABORAL KUTXA - NIZHNY NOVGOROD
In a first in European competition, Laboral Kutxa Vitoria
hosts Nizhny Novgorod. Star guard Taylor Rochestie, who briefly
played for Laboral in the 2012-13 season, returns to Vitoria as Nizhny's floor
general, sharing the point guard duties with Dmitry Khvostov. Mike James and
Darius Adams stepped in recently and have allowed Laboral to increase its game
tempo. Laboral has many weapons at both wings, such as veteran captain Fernando
San Emeterio, three-point threat Davis Bertans, shooting guard Fabien Causeur
and off-guard Ben Hansbrough. Bertans must spread the floor against another
good shooter and much more physical player, Semen Antonov. San Emeterio and
Causeur will not have it easy against Evgeny Baburin and Tarence Kinsey, who
can take over games at either end of the floor. Stopping Artsion Parakhouski
and Trey Thompkins around the baskets is mandatory for the hosts. Parakhouski
and Vladimir Ivlev face a tough challenge against Mirza Begic and Colton
Iverson. Thompkins must use his rebounding skills against two good athletes
like Toko Shengelia and Kim Tillie. The pressure is on Laboral to take its
first win or watch upstart Nizhny move ahead by two victories in the standings.
"Nizhny Novgorod is a difficult team to play against,
they are tough in defense and have quality players for the offense like
Rochestie. They have also big men who do well with rebounds. all in all, a
solid team that will be difficult to beat. We must win this game, because it is
at home and we are 0-2. If we lose this game we'll be struggling big time and
it will make things just more difficult." - Fernando San Emeterio, Laboral Kutxa's player.
Nizhny Novgorod started and will start as underdogs in every top16 game, but they showed until now that they can make big games, while Laboral Kutxa is coming after two lost games in Euroleague, so the pressure is bigger on their shoulders. Laboral is playing an offensive, run and gun basketball, especially at home... I expect a tough, but spectacular match with total points over these lines : 148.5 - 1.41 | ✓; 149.5 - 1.43 | ✓; 150.5 - 1.50 | ✓; 151.5 - 1.58 | ✓; 152.5 - 1.61 | ✓; 153.5 - 1.73 | ✓; 154.5 - 1.80 | ✓
UNICAJA MALAGA - EMPORIO ARMANI MILANO
* Caleb Green and Stefan Markovic will be missing this week's
game.
Both Unicaja Malaga and EA7 Emporio Armani Milan teams are
looking for their first Top 16 Group F win. Unicaja
has to make the most out of its size advantage in the paint with Will Thomas at power forward, and two
effective centers, Vladimir Golubovic and Fran Vazquez, who can score and block
shots. Vazquez faces another great shot blocker, Shawn James, while Golubovic
has a strong test against Samardo Samuels. Nicolo Melli and Linas Kleiza must
try to open the floor against Green and Thomas at the '4' position. Milan will
rely on Alessandro Gentile and David Moss to stop Unicaja's small forward duo
of Mindaugas Kuzminskas and Carlos Suarez, who offer speed and aggressiveness,
respectively. MarShon Brooks and Daniel Hackett must be ready to play good
defense against sharp shooters Ryan Toolson and Kostas Vasileiadis, but the
guests could bring Bruno Cerella off the bench due to his top-class defensive
skills. Jayson Granger need to set the right game tempo
against two very different point guards, Trent Meacham and Joe Ragland, in what
will be one of the many tactical battles of this outstanding game.
