Playoff predictions: Barcelona vs. Olympiacos

They have played championship games for the trophy twice before, but this season only one between FC Barcelona and Olympiacos Piraeus can make the Final Four. Check out the EuroLeague.net staff predictions on their playoff series.

Barcelona will make history

by Javier Gancedo

FC Barcelona has the chance to make it to four consecutive Final Fours for the first time ever. I like its chances against Olympiacos Piraeus. First, Ricky Rubio is back to the EuroLeague Playoffs for the first time in 13 years and he has been playing better and better. Rubio should make things works for Barca, controlling the game tempo, playing hard defense on Thomas Walkup, and connecting with Willy Hernangomez and Jan Vesely for easy points in the paint. Barca has more flexibility at forward with Nikola Kalinic and Jabari Parker. Yes, head coach Roger Grimau is inexperienced, but he knows how it feels to win EuroLeague Playoffs series as a player. I see Barca as the clear favorite, as it also has the fire power from downtown to dynamite the series. My prediction: Barca 3-1.

The Reds defense will lead them to Final Four

by Igor Petrinovic

This feels like a true, traditional, heavyweight battle. Home-court advantage is what all teams strive for during the regular season, and Barcelona has it against Olympiacos solely because it swept the Reds in their two games this season. But it's been nearly four months since these two teams last faced off, and it was Olympiacos that had one of the strongest finishes to the regular season of all teams, winning 10 of its last 11 games. The team also has its entire quartet of big men – Nikola Milutinov, Moustapha Fall, Filip Petrusev and Moses Wright – ready and healthy to play for the first time this season. Olympiacos has the size to match Barcelona, and has the perimeter defense to battle against Barcelona playmakers Nico Laprovittola, Tomas Satoransky and Ricky Rubio. I think the Reds snatch one in Barcelona, then protect their own home court against a Barcelona team that was only 7-10 on the road this season. My pick: Olympiacos 3-1.

Barca is just scratching the surface of its potential

by Frankie Sachs

Championship contenders must play their best basketball in April and May. For some veteran-laden teams, like reigning champion Real Madrid or AS Monaco, that could be "turning it on" late in the season. FC Barcelona is a different bird. It is still getting better and has untapped potential. Head coach Roger Grimau is in his first season on the bench of a pro team. Star forward Jabari Parker is a EuroLeague rookie. Willy Hernangomez is back in Europe after eight seasons in the NBA. And Ricky Rubio returned to basketball after stepping away last summer. This is no disrespect to Olympiacos, but I believe Barcelona has only scratched the surface of its ability. My only debate here was whether to predict a sweep, which I will. My pick: Barca 3-0.

Olympiacos to win in five

by Geoff Gillingham

Just like it did in 2015, I believe Olympiacos will defeat Barcelona in the playoffs, despite not having home-court advantage. Back then, the Reds secured a 3-1 series victory by winning at Palau Blaugrana in Game 2 and then twice at Peace and Friendship Stadium. This time around, however, I have the feeling that Barcelona will win twice on its home floor and that Olympiacos will do the same in Greece, before the Reds go on to secure a Game 5 triumph at Palau Blaugrana. There's not much to separate the two teams, but I think Georgios Bartzokas will get the better of Roger Grimau and lead Olympiacos to a third straight Final Four appearance. My pick: Olympiacos 3-2.