With just three games left in the regular season, Round 32 delivers a set of power-packed showdowns as the race for postseason action gets hotter and hotter. Here's an overview of this week's games.
Round 32: The playoff chase rages on!
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Wednesday, March 27
Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv vs. Valencia Basket
In a Wednesday tipoff, Maccabi (18-13) will attempt to continue its push for the top six against a Valencia team (14-17) that's locked in a four-way tie for tenth place. Maccabi has won five in a row, mostly recently cruising past Bayern behind 17 points from ex-Valencia forward Jasiel Rivero. The Spanish team is a major underdog after losing five of its last six games. Maccabi has averaged 92 points during its five-game winning streak, so Valencia will need its best defensive game from the likes of backcourt veteran forward Victor Claver and all-action Semi Ojeleye. The Spanish team did exactly that when the teams met in October, winning 75-66 despite nobody scoring more than Damien Inglis's 11 points.
Thursday, March 28
Zalgiris Kaunas vs. EA7 Emporio Armani Milan
A key battle for play-in qualification will see two in-form teams clash as Zalgiris (13-18) hosts Milan (14-17). Both are coming off perfect-double round weeks to boost their top 10 chances, and Zalgiris knows that any victory would also be enough to take the head-to-head advantage after winning 70-83 in Milan in November. Edgaras Ulanovas starred with 20 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists on that occasion, and he'll look to give more all-round leadership after playing a big part in last week's impressive win over Baskonia. Milan's confidence has never been higher after downing Monaco and Fenerbahce last week, and veteran big man Nicolo Melli has found his best form of the season with 8-of-10 two-point shots converted across those games.
FC Bayern Munich vs. FC Barcelona
Two teams desperate for a return to winning ways meet in Munich as Bayern (13-18) takes on Barcelona (20-11). A pair of road defeats last week means Barca risks dropping out of the top four with another setback, while Bayern also lost twice in the double-round week to complicate its top 10 chances. Two veteran Spanish stars will attempt to dominate in different ways, with Bayern hoping to control the paint through Serge Ibaka while the visitor looks for orchestration from Ricky Rubio. Barca cruised to victory, 98-59, when the teams met in October behind 15 points from Jabari Parker. Bayern needs to rediscover its offensive identity this week after averaging just 68.8 points in the last three games.
Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade vs. Olympiacos Piraeus
Another matchup of vital importance to both teams takes place in Belgrade with Partizan (14-17) hosting Olympiacos (19-13). The Reds edged an overtime thriller, 98-94, when the teams met in October behind 19 points from sharpshooter Giannoulis Larentzakis, and will look for more frontcourt dominance from Moustapha Fall after the Reds grabbed 18 offensive rebounds in the first meeting. Partizan's outstanding home form was disturbed with a defeat to league leader Real Madrid last time out, and Zeljko Obradovic's men will look for the energy and versatility of James Nunnally, who had 16 points and 5 rebounds in that game, as it aims for a crucial home win.
Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz vs. Anadolu Efes Istanbul
Baskonia (16-15) will look to recover from a pair of losses last week by defending its home court against an in-form Efes team (14-17) pushing hard for a top 10 finish. A backcourt shootout is guaranteed between Markus Howard, who leads the league in three-pointers made with 3.6 per game, and the competition leader in PIR Shane Larkin (20.3 per night). Larkin's 23 points were not enough for victory when the teams last met, as Howard outscored him with 28 and Codi Miller-McIntyre delivered 14 points, 9 rebounds and 10 assists to power an 80-88 road victory in Istanbul. Baskonia has won four straight at home, and another success this week would be enough to guarantee a top 10 finish for head coach Dusko Ivanovic's men.
LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne vs. AS Monaco
A French League derby will see improving ASVEL (7-24) attempt to disrupt the top four ambitions of Monaco (20-11). The game features two of the competition's three all-time leading scorers, with Nando De Colo needing just 12 points to overtake Vassilis Spanoulis and follow Mike James into second place. Alpha Diallo was the key performer when Monaco beat ASVEL 80-70 earlier in the season, using his all-round skills to deliver 21 points, 9 rebounds and 3 steals. With a 9-7 record on its travels, Monaco has the league's second-best record on the road, so will have no fear as it travels to face an ASVEL team which has just four home wins all season.
Friday, March 29
Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul vs. ALBA Berlin
Fenerbahce (19-12) will aim to bounce back from last week's loss in Milan by overcoming rock-bottom ALBA (5-26) and claiming an eighth straight home win. Scottie Wilbekin shined with 20 points when the Turkish team won in Berlin, 82-91, in December, and he is in great form now with an average of 5 three-pointers in the last three games. Partly thanks to Wilbekin, Fener is the second most deadly long-range shooting team in the league with 39.3% of three-pointers converted, so ALBA desperately needs to improve a defense that has allowed its opponents to score at least 80 points in 10 straight games. The German team has lost eight in a row, won only once on the road all season, and has the worst offense in the league with just 76.3 points per game.
Real Madrid vs. Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade
With Real (25-6) already assured a first-place finish, Los Blancos can start to prepare for the playoffs with a visit from already-eliminated Zvezda (11-20). Real head coach Chus Mateo is likely to spread the playing time across his roster, which could mean solid minutes for 18 year-old forward Hugo Gonzalez, who has made five appearances so far this season. Zvezda will aim to end the season on a high by building on last week's excellent victory over Virtus, propelled by 25 points from three-point specialist Nemanja Nedovic. Real used outstanding defense to triumph when the teams met in Belgrade in December, as Mario Hezonja top scored with 17 points in a 58-72 victory.
Virtus Segafredo Bologna vs. Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens
After taking both wins in the last double-round week of the season, Panathinaikos (20-11) knows it controls its own fate in the race for a top four finish ahead of a trip to free-falling Virtus (17-4). The Italian team will hope that experienced Toko Shengelia can contain the marauding presence of Mathias Lessort and Dinos Mitoglou, and needs an injury-hit backcourt to step up against a Greens set of guards led offensively by Kostas Sloukas and Kendrick Nunn. Mitoglou was an unstoppable force when the teams met in November, powering 24 points and 10 rebounds in a 90-76 home victory, and Virtus faces a tough task in turning around recent momentum after losing four games in a row.