VS

Prokom Trefl - Dynamo Moscow

predicted score

75-69

Pick: Prokom +5 @ 1.71 Bet365.com

Game preview:

Prokom Trefl and Dynamo Moscow will square off for the first time in their respective histories on Thursday for a Group A encounter in Sopot, Poland. Prokom (1-2) is coming off a 23-point drubbing at the hands of Olympiacos, but returns to Olivia Sport Hall, where it has won four straight. There were a few bright spots for coach Eugeniusz Kijewski's side in Greece, with shooter Donatas Slanina coming through with a season-high 19 points in 19 minutes, while point guard Justin Hamilton delivered 15 points. Dynamo trailed by 7 points midway through the fourth quarter last week against Climamio, but finished the game on a tear to improve to 2-1 this season. Playing without center Lazaros Papadopoulos, Dynamo found a go-to guy in forward Antonios Fotsis, who scored 26 points on 10-for-13 shooting and grabbed 8 rebounds. Dynamo enjoyed a bye-week in the Russian League, which allowed coach Dusan Ivkovic's squad some extra time to rest and to prepare for Prokom, although Papadopoulos remains out of action. That means that in addition to Fotsis, reserve centers Andrei Trushkin and Yuri Vasilyev will need to rise to the occasion. That won't be easy against one of the top centers in the competition, Huseyin Besok. Though injuries have limited his minutes, Besok has been his same dominant self on the court, averaging 10 points and 6 rebounds in just 19 minutes per game. Besok is joined by Tomas Masiulis, Adam Wojcik, Filip Dylewicz and Michael Andersen in a deep and versatile frontline that will try to wear Dynamo down. Bojan Popovic, Dmitry Domani and Travis Hansen form the spine of the Dynamo bakcourt. Playmaker Eddie Gill could be ready to take on an extended role after more time with the club and his presence would help, as Dynamo is ranked third-bottom in the league in assists (8.7 apg.). The Prokom starting backcourt of Rashid Atkins and Hamilton, backed by Christian Dalmau and Slanina, has been a responsible unit so far, helping the team commit only 33 turnovers all season, one more than the league's best. Prokom's guards will have to find the balance between attacking the basket and feeding the big guys to maximize the team's chances. It's nearly impossible to know what to expect from Dynamo with Papadopoulos a question mark and a pair of inexperienced big guys ready to step in, but this could be a defining moment in their career and one that all fans should see.

Betting analysis:

Dynamo will play without their key players L. Papadoupoulos and this will hurt them. Without him they will be forced to change their schemes in offense and defense and some players will be used more than they were used later. Sure Ivkovis is a great coach but Poland team home court is not a best place to make such experiments with team. Prokom is very tough to beat at home and today they will be better prepared for this game comparing to Dynamo. I think that this line is totally wrong - it should be at least equal one as for me and maybe Prokom could be a slight favorite (2-3 pts) to win this game. This will be correct which I would touch but current line is a must play for me because I simply can't see Dynamo winning comfortably in Poland without Lazar.

This game will be a close one until final whistle so we should prepare a bit more beer than we used to lighten our stress during a game :) And if seriuosly I expect Prokom to win this game by 4-7 points.

 VS

Partizan        Cibona

predicted score:

86-71

Pick: Partizan -5 @ 1.76 PinnacleSports 

Game preview:

Age-old rivals will meet with more than just bragging rights up for grabs when Partizan hosts Cibona Zagreb in Belgrade, Serbia, on Wednesday in Group B. Cibona (2-1) wants to keep pace with the group leaders, while Partizan (1-2)wants to join them. These teams have already met once this season domestically, with Cibona scoring an 84-62 home victory last month in Adriatic League action in which point guard Davor Kus and power forward Brent Wright had 14 points each for Cibona, while Kosta Perovic and Predrag Drobnjak had 15 and 14 points, respectively, for Partizan. Cibona is coming off a big Group B overtime victory against Unicaja in Belgrade. Kus and Jerry McCullough combined for 39 points in that one, while Wright added 16. Partizan, which took down Maccabi Tel Aviv in its only home game until now, was roughed up last week by Joventut in Badalona, 82-51. The inside duo of Perovic (10.3 ppg., 9 rpg.) and Drobnjak (18 ppg., 6.3 rpg. and 2.3 spg.) were again the lone bright spots for the Serbian champs. Partizan is still waiting for a break-out game from guard Uros Tripkovic, whose scoring touch could open up the floor for the rest of the Partizan attack. Cibona's top weapons have been on the perimeter, with Kus averaging 14.3 points and Chris Warren 13.7. The Croatian champs will need big men Marton Bader, Jurica Zuza, Marin Rozic and Wright to be ready on defense to stop Partizan's scoring towers, who are also fine free-throw shooters. Partizan playmaker Vonteego Cummings will hope to lead his team's young backcourt to better production. One telling matchup could be Tripkovic and Warren, either of whom who can put his team over the top with with a big night. In a rivalry like this one, past performances and statistics go out the window as the players come out charged with pride. With so many young players on these teams, that makes the game even more unpredictable. Whichever role players make an impact quickest will give their team a big advantage.

