Breakdown: Promitheas Patras vs. Mincidelice JL Bourg en Bresse

Two teams playing their first-ever 7DAYS EuroCup elimination game will meet when Promitheas Patras (11-7) and Mincidelice JL Bourg en Bresse (9-9) square off on Wednesday. Promitheas finished as the fourth-placed team in Group B, while Bourg finished Group A in fifth place.

Feeling comfortable in new situation

This is the first time either of these teams will play in the EuroCup elimination rounds. Promitheas had qualified for a best-of-three quarterfinals series in the 2019-20 season, but it was never played due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Last season, Promitheas and Bourg were in the same regular season group and both missed out on the playoffs. Now, one of them will reach at least the quarterfinals.

When they met last season, Promitheas and Bourg split home wins. What will matter even more, however, is what happened this season. Promitheas's hard-earned right to host this eighthfinals game came behind a 6-2 late-season run that started in Round 10 and saw the team score 80 or more points in each of those victories. Promitheas also won its last four home games, so playing in Patras should make the team comfortable. But don't expect Bourg to feel too uncomfortable. Despite its late-season struggles, and a six-game losing streak which it snapped in the regular-season finale, Bourg still won more games on the road (5) than at home (4) this season.

Behind-the-arc strength

Each team's strength is its three-point shooting. Bourg leads the EuroCup with 39.6% accuracy from behind the arc, while Promitheas ranks third at 38.5%. Promitheas has made the fourth-most triples, 10.1 per game, but its 182 total are just 5 more than Bourg's 176, or 9.8 per game. Even more relevant, Bourg was head-and-shoulders the league's best three-point shooting team on the road, knocking down 44.7% of those attempts as only team making better than 39.0% in games away from home!

Oddly enough, only one player from each team ranks high in three-point volume. Promitheas forward Arnoldas Kulboka is second in the EuroCup with 2.9 triples made per game and Bourg's James Palmer is ninth with 2.3. No on else on either team enters the top 25. In three-point accuracy, Palmer (48.8%) and his Bourg teammate Pierre Pelos (47.8%) rank seventh and eighth, respectively, and Kulboka 19th (42.6%). In other words, three-point shooting is a true team strength for Promitheas and Bourg. Promitheas boasts six players who average 2.0 or more triples or have downed at least 20 total this season. That includes Anthony Cowan, who combined to make 11 of 15 attempts in Round 17 and 18 wins over London Lions and Paris Basketball that gave Promitheas home-court advantage. Bourg, meanwhile, has five players shooting better than 40.0% from long range and five who have hit at least 20 triples this season.

An abundance of similarities

These teams have many other statistical similarities. Bourg (82.9 ppg.) has scored just 2 points more than Promitheas (82.8 ppg.) this season, in which they rank 11th and 12th, respectively, in scoring. Promitheas ranks dead last with both 30.0 total and 7.4 offensive rebounds per game. Bourg is not much better, ranking 18th on 33.9 total rebounds and 14th with 9.6 offensive boards. But Bourg does have Amida Brimah, who has pulled down 2.2 offensive boards per game since joining the team in Round 6. Also, Promitheas has dished the third-fewest assists, 16.2 per game, with Bourg ranking 16th with 16.4 per game. If looking for an edge for either team, Promitheas is committing fourth-fewest 13.0 turnovers, one less per game than Bourg, and making 77.4% of its free throws. Bourg, meanwhile, is the league's fourth-best shot-blocking team (3.2 bpg.)

The importance of halftime lead

I might sound too simple, but the outcome of this game might be decided by halftime. At least, that would be a conclusion if we look at how these teams have performed so far this season. Promitheas and Bourg have won all their games when they were not trailing at the half. Promitheas has held halftime leads in eight games this season, and won each one of them. Bourg was in front four times at the break, and won all of those games. The French club also won both games in which it was tied at the break. Bourg has also won all of its seven games when it made more three-pointers than its opponents. On the other hand, Promitheas won all six games when it dished more assists and all four games when it made more two-point shots.