By John Rammas/ irammas@eurohoops.net
Status, dynamics, form and the significance of results were the criteria for ranking the 18 teams.
#18 KHIMKI MOSCOW REGION
Previous ranking: 18 (-)
Record: 2-21
At home: 1-10
Away: 1-11
Offense-Defense: 79.1-91.4
The last win was on November 17, 2020, they have 15 consecutive defeats, the worst defense – and the only one conceding over 90 points since the format changed – and seventh-worst offense, and occupy the last place in the rankings. Things are clear for Khimki Moscow Region, who have made so many changes on the court and on the bench.
#17 CRVENA ZVEZDA MTS BELGRADE
Previous ranking: 15 (-2)
Record: 7-16
At home: 4-8
Away: 3-8
Offense-Defense: 74.1-78.7
The postponed victory in Madrid was not followed up on by Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade, who quickly returned to their bad habits with three consecutive defeats and five overall in the last six games, thus remaining in the last places in the rankings. Despite the presence of Jordan Loyd (third best scorer with 16.9 points), they have the worst offense, but the eighth-best defense.
#16 ALBA BERLIN
Previous ranking: 12 (-4)
Record: 8-15
At home: 4-9
Away: 4-6
Offense-Defense: 76.3-82.3
Shortly before the end of 2020, ALBA Berlin were hoping they’d be able to leave behind their negative record (6-7). With eight defeats in the last ten games, they don’t have much hope left. The difficulties are apparent on every level for the team with the league’s second-worst offense and third-worst defense.
#15 PANATHINAIKOS OPAP ATHENS
Previous ranking: 15 (-)
Record: 8-14
At home: 6-6
Away: 2-8
Offense-Defense: 80.3-82.8
Changing coaches (Oded Kattash in place of Georgios Vovoras) shook up Panathinaikos OPAP Athens even more as they try to improve but have a long way to go. Their offense is the fifth best, but the second-worst defense hasn’t allowed them to get any consecutive wins and so they remain low in the rankings.
#14 TD SYSTEMS BASKONIA VITORIA-GASTEIZ
Previous ranking: 10 (-4)
Record: 10-13
At home: 7-5
Away: 3-8
Offense-Defense: 79.2-78.7
TD Systems Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz had closed 2020 just out of the top eight but the first month of 2021 found them counting five defeats in seven games and tumbling down to 13th place. Four of those were away from Vitoria-Gasteiz and even further away from the eighth-best offense and eighth-best defense.
#13 LDLC ASVEL VILLEURBANNE
Previous ranking: 16 (+3)
Record: 9-14
At home: 6-6
Away: 3-8
Offense-Defense: 76.7-80.5
With four wins in the last five games, LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne – who have the third-worst offense and sixth-worst defense – are having their best run in the competition. They might still be low in the rankings but they’re in better condition, while they’ve caused a great upset for teams that aim for the top eight.
#12 OLYMPIACOS PIRAEUS
Previous ranking: 5 (-7)
Record: 11-12
At home: 4-7
Away: 7-5
Offense-Defense: 80.2-80.9
Olympiacos Piraeus just lost on the last shot for the fourth time this season, and with three consecutive defeats and four overall in the last five games, they’ve moved away from the top eight. The long absence of Kostas Papanikolaou still has a big impact on the fifth-worst defense and less so on the seventh-best offense.
#11 VALENCIA BASKET
Previous ranking: 6 (-5)
Record: 11-12
At home: 7-4
Away: 4-8
Offense-Defense: 81-82
Until Round 18, Valencia Basket was one of two teams (Barcelona was the other) that had never lost their place in the top eight. With six defeats in the last seven games, they’re no longer in, but rather two wins away. The fifth-best offense is not enough as long as their defense is the fourth-worst in the EuroLeague.