Key News:
Problems with injuries continue also in Cibona, which is to meet Partizan in the Euroleague during the week. There are three players questionable for the game.

The saga named Vedran Morović continues after the Saturday's game against Crvena zvezda. Although it looked he is finally ready after being sidelined to an injury and even spent ten minutes on the court, he sustained another injury during that short period of time, this time on the other leg. Besides him Marton Bader renewed the injury of his back while Brent Wright even didn't play having a haematoma.

Betting analysis:
Cibona trashed Partizan in Adriatic league 82-64 but that don't mean nothing because it's usual for Adriatic to blow opponents at home. I am absolutely sure that Partizan will remember about that loss in Croatia in Adriatic League and this will be additional factor for Partizan side. I don't know latest news about Cibona roster for this match but at least Wright injury looks like a seriuos and if he will miss this game I don't see any chances for Cibona today, and even with him Partizan looks much stronger and more stable team. One more factor why I think that Partizan should win confidently is that games vs adriatic teams in their Euroleague are very important for them if they want to reach Top16 because Cibona and Olimpija are main competitors in a fight for Top16 place. And both Cibona and Olimpija have important wins against Unicaja and Roma, as well as Partizan have against Maccabi so at this moment all teams have equal chances to qualify and Partizan should use Cibona's problem today to increase their promoting chances.

 VS  

Dynamo Moscow - Climamio Bologna

predicted score:

74 - 78

Pick: Climamio +9.5 @ 1.74 Bet365.com

Dynamo is not optimal at this moment, they don't show great defense and allowing about 74-76 points. Short unexperienced bench is a reason of poor offense which struggles sometimes and rarely score 80+ points.  Also Dynamo have Raicevic injured and he will not be available for this game, all other players are available but as I already wrote in my last week preview I don't think that Dymano bench quality is ready for Euroleague matches.

Climamio is also not in top form yet but this team looks better at this moment, they are gaining their form they had good game with Napoli, they lost in close match to Vidi-Vichi in derby. Belinelli is ready for this game and this will help italian team in offense. In general italian style is not comfortable for russian clubs because they are not used to play hard in defense and I expect Climamio to have a lot of open shots from 4-6 metres which they usually hit having such snipers as Mancinelli, Belinneli and Bluthental. Edney is also capable to show 20+ points performance in any game.

I expect Climamio to score about 74-78 points today and if Dynamo bench would not support their starting five Climamio will have good chance to steal a win. And I expect much closer game than betting line is set for this game.

 VS

Maccabi  - Roma

predicted score:

79-78

Pick: Roma >75.5 @ 1.85 SportingBet.com

Maccabi won against Hapoel Ierusalim in local championship and that was a sign of form gaining. But Euroleague level is much higher and without defense Maccabi will have really tough life here, Spahija knows hot to set defensive plays but seems that players he have are not used to play in defence and simply don't want to do this. They allowed 70+ points in all their games this year and I expect Roma to use this factor into their favor today.

Roma is not superb in offense. They are only 71.0 points in offense this year but I personally hold them a team which can score 75 points against any opponent. They have balanced roster with good shooting quards, forwards and centers. They fail to score 75 points only if they have one scoreless quarter when they score 8-10 points and this is only one reason why they fail to score 78-80 points in most of their games. Maccabi defence is not so tough to beat and game tempo will help Roma to score at least 75 points today and if they will be able to score more than 79 points they will have chances to win this game because they different from Maccabi knows what does defence means and don't forget that away win is something they need after losing to Olimpija last week.

 VS

Zalgiris - F.C.Barcelona

predicted score:

77-84

Pick: Barcelona (-1) @1.71 Bet365.com

Pick: Over 153 Bet365.com

I don't to spend my time to write about Zalgiris offense today (please read my last Euroleague picks to know more) but want to inform that Machado is ready for this game and seems that he is in good form after injury. He is not so active on penetration to basket but very dangerous at 3-point line. Add to him Penney, Popovic and you will get most dangerous shooting quards line in whole Euroleague. And with their killing 3 pointers Zalgiris still don't know how to score less than 74 points, while their average scoring ability is about 85 points. But defence... in their last game with Napoli italians had a lot of open shots and if they will score those easy points they will score more than 75 points for sure..

Barcelona looks better during last week especially in offense, seems that they have found their offense while they score 82.6 points in last 6 matches. In defence they allow about 67-74 points but I can't say that Barcelona is great in defense at this moment because with offensive teams they allow more than 75 points (99 points from Tau Ceramica, 94 from Estudiantes, 77 from Murcia).

I expect Barcelona defence to show up today and Zalgiris will have first seriuos trouble in offense, and I am not sure they will score 80 points today.. but 73-74 is something they must score in anyway and maybe more... But in defence Zalgiris will struggle against unique Barcelona offense. I expect Barcelona to use this weakness in Zalgiris... Navarro always show himself well in Kaunas and I expect Barcelona to score more than 82 points today, and because of their better defense they will win this game. And one more important factor I see here it's a coach... Unfortunately for lithuanians their coach is not yet ready for big games against such team as Barcelona... Dusko Ivanovic is better coach and knows how to change his team during a game... