By Lefteris Moutis / info@eurohoops.net
Panathinaikos are hosting the improved Barcelona in what is the biggest game of the round, while Olympiacos will be tested away on one of the toughest courts in the competition against Baskonia.
Valencia is coming off two consecutive wins, at home over Panathinaikos and away over Unicaja Malaga. Fenerbahce is dealing with some injury problems, with Nunnally out for a month, but the Turks have the quality to leave with the win from Spain. This game will not be an easy one but Fenerbahce is a better team and the away win (1,45) can be an option on a combo bet.
Armani Milan – CSKA Moscow
CSKA are coming off two consecutive defeats in the EuroLeague and the VTB. After two poor performances, Itoudis’s team usually reacts and this is what we expect will happen against Armani Milan in Italy. The home team is reinforced with the addition of Kuzminskas but they still lack in quality compared to the Russians. The handicap is marginal (-8,5 at 1,75) but the visitors can cover it if they are in good condition.
Milutinov is back from his injury but is not yet in the condition he was at the start of the season. The Under 8,5 (1,75) has a good chance of being verified in a pretty tough away game, despite the fact that it might move towards the Over because of the way the Basques play.
With the expected return of Strelnieks and Roberts, Spanoulis’s Under 12,5 (1,75) has a chance of being confirmed. It’s more than likely that Olympiacos’s captain will not get as much playing time as he would if the two other guards were missing for the Reds. The line is marginal but with Milutinov and Printezis also on the roster, Ioannis Sfairopoulos’s has sufficient offensive options and more players might share attempts, so Vassilis Spanoulis may choose to pass more rather than score.
Panathinaikos – Barcelona
The biggest game of this round will take place in the Olympic Sports Center Athens between Panathinaikos and Barcelona. The Greens remain unbeaten at home, while Barcelona are in good shape lately, looking capable of making the EuroLeague playoffs. The game will be a derby and will be decided in the details, so the handicap on the Catalans (+4,5 at 1,75) might be enough to get us paid.
There is an option that springs from Maccabi’s absences out of the special player bets on offer. Jackson is getting a lot of playing time and he takes on many attempts in offense, and the 1,80 on him emerging as the top scorer has a good chance of being confirmed. Also, Bamberg now have many options in the paint and Rubit’s time has decreased, so the Under 9,5 has some value and it can be included in our choices from the clash in Tel Aviv.
Choices:
Valencia – Fenerbahce 2 / @1,45
Armani Milan (+8,5) – CSKA Moscow 2 / @1,75
Nikola Milutinov Under 8,5 / @1,75
Vassilis Spanoulis Under 12,5 / @1,75
Panathinaikos – Barcelona (+4,5) 2 / @1,75
Pierre Jackson top scorer of the game / @1,80
Augustine Rubit Under 9,5 / @1,70