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 | ✖
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