The penultimate double-round week of the season promises to make a big difference in the race for the playoffs. Here's what we can look forward to in Round 25 on Thursday and Friday.
This week: Intensity keeps rising at the end of another double-round week
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Thursday, February 1
ALBA Berlin vs. Valencia Basket
Two of Tuesday's losing teams will look to bounce straight back as ALBA (5-19) hosts Valencia (12-12) in a meeting of two-time rivals from their EuroCup days. The Spanish team is having to cope without big men Brandon Davies and Boubacar Toure, so ALBA will hope to dominate the paint through Khalifa Koumadje and Yanni Wetzell, while recent signing Martin Hermannsson will relish the chance to play against his former team. Valencia will look to repeat the excellent team defense that secured a 79-71 victory when these teams met in November. Semi Ojeleye led that win with 19 points, the same as Sterling Brown posted for ALBA.
Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz vs. Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv
After suffering high-scoring losses two days ago, Baskonia (12-12) and Maccabi (13-11) will look to get their playoffs challenge back on track in a key matchup between direct rivals. A double-double of 17 points and 11 rebounds from Josh Nebo helped give Maccabi an 89-81 win the teams met earlier in the season, so Baskonia has to win by 9 points or more to claim the head to head advantage. A key matchup will take place between Chima Moneke and Bonzie Colson, a pair of power forwards who can score from anywhere, grab rebounds and play excellent defense, while Codi Miller-McIntyre (6.6) and Lorenzo Brown (6.3) rank second and third, respectively, in assists.
FC Bayern Munich vs. Olympiacos Piraeus
Boosted by wins on Tuesday night, Bayern (10-14) and Olympiacos (13-11) will aim to complete a perfect week as they meet in Munich. Isaiah Canaan will look to stay hot for the Reds after draining 31 points with 9 three-pointers in the win against ALBA, which also featured an excellent debut from big man Moses Wright with 15 points and 5 rebounds. He will go up against dangerous veteran Serge Ibaka, who starred in Tuesday's overtime triumph over Baskonia with 21 points and 7 boards. Olympiacos won 77-69 when the teams met in Round 13 behind 14 points and 7 assists from Thomas Walkup.
Real Madrid vs. LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne
After seeing off a spirited challenge from Maccabi on Tuesday, reigning champ Real (21-3) is hoping to pile more misery on injury-hit ASVEL (5-19) in meeting of first versus last. ASVEL's defeat against Fenerbahce on Tuesday saw the team run out of steam after Mike Scott scored 21 points in the first half, while in-form forward Mbaye Ndiaye will look to stay hot in the Spanish capital after a number of spectacular plays earlier this week. Vincent Poirier was key to Real's comeback win over ASVEL, 76-77, in December, scoring 8 unanswered points in the fourth quarter, and he's ready to excel again after pairing 16 points with 10 boards in Tuesday's win over Maccabi.
Friday, February 2
Anadolu Efes Istanbul vs. EA7 Emporio Armani Milan
After suffering heavy road defeats earlier in the week, Efes (9-15) and Milan (10-14) will look to boost their fading playoffs hopes by bouncing straight back on Friday.The obvious priority for Efes is defensive improvement after allowing 96 points in defeat at Zalgiris, while Milan will hope the return of Nikola Mirotic will boost an offense which averages just 77.6 points per game. Mirotic netted 14 points and Shavon Shields top scored with 18 when Milan easily beat Efes, 92-76, in November. Will Clyburn paced the Turkish team with 18 points on that occasion, and he looks to be recovering his best form after also netting 18 in Wednesday's loss in Kaunas.
Zalgiris Kaunas vs. Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens
With confidence high after Wednesday's highly encouraging thumping win over Efes, Andrea Trinchieri's Zalgiris (9-15) will look to underline its improvement by testing the road credentials of high-flying Panathinaikos (15-9). Laurynas Birutis continued to benefit from the arrival of Trinchieri by combining 18 points and 8 rebounds on Wednesday, and he'll go up against an in-form Mathias Lessort, whose 12 points and 7 boards helped bury Milan on Wednesday. This season's first meeting between the teams was a tight affair, edged 73-71 by the Greek team on the back of 19 points from Dinos Mitoglou.
Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade vs. FC Barcelona
Second-placed Barcelona (16-8) will look to rectify its declining road form with a trip to dangerous Zvezda (10-14). The host has already beaten one Spanish team this week, comfortably downing Valencia led by Nemanja Nedovic's exhibition of long-range shooting. Barca, which has lost three straight on the road, will be confident of containing that threat after restricting Virtus's dangerous shooters to just 4 triples in Wednesday's easy home win. Jabari Parker and Luka Mitrovic enjoyed a good tussle when the teams met in November, scoring 20 and 22 points, respectively, in a well-contested game eventually taken 86-81 by the Blaugrana.
Virtus Segafredo Bologna vs. Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade
After a worrying 27-point loss at Barcelona on Wednesday, Virtus (15-9) will look to respond with its habitual strong home form against inconsistent Partizan (12-12). Virtus hasn't lost at home since the opening day of the season, while Partizan has dropped five straight on the road. Virtus edged a tight one, 75-77, in Belgrade in Round 17, with Iffe Lundberg netting 16 points. The Italian team's chances of securing the win and head-to-head advantage will be boosted if key man Toko Shengelia can return after missing Wednesday's loss at Barcelona, while Partizan will hope Kevin Punter stays hot after netting 28 points in defeat at Monaco.
AS Monaco vs. Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul
A key matchup in the race for home-court advantage will see either Monaco (14-10) or Fenerbahce (15-9) complete a perfect double-round week. The host is searching for a fourth straight win and can rely on the clockwork consistency of Mike James, Round 24's MVP after powering a comfortable win over Partizan. Fenerbahce boosted its fragile road form with a strong win at ASVEL on Tuesday, and has center Johnathan Motley in great form with 23 and 24 points in the last two games. Fenerbahce won 86-74 when the teams met in December behind 23 points from the currently injured Nigel Hayes-Davis, whose absence – should it continue – is being well covered by the energy of recent signing Amine Noua.