By Lefteris Moutis/ moutis@eurohoops.net
The Greens want to return to winning ways, aiming to stay as high up as they can in the standings, five laps before the finish line of the regular season of the competition.
Pascual’s team has the first word at home against Real Madrid. The incentive is greater for the home team, who – mathematically – haven’t secured their presence in the EuroLeague playoffs yet. So, the home win (@OPAP 1,75) is a good choice.
Another point that has good chances of paying off is the Under 78,5 for the Spanish team (@1,75 OPAP). Panathinaikos have one of the best defenses in the competition and, especially at the Olympic Sports Center in Athens, things are not at all easy for any team, even for the talented offensively, Real. Mike James’s Over 12,5 seems like a good choice (@1,70 OPAP) from the players’ lines, since it’s not impossible that the Greens’ American will get more playing time if Nick Calathes hasn’t been able to fully recover from the problem that’s been plaguing him in the last couple of days.
Anadolu Efes – Maccabi Tel Aviv
A game with one-sided interest is taking place in Istanbul. Perasovic’s team is burning for the win so that they can secure the qualification for the EuroLeague playoffs. Especially after the blunder at home against Bamberg, the home team doesn’t want to throw away any more points at home. In contrast, Maccabi Tel Aviv have already started thinking about next season. Whether it’s going to be easy or difficult, Efes will manage to get the win, but the handicap is rather high and we are not going to get involved with point differences.
Armani Milan – Crvena Zvezda
Armani Milan are having several injury problems, while they are indifferent competitively, having already been disqualified mathematically as well from the next phase. On the other side, Crvena Zvezda don’t want to… slip up five rounds before the end. The Serbs are having a great season and are very close to a big qualification, but in order to achieve this they are going to need another 2 or 3 wins. Against the quite weakened due to injuries Armani they will probably find the way to get the win. The @1,85 offered by OPAP for the Serbian team’s win is more than a satisfying payoff.
Bamberg have been playing well lately, while they’re coming from a very good win away from home against Anadolu Efes. Fenerbahce, on the other side, are not convincing yet with their performance, while they also have some minor injury problems (Sloukas is still out, Udoh returned in the last championship game against Galatasaray). Away from home, Zelimir Obradovic’s team has trouble scoring and OPAP’s @1,75 for the Turks’ Under 79,5 looks like a good opportunity.
The picks
Panathinaikos – Real Madrid (+1,5) 1 @1,75
Panathinaikos – Real Madrid Real Madrid Under 78,5 points @1,75
Mike James Over 12,5 @1,70
Armani Milan – Crvena Zvezda 2 @1,85
Bamberg – Fenerbahce Fenerbahce Under 79,5 points @1,75