Veolia Towers Hamburg will look to snap a three-game slide when it hosts Hapoel Vegan Friendly Tel Aviv in a Group B showdown on Wednesday. Hamburg (2-4), which is 1-2 at home this season, has lost three of its games by 5 points or less, but is 1-4 when allowing at least 80 points this season which could be a problem against this week’s opponent. Hapoel (3-3) has lost its last two games, though it had a shot to win it at the buzzer in Gran Canaria in Round 5 and was without two key players in last week’s home loss against Buducnost VOLI Podgorica. Coach Danny Franco’s side is 1-2 on the road this season after beating Paris Basketball in the French capital in Round 2.
Hamburg hosts Hapoel in clash of dynamic backcourts
The backcourt matchups will be exciting with Hamburg leaning on Kendale McCullum (12.2 ppg., 5.8 apg.) and James Woodard (11.8 ppg.) to contain Hapoel’s Xavier Munford (17.0 ppg., 4.2 apg.) and J’Covan Brown (12.6 ppg, 6.8 apg.). Brown is expected to be back at full strength after missing last week’s game due to illness. The key matchup in the paint will see Hamburg’s Yoeli Childs (14.0 ppg., 8.2 rpg.) take on Hapoel newcomer Chinanu Onuaku.
The Towers will not have it easy against Hapoel’s defense, which has allowed the fourth-fewest points in the competition (75.3 ppg.) this season. Hamburg’s attack is fourth-lowest in scoring with 79.8 points per game. Hamburg has committed the most turnovers in the competition, 17.3 per game, and Hapoel has made the second-fewest (12.0 per game). On Wednesday, turnovers could tell the story of this game.