By Lefteris Moutis/ moutis@eurohoops.net
Here are our tips for the upcoming Turkish Airlines EuroLeague playoffs games.
Khimki – CSKA Moscow
Khimki is looking much better than what most expected and they can look CSKA square in the eyes even though they couldn’t win an away game. On this basis, Georgios Bartzokas’s team doesn’t deserve to lose the series by 3-0. The series will now move to their home court and we can bet on the handicap on the home win (+4,5) based on what we’ve seen in the first two games. Besides, CSKA will once again play without De Colo and Hines.
Zalgiris – Olympiacos
Irrespective of whether Milutinov will play or not, 12.5 is a rather high line for McLean and it’s worth risking the under, regardless of the playing time, the American will get. That’s at 1.70 and we’re including it in our choices. The 9.5 on Milaknis is also high, despite his excellent performances at the Peace & Friendship Stadium. We wouldn’t lose even with 3 three-pointers and the under at 1.70 is yet another option out of the player bets.
Real Madrid – Panathinaikos
From the game in Madrid, there is an option out of the player bets that is rather interesting. From Panathinaikos, we will go with Denmon’s under 7.5, because even though the American can be an excellent shooter and if he gets into a rhythm we can easily lose money, on the other hand, he will not play for more than 15 minutes. This means that if he cannot get into a rhythm and find open shots, then he will be taken out of the game quickly. Besides, at some point, we’re expecting a big game from Rivers, who, after his injury problem, still hasn’t found a rhythm.
Baskonia – Fenerbahce
Baskonia is a good team and at home, they can win at least one game against Zots’s Fenerbahce, who are undefeated in the quarterfinals for as long as the Serb has been on their bench. Despite this, the Spaniards could break this small tradition and with Granger back in action (he was absent from the first two games in Istanbul), they could get their first win in the series.
Picks
Khimki (+4,5) – CSKA / 1 @1,75
McLean under 12.5 / @1.70
Milaknis under 9.5 / @1.70
Denmon under 7.5 / @1.70
Baskonia – Fenerbahce 1 / @1.70