Round 17 of the 7DAYS EuroCup Regular Season could decide on the last two Group B playoff spots, while Joventut Badalona and Gran Canaria have a chance to clinch first place in their respective groups.
Round 17 at a glance: Decision time
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Group A
MoraBanc Andorra vs. Boulogne Metropolitans 92
Andorra will try to get back to winning ways against a direct rival in a race for home-court advantage when Metropolitans 92 alights in the principality on Tuesday. Both teams sit on 9-5 records with two games to play, and a win would guarantee Metropolitans at least a fourth-place finish and home-court advantage in the eighthfinals. Andorra, meanwhile, can do the same if it wins by more than 15 points or if it wins and gets some help from Turk Telekom Ankara. The margin to keep in mind is from their Round 8 game, which Metropolitans won by 7 points.
Joventut Badalona vs. Slask Wroclaw
Group A leader Joventut (11-4) will play its final game of the regular season when it welcomes Slask (3-11) to town. There is an awful lot riding on the outcome of this game for Joventut, which can clinch the first place in Group A with a win. Joventut is undefeated on its home floor this season, and that perfect record indicates how much of an advantage it would be for the team to finish first and host games at least until the EuroCup Finals. Slask will try to play the role of spoiler after securing its own playoff spot last week.
Lietkabelis Panevezys vs. Turk Telekom Ankara
Lietkabelis (8-5) will try to continue to protect its home floor when it hosts Turk Telekom (6-8) in the first game on Wednesday's slate. Lietkabelis has won six consecutive home games by an average margin of 14.6 points, having last lost at Cido Arena on November 10. After having won five of those games by a double-digits, another victory would be a big step for Lietkabelis in trying to secure home-court advantage in the eighthfinals. Turk Telekom, on the other hand, has only one road win this season and is averaging a lowly 71.4 points away from Ankara.
Hamburg Towers vs. Dolomiti Energia Trento
Hamburg (5-8) will try to get back to the winning ways when it hosts already-eliminated last-place Dolomiti Energia Trento (1-13). Hamburg will try to put on display again an offense that has put up 90.4 points on average in home games during this, the club's debut season in the competition. Trento has not much else but pride to play for, as it is currently on a 10-game losing streak in Group A.
Group B
ratiopharm Ulm vs. Frutti Extra Bursaspor
Already-qualified Ulm (7-9) will try stack consecutive wins for the first time in two months when it meets a playoff hopeful Bursaspor (7-9) in Round 17's opener. Ulm will hope to build upon its strong playoff-clinching performance last week in Bourg, while Bursaspor enters the game on a three-game winning streak. All of those Bursaspor wins were at home, and now it goes back onn the road, where it has lost seven straight. Its only away win came in Bursaspor's first road game of the season, back in late October. The visitors know they can book a place in the playoffs with a win or a loss by Mincidelice JL Bourg en Bresse.
Virtus Segafredo Bologna vs. Gran Canaria
In a high-profile showdown on Tuesday, Virtus (9-7) hosts Group B leader Gran Canaria (12-4) with plenty at stake for both teams. Virtus is in a tight three-team race against Cedevita and Buducnost for two playoff spots that come with home-court advantage in the eighthfinals. The hosts will try to avenge a 100-80 loss at Gran Canaria in Round 8 that was Virtus's worst EuroCup loss since 2003 and second-largest ever. Meanwhile, Gran Canaria enters this contest on a three-game winning streak, nowing it can clinch the first place in Group B with another victory or if Valencia Basket loses a day later.
Buducnost VOLI Podgorica vs. Mincidelice JL Bourg en Bresse
Buducnost (9-7) will try to get right its ship before the playoffs against visiting Bourg (5-11) in the Montenegrin capital. Both teams that have struggled lately, with Bourg having lost three games in a row and four of its last five. Buducnost, which needs a win to control its destiny as it chases home-court advantage in the eighthfinals, has won just two of its last seven games, failing to score more than 78 points in six of those. On the other hand, Bourg has allowed at least 85 points in each of the last three games. Bourg must win its last two games and get help along the way to have any chance of qualifying for the playoffs, and that includes needing Ulm to down Bursaspor a day earlier.
Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana vs. Valencia Basket
Offensive fireworks might be in store when Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana (9-7) hosts Valencia Basket (11-5), two of the hottest teams in all of the EuroCup, clash in the Slovenian capital on Wednesday. Cedevita has six victories in a row while Valencia has been the winner in seven of its last nine. In addition, these are the two highest-scoring teams left in the competition, with Cedevita averaging 87.2 points and Valencia right behind at 86.5 per game. Valencia still has slim chances to claim first place in Group B, while Cedevita is in a tight three-team race in the middle of Group B for home-court advantage in the playoffs.
Umana Reyer Venice vs. Promitheas Patras
Umana Reyer Venice (7-9) will look to put an end to its four-game losing streak when it hosts already-eliminated Promitheas Patras (4-12) on Wednesday night. Three of Reyer's last four losses have come by 11 points or more, but the team can qualify for the post-season with a victory in this game. Reyer will also punch a playoff ticket if either Bursaspor or Bourg lose their games. Promitheas has only one road win this season, along with seven double-digit losses.