#10 MACCABI PLAYTIKA TEL AVIV
Previous ranking: 11 (+1)
Record: 10-12
At home: 6-5
Away: 4-7
Offense-Defense: 79.7-78.9
Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv are constantly rising but the seven wins in the last 11 games are still not enough to make up for the bad start, so they still have a negative record. Their performance in offense (eighth-best) and defense (seventh) is more or less at the same level.
#9 ANADOLU EFES ISTANBUL
Previous ranking: 8 (-1)
Record: 12-10
At home: 6-6
Away: 6-4
Offense-Defense: 79.6-76.9
With a 4-1 start to 2021, Anadolu Efes Istanbul is pushing to get back in the top eight, from which they’re marginally missing with a game less played. With Krunoslav Simon back in action they can hope for a greater rise, much more so on offense (ninth-best) and less so in defense (fourth-best).
#8 FC BAYERN MUNICH
Previous ranking: 4 (-4)
Record: 14-9
At home: 8-3
Away: 6-6
Offense-Defense: 78.5-76.9
FC Bayern Munich were in danger of losing more places in the rankings, but the recent 2-0 run in Moscow limited their defeats in 2021 to three (3-3). They still have big ups and downs on offense (sixth-worst), but at least they’re more consistent on defense (fourth-best) and that’s enough for now.
#7 ZALGIRIS KAUNAS
Previous ranking: 13 (+6)
Record: 13-10
At home: 6-5
Away: 7-5
Offense-Defense: 79.3-77.7
Zalgiris Kaunas snatched two consecutive wins with the last shot, but with three defeats – all of them away from home – in the last five games, they’re just barely still in the top eight. They’re still relying on their defense (sixth-best), while their offense remains somewhere in the middle (10th-best or ninth-worst).
#6 FENERBAHCE BEKO ISTANBUL
Previous ranking: 14 (+8)
Record: 13-10
At home: 7-4
Away: 6-6
Offense-Defense: 78-78
It was December 17, 2020 when Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul suffered in Kaunas one of the heaviest defeats (99-62) in their history, at that time the seventh in the last eight games. Eight consecutive wins later, they’re once again in the top eight. All this while still having one of the worst offenses in the competition (eighth-worst) but with the seventh-best defense.
#5 ZENIT ST PETERSBURG
Previous ranking: 7 (+2)
Record: 13-8
At home: 5-3
Away: 8-5
Offense-Defense: 77.4-74.2
Zenit St Petersburg still has some games outstanding, and they have three defeats – all of them away from home – in the last five games. But, despite that, they have managed to stabilize themselves in the top eight. The second-best defense covers for the fourth-worst offense, to which the injured Alex Poythress and the newly acquired Tarik Black will soon be added.
#4 REAL MADRID
Previous ranking: 3 (-1)
Record: 15-8
At home: 8-3
Away: 7-5
Offense-Defense: 81.3-76.9
The double-round week allowed Real Madrid to make up for some ground lost ground to three defeats in the previous four games and to avoid losing their place in the top four. With Sergio Llull and Rudy Fernandez back in action, they’re hoping to continue like this, as long as they’re equipped with the third-best offense and the fourth-best defense.
#3 CSKA MOSCOW
Previous ranking: 1 (-2)
Record: 16-7
At home: 8-4
Away: 8-3
Offense-Defense: 83.1-78.5
With four defeats in the last six games, first place is now a thing of the past for CSKA Moscow. As if that wasn’t enough, they’ve also lost Nikola Milutinov for the rest of the season. At least top scorer Mike James is back (Will Clyburn isn’t yet), which means everything for the best offense in the competition (ninth-best defense).
#2 AX ARMANI EXCHANGE MILAN
Previous ranking: 9 (+7)
Record: 15-7
At home: 8-4
Away: 7-3
Offense-Defense: 82.4-78.2
AX Armani Exchange Milan had started to lose their footing but with a 6-0 run to start 2021 they’re back on track. With an almost blank absentee list now, they look unshakable from the top eight. Everything is generally looking ideal right now for the team with the second-best offense and the eighth-best defense.