Heading into the back half of this double-round week, Barcelona and Zalgiris both have a league-best 5-1 record
At a glance: The fun continues in Round 7!
The double-round week continues with another batch of exciting games on Thursday and Friday. Here’s your overview of Round 7 of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague.
Thursday, October 31
ALBA Berlin vs. Anadolu Efes Istanbul (20:00 CET)
Two teams aiming to bounce back meet in Berlin, with ALBA (1-5) hosting Efes (3-3). The host was outgunned by Paris on Tuesday despite Justin Bean’s double-double of 16 points and 14 rebounds. To end its three-game losing run, ALBA will need another strong performance close to the basket from Louis Olinde, who averages 8.7 points on 77.3% two-point shooting. However, Efes has the best two-point shooting percentage in the competition, 64.9%, so will look for more inside dominance through the likes of Jordan Nwora, who has made 70% of his two-point attempts. The Turkish team needs defensive improvement after being unable to stop Barcelona two days ago, but hopes that Elijah Bryant can stay hot after scoring double digits in every game so far.
Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv vs. Real Madrid (20:05 CET)
Two of Tuesday’s losers meet in Belgrade as Maccabi (2-4) takes on Real (3-3). Maccabi’s relative lack of size could be exploited by Real’s long line of powerful paint players including Gaby Deck, who scored 12 points in Tuesday’s loss at Olympiacos. That game saw Chus Mateo’s men fade away badly in the fourth quarter, scoring just 10 points, so Los Blancos will be keen to make a fast start against a Maccabi team which also ground to a halt in Round 6, surrendering a double-digit lead to lose against Fenerbahce. The backcourt battle will be contested between two familiar foes, as Real’s Facu Campazzo (13.2 points and 8.4 assists per game) faces former Barcelona guard Rokas Jokubaitis, who returned from injury to dish 7 assists in the loss to Fenerbahce.
Olympiacos Piraeus vs. FC Barcelona (20:15 CET)
Standings leader Barcelona (5-1) will aim for a sixth straight victory with the tough assignment of a road trip to Olympiacos (3-3). The host will be high in confidence after downing Real Madrid on Tuesday, and will look to repeat the strong defense that limited Real to just 69 points. The inevitable scoring heroics of former Barcelona forward Sasha Vezenkov (23 points) were accompanied by another strong game from in-form Shaq McKissic (15 points and 9 rebounds), whose energy will be crucial in disrupting Barca’s fluent offense. The Spanish team’s latest triumph, at Efes on Tuesday, came courtesy of a great performance from Chimezie Metu, who netted 21 points on 7-of-9 field goal shooting. He was one of five players to hit multiple triples, but Olympiacos’s perimeter defense will be ready.
EA7 Emporio Armani Milan vs. Virtus Segafredo Bologna (20:30 CET)
An Italian derby between two teams at the foot of the standings will see Milan (1-5) and Virtus (1-5) chase a second win of the season. Ettore Messina’s men battled hard before eventually falling at Baskonia on Tuesday, and Armoni Brooks will hope to stay hot after netting 17 points on 4-of-9 three-point shooting in that game. Milan also has Josh Nebo fit again, recording 8 points and 6 rebounds two days ago, and his inside presence will be important against Virtus’s collection of big men including leader Toko Shengelia, who netted 21 points in Tuesday’s narrow home loss against Bayern. The home team will also hope for a return to form by deep threat Marco Belinelli, who has failed to score in the last two games.
Friday, November 1
Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul vs. Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (18:45 CET)
Zeljko Obradovic makes his latest return to his former club as Partizan (2-4) travels to Fenerbahce (4-2). The visiting team is aiming to snap a two-game losing run, most recently beaten at home by Monaco on Wednesday despite a double-double from Isaac Bonga, who will offer a threat from deep after making 48.1% of his three-point attempts so far this season. Fenerbahce has taken more offensive rebounds this season than any other team (12.8 per game), with 18 boards hauled off the offensive glass in Tuesday’s win over Maccabi. That helped Nigel Hayes-Davis net 18 points in the second half, and Tarik Biberovic will also look to stay hot after netting 10 points in the final quarter to seal a big comeback win.
Zalgiris Kaunas vs. AS Monaco (19:00 CET)
Co-leader Zalgiris (5-1) will look to maintain its 100% home record against a Monaco team (4-2) also aiming to complete a perfect double week. Bryant Dunston’s thrilling game winner against Zvezda ensured Andrea Trinchieri’s team will be riding more momentum, while summer signing Deivydas Sirvydis showed he is ready to shoulder more responsibility by scoring 17 points on 3-of-6 three-point shooting. Monaco has already silenced one passionate home crowd this week, overcoming Partizan in Round 6 behind another all-action performance from Alpha Diallo, who averages 12.8 points, 5 rebounds and 1.7 steals this season. Monaco has committed fewer turnovers than any other team (8.3 per game), something Sylvain Francisco will attempt to change after grabbing a steal in five of this season’s six games.
LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne vs. FC Bayern Munich (20:00 CET)
In a rematch of a game that went to double overtime last season, ASVEL (2-4) will look to defend its home court against in-form Bayern (4-2), which has won three in a row. The German team’s offense is being superbly led by Carsen Edwards, who averages 29.3 points in the last three games, and Round 6 MVP Shabazz Napier, who hit the decisive late triple to secure Tuesday’s triumph at Virtus and finished with 16 points and 7 assists. ASVEL needs to bounce back after being steamrollered by Panathinaikos on Wednesday, with backcourt stars Theo Maledon and Nando De Colo particularly keen to recover after respectively scoring 1 and points. Veteran Edwin Jackson will try to provide more inspiration after his best game of the season, netting 13 points.
Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade vs. Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens (20:00 CET)
Zvezda (3-3) will aim to end a three-game losing skid with a visit from Panathinaikos (4-2), which is seeking a third straight win after brushing aside ASVEL on Wednesday. The Greek team will crash the glass through former Zvezda center Mathias Lessort and Konstantinos Mitoglou, who had 6 offensive boards in the win over ASVEL. Another ex-Zvezda star, Lorenzo Brown, will look to set the tempo in the backcourt after scoring 17 points, his best yet for the Greens, on Wednesday. Zvezda must quickly recover mentally after the heartache of its last-gasp loss at Zalgiris in Round 6, and will hope for another strong contribution from big man Uros Plavsic after he recorded career highs of 16 points and 9 rebounds in Kaunas.
Paris Basketball vs. Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (20:45 CET)
Paris (3-3) will look for a third straight win with a visit from Baskonia (4-2), which is targeting a first road victory. Tuesday’s remarkable triumph at ALBA saw Paris attempt a competition record 52 three-pointers, partly thanks to securing 18 offensive rebounds – including 5 from Mikael Jantunen, who also has three consecutive games of double-digits scoring. Baskonia also displayed outstanding rebounding in its Round 6 victory over Milan, with 44 boards led by 11 from Khalifa Diop. The three-point shooting of Paris’s Tyson Ward, who has made 12 triples in the last three games, will be met by Baskonia’s Trent Forrest, who went 3 of 3 from long range in the win over Milan, also showing his growing all-round influence by grabbing 5 rebounds and dishing 3 assists.