With four teams tied in second place and another seven separated by just one win for a place in the playoffs positions, there's everything to play for in this week's second round of action. Here's what to expect from Round 10 of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague.
Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade vs Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv
Thursday's action starts early with a 17:30 CET tip-off as Zvezda (3-6) looks to make it three wins out of three under new head coach Dusko Ivanovic against a Maccabi team (5-4) which still hasn't won on the road. Backcourt leader Luca Vildoza has been fundamental to Zvezda's recent improvement as he settles into life with his new team, averaging 15.3 points over the last three games. On Thursday he matches up against Maccabi's dynamic Wade Baldwin IV, who ranks as the league's fifth-leading scorer with an average of 16.7 points per game.
Olympiacos Piraeus vs ALBA Berlin
Two teams looking to bounce back meet in Piraeus as Olympiacos (6-3) seeks home comforts against an ALBA (3-6) team that has lost a league-worst six games in a row. ALBA's free-flowing style has led to an average of 22.6 assists per game, best in the competition, but that will be challenged by always-alert Olympiacos defenders sho have snared 8.6 steals per game – second-best in the league. Olympiacos also loves to share the ball, averaging 21.1 assists per game, so we can expect a high-scoring and entertaining showdown.
EA7 Armani Exchange Milan vs Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul
On the back of an alarming 29-point home loss to Efes on Tuesday, Milan (3-6) has the tough task of ending its dramatic slump with a visit from league-leading Fenerbahce (8-1). It's very clear that offensive production is the chief challenge for Milan head coach Ettore Messina's men, who have averaged just 57.3 points in the last three games. That certainly hasn't been a problem for Fenerbahce, which has scored at least 93 points every night during its current three-game winning run. It's clear that Milan must drastically improve at both ends of the floor to upset the competition leader.