There are eight games on Tuesday, then two on Wednesday, including a repeat of last year's EuroLeague Semifinal
At a glance: Round 7 marks the start of another double-round week
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The latest double-round week takes flight on Tuesday and Wednesday, headlined by a rematch from last season’s Final Four. Let’s take a look ahead to the upcoming action in Round 7.
Tuesday, October 28
Zalgiris Kaunas vs. Virtus Bologna (19:00 CET)
Two of the six teams tied for second place will battle for another victory as Zalgiris (4-2) welcomes dangerous Virtus (4-2). The Lithuanian team bounced back into winning ways with an impressive road win at Barcelona last week, powered by the backcourt as Maodo Lo and Sylvain Francisco combined for 34 points and 9 assists. Another strength for Zalgiris is the rebounding power of Moses Wright, who averages 2.2 offensive boards per night. Virtus will be confident after winning three in a row, including a comfortable victory over Panathinaikos last time out, and will lean on former Zalgiris big man Alen Smailagic to compete hard in the paint. And Carsen Edwards will attempt to maintain his hot streak after averaging 27.3 points in the winning run.
Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade vs. LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne (19:00 CET)
Red-hot Zvezda (4-2) will attempt to extend its impressive four-game winning run against unpredictable ASVEL (2-4). A pair of do-it-all guards will take central roles, with Zvezda dynamo Codi Miller-McIntyre (14 points and 5.8 assists per night) going up against the EuroLeague’s all-time PIR leader Nando De Colo, who showed he can still dominate by combining 24 points with 5 assists to inspire last week’s win over Dubai. In the paint, Jordan Nwora has become a leading candidate for October’s MVP award by compiling an average PIR of 23.6, and his versatility will present a major challenge to ASVEL powerhouse Mbaye Ndiaye, who has averaged 10.5 points and 7.5 rebounds in the last two games.
FC Bayern Munich vs. Real Madrid (20:00 CET)
A return to winning ways is on the menu as Bayern (2-4) welcomes Real Madrid (3-3). Bayern has lost three of its last four due to a struggling offense which ranks last in the league with just 75.7 points per game, while Real is seeking a first road victory. Both teams need to improve their long-range accuracy, with the Spanish team ranked last in the league with 30.5% three-point shooting while Bayern is little better at 31.8%. The battle of the boards will be crucial, with Trey Lyles (5.0 rpg) and Chuma Okeke (4.8) helping make Real the third-best rebounding unit in the competition (38.2 per night), whereas the host has struggled in that category with an average of just 30.5 so needs Wenyen Gabriel to step up from his current 4.0 rebounds per night.
Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens vs. Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv (20:15 CET)
Maccabi (2-4) will attempt to claim a second straight high-profile scalp as it travels to inconsistent Panathinaikos (4-2). Last week’s dramatic win over Real Madrid, courtesy of Tamir Blatt’s late three-pointer, gave the Israeli team confidence in its ability to compete with anyone, and the visiting team will hope that sharpshooting Lonnie Walker stays hot after netting 27 points in that win. Panathinaikos needs to bounce back after losing at Virtus, where the silver lining was TJ Shorts finally looking comfortable in green by netting 15 points. Panathinaikos was heavily outrebounded last week so needs more from the likes of Omer Yurtseven (7.5 points and 3.8 rebounds per game), while Maccabi will look for another big physical effort from forward O’Shea Brissett after he scored 18 points in 38 minutes in the win over Real.
FC Barcelona vs. EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (20:30 CET)
A pair of teams in recovery mode meet at Palau Blaugrana with Barcelona (3-3) welcoming Milan (2-4). Barca has slipped down the standings with consecutive losses, struggling to find offensive production in last week’s home loss to Zalgiris despite 17 points from Joel Parra. Milan also lost its last game despite almost overturning a huge deficit against Valencia, and will be anxious to make a better start after allowing 54 first half points in that game. The Italian team will look for more leadership from former Barca guard Leandro Bolmaro, who delivered a career night last time out with 31 points. Against him, home team star Kevin Punter is looking for a similar scoring explosion after going 0-of-5 for three-pointers in the last two games.
Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz vs. Dubai Basketball (20:30 CET)
Two teams aiming to bounce back meet as winless Baskonia (0-6) aim to change that statistic with a visit from Dubai (4-2). Baskonia’s backcourt injury problems were somewhat offset by a decent debut from Kobi Simmons in last week’s loss at Zvezda, but he must to do more to support the consistent scoring of Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot (20 points per game). In the paint, Dubai boasts two of the league’s top rebounders in Filip Petrusev (7.3 boards per night) and Mfiondu Kabengele (6.7), so Baskonia’s Tadas Sedekerskis needs a return to form after only scoring 2 and 5 points in the last two games. Above all, the home team must tighten up defensively after allowing at least 86 points in every game for a league-high average of 96 per night.
Paris Basketball vs. Anadolu Efes Istanbul (20:45 CET)
Free-scoring Paris (4-2) is targeting another triumph as its welcomes struggling Efes (2-4). The game presents a shootout between two of the league’s deadliest long-range shooters, as Paris star Nadir Hifi leads the league with 3.7 three-point conversions per game while Efes legend Shane Larkin averages 15.3 points on 46.2% from beyond the arc. Efes needs to play for the full 40 minutes after running out of steam in the final quarters of home losses to Panathinaikos and Fenerbahce, and needs to be ready for Paris’s fast-paced style which has yielded more than 100 points in three of the last five games. Efes also need Rolands Smits (5.8 points and 3.2 rebounds per game) to step up in the paint against Momo Faye, who averages 8.5 rebounds in the last two games.
Valencia Basket vs. Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (21:00 CET)
Reigning champ Fenerbahce (3-3) faces a tough road trip to Valencia (3-3) in a real contrast of styles. The Spanish team's free-scoring offense struck treble figures for the third time this season to overcome Milan last week, whereas Fenerbahce demonstrated its ability to grind out tough wins by taking a low-scoring local derby against Efes. The Turkish team will look to control the tempo through the backcourt knowhow of Devon Hall and Wade Baldwin, while Valencia will look to push the pace through Darius Thompson (14.3 points and 4.5 assists per game). Both teams also possess big men who can stretch the floor, with Nate Reuvers averaging 10.5 points on 52.6% three-point shooting, and Bonzie Colson (9.5 points, 47.1% for three) doing the same job for a Fener team looking for a third straight win.
Wednesday, October 29
Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv vs. Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (19:00 CET)
Standings leader Hapoel (5-1) will aim for a fourth straight win as Partizan (3-3) targets a return to the win column. The Israeli team’s hot streak has been propelled by the excellence of Vasilije Micic, who netted 22 points on 8-of-9 field goal shooting in last week’s win over Monaco, and he will look to exploit the injury absence of Carlik Jones, with Partizan needing another strong performance from Duane Washington after he combined 16 points with 5 assists in the Round 6 loss to Paris. In the paint, Johnathan Motley showcased his mid-range shooting by netting 11 points in the final quarter of Hapoel’s win over Monaco, and the visiting team need to counter his physical prowess through Tyrique Jones (9 points and 5 rebounds per game).
Olympiacos Piraeus vs. AS Monaco (20:15 CET)
A repeat of last season's semifinal will see Olympiacos (4-2) target a third straight win with a visit from Monaco (3-3). The return to fitness of Thomas Walkup, Evan Fournier and Shaquielle McKissic has seriously strengthened the Reds’ backcourt options, with Walkup in particularly making a smooth return to action as he dished 8 assists in last week’s win at Bayern. Monaco has struggled for offensive output on the road, scoring just 77 and 73 points in recent losses at Hapoel and Virtus. Visiting coach (and Olympiacos legend) Vassilis Spanoulis needs Nikola Mirotic to perform at his very best against Sasha Vezenkov in a crucial battle between arguably the league’s best two power forwards, with Vezenkov averaging 19.2 points and 9.2 rebounds so far this season.