In what has become a down-to-the wire playoffs race, two teams on the outside looking in as Round 29 stars will play crucial home showdowns on Thursday in attempts to hop the postseason train before it leaves the station for good.
In one of those games, Anadolu Efes Istanbul (14-14) hosts Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (15-13) in Round 29's opener. Two hours later, Valencia Basket (13-15) welcomes Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (17-10). For Efes and Valencia, these games are as close as it gets to must-win.
The worst-ranked team of the four, Valencia, has a four-game losing streak, is the only top-12 team with a losing home record (7-8), and plays four of the last five games away. Valencia gave Fenerbahce quite a battle in Istanbul, losing 79-77 in late October, but this time must find a way to win or find its playoffs chances severely weakened.
HLs Game 1: Fener-Valencia
Valencia has a couple things going in its favor, however, starting with its 2-0 sweeps against both Efes and Partizan, the other two teams that will square off on Thursday. Valencia will know by the time it tips off on Thursday whether a win might put it either ahead of Efes in the standings or leave it just one victory behind both Efes and Partizan with both tiebreaks in its favor.
Fenerbahce, on the other hand, is closer to earning home-court advantage in the playoffs than any feared elimination. But things can change quickly, of course, and by week's end as many as three teams could start breathing down Fenerbahce's neck with 16 wins each. So another road win on Thursday would mean a lot, especially because Fenerbahce plays three EuroLeague games in eight days due to the make-up next Tuesday of its postponed home date with EA7 Emporio Armani Milan due to the earthquakes in Turkiye and Syria.