Two struggling teams, I think Unicaja will win this game, but 1.28 for home win is not an interesting odd for me... I choosed one of the main important players for the hosts :
Ryan Toolson (foto) - the best scorer of team in Regular Season (avg. 13Pts) scored just 5, respectively 8 points against Olympiakos & Efes. I think it's time for him to score some important buckets and lead Unicaja to win this match : over 11.5 points - 1.85 | ✓
SINGLE TIPS : I recommend to play single tips, because the chance of winning is bigger than if you place ticket bets !! This is a list of matches where I think both teams will score, but for bigger odds you can try both teams to score in first half or both teams to score in 2nd half :
ENGLAND - PREMIER LEAGUE
EVERTON v MAN CITY
both teams to score in second half - 3.00 | ✓
SWANSEA v WEST HAM
both teams to score in first half - 4.50 | ✖ both teams scored
BURNLEY v QPR
both teams to score in first half - 5.00 | ✓
CRYSTAL PALACE v TOTTENHAM
both teams to score in second half - 3.50 | ✓
ENGLAND - CHAMPIONSHIP
CARDIFF v FULHAM
both teams to score in first half - 4.00 | ✖
HUDDERSFIELD v WATFORD
both teams to score in second half - 3.00 | ✓
BOURNEMOUTH v NORWICH
both teams to score in first half - 4.33 | ✓
SPAIN - PRIMERA DIVISION
MALAGA v VILLAREAL
both teams to score in second half - 3.50 | ✖ both teams scored
CELTA VIGO v VALENCIA
both teams to score in first half - 4.50 | ✖ both teams scored
I don't recommend to bet on odds under 2.00, but for those who prefer this kind of odds, I write here a list with over 2.5 goals tips from where you can choose what you like :
TOP16 Regular season is off, so the best teams are here, I expect spectacular and exciting matches :
ROUND 2 - GROUP E ZALGIRIS KAUNAS - ALBA BERLIN
* ALBA has big man Jonas Wohlfarth out for at least a couple more months The Lithuanian champs look to protect their home court in this crucial Top 16 clash. After a strong start to the season, Zalgiris has lost three of its last four and will try to turn that around. James Anderson has been Zalgiris’s star and lead scorer this season, while Robertas Javtokas and Paulius Jankunas have been strong in the paint. Coach Krapikas is still hoping point guard Will Cherry will make a big impact too. ALBA has enjoyed stellar production from big man Jamel McLean, while Reggie Redding and Alex Renfroe have guided the action from the perimeter. Redding, Niels Giffey and Alex King will likely all se time against Anderson, who the visitors must slow down to have a good chance. McLean will team with Leon Radosevic and Marko Banic inside. Both teams come into the game hungry and motivated, which could quietly turn this into one of Top 16 Round 2’s most-exciting contests. "Zalgiris is more or less on our level. I am confident that in Berlin we can beat them, but now in Kaunas this will be harder, because with their tradition and their great fans they really have a strong home court. The team is a bunch of talented kids in combination with some really experienced guys, who have a lot of big games in their legs and know how to handle even difficult situations. You could see this in their game against Sassari, where they were down by nine with only three minutes left, but even though managed to win this game to qualify for the Top 16." - Sasa Obradovic "This week we had two Lithuanian league games, we won them, but we are hungry for more because our start in the Top 16 just before the New Year wasn’t good. We lost on the road, so we want to pull the W on Friday in front of our fans. ALBA is playing really strong basketball, on the edge of the foul, so we have to be ready for tough game. They proved by beating Barcelona that they are capable of anything. We have to be ready for 100% and we have to prepared for their aggressive play." - Robertas Javtokas Very important games for both teams, mainly for the hosts. There is a highly positive atmosphere is the guest's roster after the huge win at home against Barcelona, but never underestimate the Lithuanians, especially when they are playing in front of their fans. I expect two motivated team on the court and a tactical, balanced game, I think small details will decide the outcome of the game... Winning margin 6-10(Bet365) : 3.20 | ✖
FC BARCELONA - PANATHINAIKOS
* Juan Carlos Navarro and Marcus Eriksson are injured and not expected to play. * Alex Abrines and Brad Oleson are almost recovered, though it's unlikely they will appear against Panathinaikos. * Julian Wright was released this week. These two giants meet for the third time in their last eight Euroleague games. So far, the results have gone Barcelona’s way as Coach Xavi Pascual’s men won 78-69 at home in Regular Season Round 5 and 67-80 in Round 10 in Athens. The teams look somewhat different now with Edwin Jackson joining Barca and DeMarcus Nelson full entrenched in the Panathinaikos roster after injuries cost him the start of the season. The Spanish champs remain somewhat shorthand in the backcourt, which has forced playmaker Marcelinho Heurtas, Jackson and Mario Hezonja to carry more weight. Marcelinho will face a tough matchup against six-time Euroleague Best Defender award winner Dimitris Diamantidis, while Nelson, A.J. Slaughter and Nikos Pappas must match up with Jackson and Hezonja on the wings. The battle inside will see Esteban Batista for the Greens go against Ante Tomic in a critical matchup. After beating Panathinaikos twice already this season, Barcelona is the favorite at home, though it mustn’t be overconfident.
