


Cazoo Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz played its final regular-season home game of the 2022-23 campaign on Thursday night, downing LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne 120-100 in Round 33. Soon, it hopes to be enjoying another European night at Buesa Arena, only this time in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Playoffs.
Baskonia has been almost unbeatable at home this season, recording 14 wins from its 17 games in Vitoria-Gasteiz. It reached 114 points or more on four occasions in front of its home fans, scoring 114 against Anadolu Efes Istanbul and Valencia Basket, 116 against Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv and 120, a new club record, against ASVEL. At Buesa Arena, Baskonia averages a league-best 96.1 points, hitting 60.4% of its two-point shots and going 41.8% from downtown, which is first in both categories in the EuroLeague for teams playing at home.
Baskonia, however, may need to beat Olympiacos Piraeus on the road – and that's a different story. This season, Baskonia is 4-12 on its travels and Olympiacos is 13-3 at home. On the road, Baskonia averages 77.4 points, ranking 11th overall. It shoots the ball with much less efficiency (54.8% 2FG, 30.8% 3FG), too. Baskonia ranks first in three-point shooting at home, while it is 17th on the road.
Coach Joan Penarroya's team has been able to beat Real Madrid, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul, Anadolu Efes Istanbul and Valencia Basket on the road this season, and a fifth win, this time at the Peace and Friendship Stadium, would allow Baskonia to lock up a playoff spot, regardless of other scores. However, it won't be easy: Baskonia is 4-18 on the road against Olympiacos, losing against the Reds in 16 of its last 17 trips to Piraeus.