Postseason predictions: Maccabi vs. Baskonia

Check out the predictions by EuroLeague.net staff members for the Play-In Showdown game between Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv and Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz.

For Maccabi, the next stop is Athens

by Frankie Sachs

There is a reason that Maccabi finished ahead of Baskonia in the standings. It's the better team. Not that Baskonia isn't great. And not that there aren't reasons to like some of Baskonia's matchups. But most of the arguments in Baskonia's favor boomerang to show why I think Maccabi will win. Baskonia is in great form? Maccabi has won seven of its last eight games. Markus Howard leads the league in scoring? Wade Baldwin is third (and third in PIR, too). Chima Moneke and Tadas Sedekerskis are among the league's best rebounders? Josh Nebo was the regular-season's leading board getter. Add in that eight of Maccabi's players went to the playoffs last season, while among Baskonia's top 10 scorers, only Moneke has appeared in a playoff game. That experience boost could be pivotal and what sends the Israeli champs to Greece next week to open the playoffs against Panathinaikos. My pick: Maccabi

Baskonia to stun Maccabi

by Geoff Gillingham

Maccabi comes into the play-in as the favorite to beat Baskonia and advance to the playoffs, but I think a shock is in store at Belgrade Arena. Baskonia ended the regular season with the leading scorer and the leading assists man in the competition in Markus Howard and Codi Miller-McIntyre, respectively, while Tadas Sedekerskis and Chima Moneke were two of the top five players in rebounds. The team's final 18-16 record doesn't reflect that dominance in the individual statistics, but what it does show is that Baskonia has players that can have a big game at any time. That is particularly true of Howard, who closed the regular season by scoring 35 and then 34 in back-to-back road wins at Real Madrid and Virtus Segafredo Bologna. I think he'll stay red-hot and be backed by his teammates en route to a famous road win. My pick: Baskonia.

A determined Maccabi will prevail

by Frank Lawlor

Maccabi has at least two victories more than the other Play-In Showdown teams for a reason: season-long consistency. Maccabi has not been better than fourth place or worse than 10th since way back in October, and came back from the February break to finish the regular season 7-1, only missing direct access to the playoffs due to a tiebreaker. A three-point road loss at Barcelona has been Maccabi's sole blemish since early February. Granted, all seven victories were against non-playoff teams, but winning is a habit, and Maccabi has it right now. Its roster also has vastly more playoff experience than Baskonia's, which counts in a one-and-done game. I see Maccabi as a highly determined team that doesn't depend on a good shooting night and has more offensive and defensive options than it gets credit for. Baskonia may still make the playoffs, but not on Tuesday. My pick: Maccabi

Baskonia pulls the upset

by Javier Gancedo

Baskonia arrives to this game in a very good moment, getting close victories in both the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and the Spanish League. Matt Howard has been shooting the lights out lately and is expected to do so in Belgrade. Matt Costello has not played against Maccabi this season, and has been one of Baskonia's mail pillars in the last few games. With Costello at center, Chima Moneke has more space to play one-on-one against Jake Cohen or James Webb at power forward. Head coach Dusko Ivanovic relies on Tadas Sedekerskis and Codi Miller-McIntyre to be effective on defense against Bonzie Colson and Wade Baldwin, respectively. And of course, Vanja Marinkovic should be ready to play well again in his hometown of Belgrade. It all seems to click for Baskonia, so I have them seventh going against Panathinaikos. My pick: Baskonia.

Maccabi will continue to thrive in Belgrade

by Igor Petrinovic

Maccabi has been one of the hottest teams in the competitions, having won seven of its last eight games. Wade Baldwin and Josh Nebo have been playing lights-out basketball, the entire team has been confident and focused, having developed great chemistry. The team's only loss during that stretch came away at Barcelona on a late three-pointer that ended up costing Maccabi a direct place in the playoffs. But Maccabi has two more chances now to advance, both of them home games, if a second is necessary. I say it won't be. One might feel that Maccabi's disadvantage might be playing in Belgrade, away from home, but Maccabi has been 12-4 in games it has hosted in the Serbian capital – a better home winning rate than either Partizan or Crvena Zvezda had in Belgrade. I think Maccabi grabs the first chance and books a playoff date with Panathinaikos. My pick: Maccabi.