ROUND 2 - GROUP F NIZHNY NOVGOROD - FENERBAHCE
It is a never-seen-before showdown in European competition. Nizhny swingman Tarence Kinsey faces his former team ( Kinsey previously played two and a half seasons with Fenerbahce Ulker between 2008 and 2011 ; he helped the club win three Turkish League titles and two Turkish Cups). He will see most playing time with Semen Antonov at the wings, with Evgeny Baburin offering intensity and shooting range off the bench. Kinsey must do his best to stop Andrew Goudelock, in arguably the biggest matchup in this game. Head coach Zeljko Obradovic has seemingly endless options at the wings, such as Nemanja Bjelica, Emir Preldzic and Bogdan Bogdanovic, so a high, intense rhythm will favor the guests' biggest rotation. Nikos Zisis and especially Ricky Hickman have the tough mission to guard scoring guard Taylor Rochestie - Regular Season leader in scoring with 20 points per game - , who will share Nizhny's point guard duties with Dimitriy Khvostov. Controlling the game tempo will be critical for the hosts. Trey Thompkins and Art Parakhouski are the hosts' main pillars under the basket against a battery of experienced big men led by Luka Zoric, Oguz Savas, Jan Vesely and Semih Erden. "This is our second game in the Top 16 and it is very important for us, as is every game. We are playing a team that played really well in the first part of the season, even without some important players. They had an excellent start of the Top 16 with a road win in Milan by 20 points. They have all our respect and we understand this will be a tough, difficult game for us." - Zeljko Obradovic I think Obradovic's speech is very correct from my point of view and sum up the important facts for this match. BC Nizhny Novgorod it was and underestimated team during the regular season and maybe by Milano in the first game of top16, too.. but they showed really good basketball and they made a few big surprises as I wrote in my previous previews. Fenerbahce is coming after a dramatic lose in overtime last week against one of the best teams of the season, CSKA and I'm sure they want to win very much this match. Categorically, Fenerbahce won't underestimate this Russian team and led by Zeljko Obradovic, one of the best coaches in Europe and a better, deeper roster I think they can win this very tactical, highly interesting showdown and the odds for an away win are acceptable - 1.50. | ✓
ANADOLU EFES - UNICAJA MALAGA
* Efes had the top-ranked defense in the regular season with just 69.6 points allowed per game. * Unicaja was the Euroleague regular season leader in offensive rebounds with 15.6 per game. * Fran Vazquez is 1 offensive rebound away from a spot in the Euroleague’s career top 10 in that category. Vazquez is 11th all-time. Unicaja beat Efes in its last three visits to Istanbul, including the last two editions of the Top 16. Sharp shooter Kostas Vasileiadis played for Efes last season and returns to lead Unicaja at the wings along with Carlos Suarez, Mindaugas Kuzminskas and Ryan Toolson. Vasileadis and Toolson will test their deep shooting range against Furkan Korkmaz, Matt Janning and Cedi Osman. Meanwhile, Suarez and Kuzminskas have the tough mission to stop three-time Euroleague champion Stratos Perperoglou. Recently-signed playmaker Thomas Heurtel offers court vision; he shares the point guard duties with Dontaye Draper and Dogus Balbay against Jayson Granger and Stefan Markovic. The biggest battle is expected in the paint, as the two best shot blockers in Euroleague history - Stephane Lasme of Efes and Fran Vazquez of Unicaja - go head to head. Vazquez will get a lot of help from Vladimir Golubovic, Will Thomas and Caleb Green. Nenad Krstic must use his experience against a tough opponent like Golubovic while Milko Bjelica and Dario Saric face a physical test against Green and Thomas. "Unicaja Malaga is the second Spanish team that we will play against in Top 16 in two weeks after Laboral Kutxa. At the moment they are the best team in the Spanish League; they are at the top in standings. After losing to Olympiacos last week, they are a dangerous opponent. They are in good shape and we have to prepare very well. We have experience with them in the preseason tournament this season. They were in