Playoffs places and home-court advantage are at stake in very much do-or-die penultimate round of the regular season highlighted by the Turkish and Italian derbies. Here's your overview of Thursday and Friday's action.
This Week: Derbies highlight a do-or-die slate of games
![This Week: Derbies highlight a do-or-die slate of games](https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/11c9ae62-f7a2-47f3-9ad7-e6f3c2102e65.jpg?crop=1851%3A1041%3Anowe%3A148%3A202)
Thursday, April 4
Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade vs. Olympiacos Piraeus
Olympiacos (20-12) will aim to keep pushing for the top four with a trip to face a Zvezda team (11-21) that showed it is still ready to fight after playing Real very close last week. The Greek team knows that only a win will suffice but won't take anything for granted after a difficult 88-83 home win against Zvezda in November behind 28 points from Alec Peters. Nemanja Nedovic scored 26 for Zvezda in that game, and he remains the biggest threat for the Serbian team after knocking down 25 and 30 points in the last two games. The all-round talents of Adam Hanga will be a factor, too, after he posted 22 points, 6 rebounds and 7 assists against Real. Olympiacos will look for another strong game from Nigel Williams-Goss, who had 17 points and 5 steals to help overcome Partizan last week.
Two very much in-form teams go head to head as third-place Monaco (21-11) welcomes 11th-place Zalgiris (14-18) for a key meeting in their respective postseason ambitions. Victory is the only option for both teams, and Zalgiris will be confident after winning three in a row, partly thanks to Edmond Sumner stepping up in the backcourt to support the always productive Keenan Evans. Similarly, Monaco has benefitted from perennial leader Mike James receiving back up from Elie Okobo, who scored 16 points in last week's French derby win over ASVEL. James, unsurprisingly, was the key performer when Monaco took a 79-83 victory at Kaunas in December, netting 25 points. In the paint, Kaunas native Donatas Moteijunas will look to win the physical battle for Monaco against compatriot Laurynas Birutis.
FC Barcelona vs. Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv
A crucial showdown at Palau Blaugrana will see Barcelona (21-11) attempt to take a step closer to a top-four qualification against a dangerous Maccabi team (19-13) that must win to maintain its slim hopes of the same achievement. Maccabi is on fire after winning six straight games with an explosive offense led by Wade Baldwin (at least 14 points in 13 consecutive games) in the backcourt and Josh Nebo (double-digits scoring in eight straight games) in the paint. Barca took a thrilling 90-92 win when these teams met in November. Nico Laprovittola led that effort with 23 points and Barca crashed the boards to the tune of 16 offensive rebounds. With the home team needing a win to keep control of home-court advantage in the playoffs, expect the intensity of a final between a pair of title candidates.
ALBA Berlin vs. Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade
After finding itself on the receiving end of Nigel Hayes-Davis's record scoring night, ALBA (5-27) will look to bounce back against a Partizan team (14-18) desperate for victory to stay in the top 10 chase. ALBA has lost nine in a row and must end that sequence to have any chance of avoiding a last-place finish, while Partizan is looking for a first road victory since December. The Serbian team comfortably overcame ALBA, 89-74, when the teams met in November, led by 20 points from Aleksa Avramovic. His scoring power along with the drive of Kevin Punter, who has averaged 17.7 points in the last three games, will be fundamental to Partizan's hopes of ending its negative run.
Valencia Basket vs. LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne
To maintain its fast-fading hopes of play-in qualification, Valencia (14-18) simply must win against an ASVEL team (7-25) hoping for a positive end to the season. The Spanish team has lost its way at the worst time, struggling with the injury absence of key center Brandon Davies to suffer six defeats out of seven. ASVEL needs one more win to ensure it does not finish bottom of the standings, and will see Nando De Colo move into second place on the league's all-time scoring chart if he registers 3 or more points against his first EuroLeague club. Valencia gained an emphatic 55-78 win when the teams met in December behind 16 points from Semi Ojeleye, and will look for similarly stifling defense this week.
Thursday, April 4
Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul vs. Anadolu Efes Istanbul
One of this season's must-watch games will see top four-chasing Fenerbahce (20-12) look to maintain its stunning home form against Istanbul rival Efes (15-17), which has a play-in place within reach after winning three in a row. The Istanbul Derby will see new single-game points record holder Nigel Hayes-Davis face the man he has just deposed, Shane Larkin, who was also in great form with 28 points in last week's key win at Baskonia. Fenerbahce has been unstoppable at home recently, winning eight in a row and surpassing 100 points in four of those. Head coach Saras Jasikevicius's team also has confidence from the knowledge it won this season's first Istanbul derby, triumphing 84-89 in December behind 24 points from the man of the moment, Hayes-Davis, plus 17 points and 8 assists from Nick Calathes, who faces a mouthwatering backcourt battle with Larkin.
Real Madrid vs. Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz
Reigning champ Real (26-6) will look to keep sharp going into the playoffs against a Baskonia team (16-16) that still needs one more win to secure postseason action. Real has already set a competition record for the most regular season victories, and is aiming for a fifth straight victory after 30 points from Dzanan Musa inspired past week's comeback triumph against Zvezda. Baskonia has stumbled recently with three straight losses, and is looking to avenge an opening night 77-79 loss to Real after Markus Howard missed an attempted game-winner on the final buzzer. Howard has averaged 20.3 points in the last four games and provides Baskonia's best hopes of gaining its first road win since Round 22.
EA7 Emporio Armani Milan vs. Virtus Segafredo Bologna
This Italian Derby will see Virtus (17-15) attempt to restore confidence by snapping a five-game losing streak against a Milan team (14-18) that knows it could be eliminated with a defeat. Virtus can rely on power forward Toko Shengelia, who has averaged 21 points in the last three games, but has to shed some psychological demons after Round 32's last-second loss to Panathinaikos. Virtus won the season's first Italian Derby by 86-79 despite 21 points from Milan leader Shavon Shields, who forms a one-two offensive punch with Nikola Mirotic, ranking seventh and sixth, respectively, among all EuroLeague scorers. Three-point shooting could be crucial as Milan relies on Shields and Mirotic, while Virtus hopes Marco Belinelli extends his streak of 10 straight games with at least one triple.
FC Bayern Munich vs. Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens
Fading (13-19) Bayern must win to have any chance of prolonging its play-in hopes against a Panathinaikos (21-11) team that also needs the victory to stay in charge of its top-four ambitions. Mathias Lessort will hope to propel Panathinaikos against the team he represented in the 2019-20 season, having already done damage with 16 points to procure a 78-71 win over Bayern in Round 2. Backcourt leadership will come from the endlessly reliable Kostas Sloukas, who averages 18.3 points over the last three games. Bayern has lost three in a row and needs to improve an offense which has reached 80 points only once in the last eight games. The German club will hope that Nick Weiler-Babb stays hot after scoring a season-high 17 points in last week's loss to Barcelona.