With just three victories separating third and 16th place, the Round 12 games that open December's first double-round week could well prove to be hugely consequential.
This week: A big reunion in Istanbul and a title game rematch
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Tuesday, December 5
Anadolu Efes Istanbul vs. Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens
Two teams looking to return to winning ways meet in Istanbul as Efes (5-6) welcomes Panathinaikos (6-5). All eyes will be on Greens boss Ergin Ataman as he returns for the first time to the club that he turned into back-to-back EuroLeague champions. On the court, Panathinaikos will look for defensive ace Jerian Grant, who ranks second in the league with 2.1 steals per game, to disrupt the rhythm of Efes’s prolific backcourt scorers. That includes Rodrigue Beaubois, who has averaged 10.9 points per game and netted at least one triple for six games straight. The battle in the paint will feature Mike Daum, who made a solid Efes debut in last week’s defeat to Zvezda with 10 points, going up against Mathias Lessort, the league’s leading offensive rebounder with 2.8 per game.
ALBA Berlin vs. Zalgiris Kaunas
After winning two of its last three to push back towards the playoff places, Zalgiris (5-6) will look to pile more misery on an ALBA side (1-9) which has lost six straight. The hosts will hope to have reinforcements after missing six players through injury in last week’s loss at Maccabi, where 22 points from Gabriele Procida was a highlight in a heavy defeat. Zalgiris has rediscovered its winning feeling primarily through its defense, allowing just 73 and 70 points, respectively, in recent wins over Bayern and Milan. That latter game also saw a fantastic performance from veteran forward Edgaras Ulanovas, who led by example with 20 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists, and he will try to give Zalgiris the energy it needs to win on the road on Tuesday.
Olympiacos Piraeus vs. Real Madrid
A rematch of last season's incredible championship game will see Olympiacos (6-5) seek revenge for that last-second defeat as it welcomes Real (10-1) to Piraeus. Both teams are coming off losses, with Real aiming to bounce straight back from its first defeat of the season in an overtime thriller against Fenerbahce, while the Reds saw its three-game winning streak snapped with a setback at Monaco. Two giants will battle for physical dominance as Moustapha Fall (6.9 points and 4.8 rebounds per game) goes up against Walter Tavares (9.7 points and 5.3 rebounds per game). Real will have to keep a close watch on the long-range shooting skills of Isaiah Canaan, who ranks second in the league with 3.1 three-pointers converted per game.
Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade vs. AS Monaco
Third-placed Monaco (7-4) will seek a third straight win with a visit to Partizan (5-6), which has the aim of securing consecutive wins for the first time this season. Partizan’s prolific offense ranks second in the league with 87.5 points per game, and Zeljko Obradovic’s men will look for the same explosiveness which resulted in last week’s 92-87 downing of Panathinaikos behind 23 points from Zach LeDay. That game saw Partizan sharpshooter Kevin Punter return to action with a solid 13 points after a month-long injury layoff, and his long-range shooting duel with Mike James – who leads the league in scoring (18.8 points per game) and ranks third in PIR (20.3) – is sure to provide plenty of entertainment.
FC Bayern Munich vs. EA7 Emporio Armani Milan
After igniting its season with consecutive victories, Bayern (5-6) will look to keep climbing the standings with a visit from Milan (4-7). Serge Ibaka inspired the German team’s big win over Virtus last week with a huge double-double of 24 points and 13 rebounds, and the veteran center will look to stay hot against Milan’s array of big men. Ibaka’s average of 6.6 boards per game has helped make Bayern the league’s top rebounding team with 40.1 per night. Milan’s main offensive weapon is its long-range shooting, ranking second in the competition with a 40.8% conversion rate from deep, and Shavon Shields has been on fire from deep in recent weeks with an average of 3.8 triples in the last four games.
Wednesday, December 6
LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne vs. Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv
Much-improved ASVEL (2-9) will hope results start matching performances with a visit from Maccabi (6-5), which needs a win to push into the all-important top six. A pair of explosive scorers will go head-to-head: ASVEL’s Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot has scored 20 points in both his last two games, knocking down 5 three-pointers in last week’s narrow loss at Barcelona, while Wade Baldwin continues his return to full fitness and game rhythm after netting 18 points in the Round 10 win over ALBA. Maccabi is the league’s leading offensive rebounding unit with 13.8 per game, so ASVEL big men Youssoupha Fall and Joffrey Lauvergne will have to work hard to deny second chances for the visitors.
Virtus Segafredo Bologna vs. FC Barcelona
Fourth hosts second as Barcelona (9-2) looks to maintain a two-game lead over its nearest chasers with a trip to Virtus (7-4). The Italian team has won five straight at home and will look to maintain the same smooth offensive rhythm which has yielded 19.8 assists per game, the third-best mark in the league and just ahead of Barca’s 18.6. Veteran shooter Marco Belinelli is a key piece of Virtus’s offense, knocking down multiple triples in eight consecutive games. The visitors will also try to control the league’s top ranked player, Toko Shengelia (21.9 PIR per game), through the defensive strength of Jabari Parker. On the other side, Nico Laprovittola showed his incredible firepower in last week’s win over ASVEL by downing a career-high 8 triples on 10 attempts.
Valencia Basket vs. Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade
Valencia (5-6) is looking to end a five-game losing streak with a visit from Zvezda (4-7), which has lost all five of its road games this season. The Spanish team is the lowest scorer in the competition with just 73.9 points per game, also suffering with the league’s worst two-point conversion rate. Semi Ojeleye has been a consistent offensive threat, shooting at 51.7% from long range and averaging 12.6 points per game. Zvezda is coming with its confidence boosted after an excellent home win over Efes, when Yago Dos Santos underlined his growing status by pairing 15 points with 5 assists, both season highs. It was also another big night for Nemanja Nedovic with 23 points, and he now has five consecutive double-digit scoring games.
Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz vs. Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul
A high-powered matchup between direct rivals – two of the five teams currently tied for fifth place – closes the round as Baskonia (6-5) hosts Fenerbahce (6-5). Dimitris Itoudis’s men are on a high after becoming the first team to beat Real Madrid with last week’s overtime classic, and they now have the mission of ending a four-game losing run on the road. Baskonia has won five of its six games under head coach Dusko Ivanovic, who has seen great long-range shooting from Markus Howard with 22 triples drained in the last four games. Visiting star Scottie Wilbekin will be eager to take on Howard in a battle of two sharpshooters, averaging 13.4 points per game and 3.0 triples per game in the last four outings.