good shape at that time too. We expect one tough game for sure. Like the team we do not have any injuries except Batuk who has not been able to be with us for a long time. I am optimistic about the game." - Dusan Ivkovic "It will be a complicated game, as Anadolu Efes has a huge budget and many talented players, but talent alone doesn't win games. We are in a good moment and I think we can win if we do things right. Their latest signing, Heurtel, is a great player, and of course so is the rest of the team. However, I think they are a team in the making, so that could be a weak point for us to exploit and win the game." - Jayson Granger Last week against Olympiakos, Unicaja had an incredibly poor shooting percentage at all, but despite this important part of the game, they were still in the game until the last minutes, what certify for me that they are a strong team. Efes won on road against Laboral Kutxa Vitoria and they have a morale advantage, they have a very good mix of young and experienced valuable players, but I think the Spanish team is a good side and the fact that they lost last week make them more dangerous for tonight's game. I expect a very intense game in Abdi Ipekci, probably underish match, but first of all, I think Unicaja has good chances in this game : Unicaja +11.5 - 1.40 | ✓; +10.5 - 1.47 | ✓; +9.5 - 1.55 | ✓; +8.5 - 1.60 | ✓; +7.5 - 1.70 | ✓; +6.5 - 1.82... Unicaja to win - 3.00 | ✖
I recommend to play SINGLE tips, because the chance of winning is bigger than if you place ticket bets !! MATCH OF THE DAY
SPAIN - COPA DEL REY
ATLETICO MADRID v REAL MADRID
Last year these two cross-city rivals played each other seven times in four different competitions as Atletico Madrid were crowned champions of Spain and lifted the Supercopa while Real Madrid won the Champions League and the Copa del Rey. The Rojiblancos' resurgence under Diego Simeone has also elevated the Madrid derby to blockbuster status with arguably the country's two best teams facing off in encounters that have not always been aesthetically pleasing but which have always been contested with a riveting intensity.
The first derby of 2015 takes place in the last 16 of the Copa del Rey, with Atletico having just confirmed the return of prodigal son Fernando Torres and Madrid having lost their 22-match winning streak at the weekend. The emotional momentum therefore may fractionally favour the hosts on Wednesday at the Vicente Calderon. January is a frenetic time for Spanish top-flight clubs, with progression in the Copa del Rey ensuring midweek matches through the month. Sandwiched in between both legs of this cup clash is a trip to the Camp Nou for Atletico, and Simeone may well be tempted to keep a couple of regular starters on the bench. Madrid, meanwhile, have a winnable home game against Espanyol at the weekend and while Ancelotti knows he will have to rotate at some point, perhaps Wednesday is not the time to do it. Should his side claim a decent advantage at the Calderon he could then rest players in next week's second leg, with Madrid's vast and talented squad infinitely more capable of competing on three fronts than Atletico. So while Atleti have proved extremely stubborn opponents for Madrid in the past, perhaps backing the away side in some capacity makes sense on Wednesday and the price of evens (2.00) for Madrid to score over 1.5 goals appeals. This bet has paid out in eight of the last 10 Madrid derbies at the Calderon and with Atleti conceding more goals than they did last season punters should feel confident in backing los Blancos to score at least twice. Indeed, this bet has paid out 23 times already this season in Madrid's competitive fixtures and the fact that it is offered at such a healthy price means it is more than worthy of consideration. Possible lineups : Atletico Madrid (4-4-1-1) : Moya - Juanfran, Gimenez, Godin, Siquiera - Turan, Suarez, Gabi, Koke - Griezmann - Mandzukic Real Madrid (4-2-3-1) : Navas - Carvajal, Varane, Pepe, Coentrao - Khedira, Kroos - Isco, Bale, Ronaldo - Benzema 4-5 interesting long-shot bets - odds over 3.00 - with good chances based on statistics, past head-2-head games and upcoming Ballon d'or Gala :
both teams to score in first half - 4.50 / both teams to score in 2nd half - 3.25