Check out some bold predictions from EuroLeague.net staff members for Rounds 30 and 31 of the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season.
Bold predictions for Rounds 30 and 31
Article
5 Mins read
Partizan to stop its slide with back-to-back wins
by Geoff Gillingham
Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade has gone 3-8 so far in 2024 and 1-5 in its last six games, which has seen Zeljko Obradovic's side drop to 10th place, the last spot for the Play-In Showdown. The interesting part is that Partizan is 3-1 over that stretch when it is the home team, but a dismal 0-7 on the road. Fortunately for Zeljko and co., it has back-to-back home games in this double-round week – and I think they have what it takes to win both, first against Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz and then against Real Madrid, despite not having Zach LeDay available due to personal reasons. Expect a raucous atmosphere on Thursday night as Real returns to Stark Arena for the first time since last year's drama-filled playoff series.
Zalgiris storms back into the Play-In mix
by Igor Petrinovic
Three consecutive defeats have derailed Zalgiris's (11-18) chances for the postseason, but not all is lost yet. The team from Kaunas is still just two wins away from 10th place, the last Play-In Showdown spot, and Zalgiris has four of its last five games at home. Two of those come this week, first against Virtus Segafredo Bologna on Tuesday, then hosting Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz two days later. I believe Zalgiris, led by Keenan Evans, will give its fans in traditionally sold-out Zalgirio Arena plenty to cheer about and win twice this week. Yes, head coach Andrea Trinchieri's side will be missing starting power forward Rolands Smits, but that just makes my prediction a bit more bolder.
Fenerbahce will have a perfect double-round week
by Javier Gancedo
Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul scored 100 points or more at home against all the Spanish teams it played: Real Madrid, Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz and Valencia Basket. It is the hottest team in the competition, and seeing them have a perfect double-round week is logical despite playing two of the deepest and strongest teams out there. I predict a high-scoring game at home against second-ranked FC Barcelona in which Fener will get the tie-breaker, winning by nine points or more, and another success on the road against EA7 Emporio Armani Milan. Nigel Hayes-Davis is in a sweet moment but so are Fenerbahce's shooters, Scottie Wilbekin, Marko Guduric, Tyler Dorsey and Tarik Biberovic. That's my prediction: Fenerbahce wins twice and makes the race to reach the home-court advantage in the playoffs even tighter.
Monaco will finish the week in second place
by Frankie Sachs
No team in the EuroLeague is hotter than AS Monaco, which has won eight in a row and sits in third place with a 19-10 record. Head coach Sasa Obradovic's team plays four of its remaining five games at home and the lone road game is at French League rival LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne. But enough about the rest of the season. Monaco hosts two teams with losing records this week: EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (12-17) on Wednesday and Valencia Basket (13-16) on Friday. In the meantime, second-placed FC Barcelona (20-9) plays four of its remaining five games on the road. This week it faces two tough opponents on the road: Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (18-11) on Wednesday and Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens (18-11) on Friday. Even with Ricky Rubio finding his form, I say Barca drops a game this week and Monaco does not. And since Monaco has already swept Barcelona this season, that would send Monaco into second place.
Bayern will keep its momentum going
by Frank Lawlor
With five games left to play, 10th place is looking like a wild three- to five-team race to the finish. One team I expect to stay in that race through this last double-round week is FC Bayern Munich. First, I think Bayern can break its tie at 13-16 with host Valencia, which is hobbled by injuries to its beg men, where Bayern has numbers and experience. If the visitors can take advantage, Bayern will have swept both Valencia and Partizan (13-16). A win in Valencia will give Bayern extra confidence to go home on Friday to face Maccabi (16-13), whose strong suit is perimeter offense. The thing is, Bayern's perimeter defense is among the best, and it has the bodies to match up inside, too. Maccabi won their Round 7 game by 3 points, but this is a new Bayern in many ways. With Barcelona and Panathinaikos visiting Munich next, then a season finale at Monaco, Bayern has a tough schedule. But after this double-round, they may well be holding a Play-In Showdown spot, at least temporarily.