Bold predictions: Round 28

Check out some bold predictions from EuroLeague.net staff members for Round 28 of the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season.

James get it before the break

by Javier Gancedo

Thursday is expected to be a historical night for AS Monaco scoring guard Mike James, who is 12 points away from becoming the competition's all-time top scorer, going past Vassilis Spanoulis. Everything should be ready at Salle Gaston Medecin for James's big night against Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade, and my guess is that fans won't have to wait too long for James to get those 12 points. In fact, I predict he will get them before halftime. Given his competitive nature and character, James will want to get that distraction out of the way as soon as possible, focus on winning the game and celebrate after, if possible, with a victory. His biggest scoring mark this season is 28 points, and I believe James will be close to that number, maybe getting more points, and leading Monaco to an important home win.

Fenerbahce will pile more misery on Real Madrid

by Geoff Gillingham

Real Madrid may be the leading the way at the top of the EuroLeague standings, but I think Los Blancos are about to suffer their second straight defeat at WiZink Center. Following an 86-97 loss at home to Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens last week, I think Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul also has what it takes to beat Real on its own patch. Fenerbahce is coming off a game in which it set club records in points (111) and assists (32) in a 111-96 triumph over Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz, so it should be feeling pretty good about itself right now. Having last beaten Real at WiZink on March 2, 2018, two and a half months before they met in the EuroLeague Championship Game, a win for Fenerbahce would not only be a statement to the rest of the EuroLeague, but the Turkish side could see jump into the top six if things go its way. It would be a nice belated birthday present for Saras Jasikevicius, too, as he turned 48 on Tuesday.

Valencia will beat the odds, and Barcelona

by Igor Petrinovic

Valencia is in a tight fight for its first EuroLeague postseason berth in more than a decade, but in my opinion, odds are against Valencia in that race due to a tough schedule mostly against opponents with equal or better records to its own. Plus, just three of its last seven games are at home. One of those is on Thursday against second-place FC Barcelona. This will be their fourth meeting this season; Barcelona won their EuroLeague game in Round 9, but Valencia took both of their Spanish League contests, though all three of those games were decided by 4 points or fewer. I believe Valencia will find a way to beat the odds, and beat Barcelona, to improve its postseason chances. I think Chris Jones will get support of two former Barcelona players, Brandon Davies and Kevin Pangos, and they will thrill the fans at La Fonteta.

Partizan climbs into the Play-In Showdown spots

by Frankie Sachs

Partizan is only 3-11 on the road this season and Valencia is 8-6 at home, but I think they are in for opposite fates this week. I like Partizan to beat Milan on the road and Valencia to lose at home to Barcelona. Since one of Partizan's road wins was in Valencia and they don't meet again until Round 34, they will be even with 14-14 records and head coach Zeljko Obradovic's men can overtake Valencia for 10th place if the combined margin of difference in this week's games is at least 11 points. I think that will happen and Partizan will inch into the top 10. That's my double prediction.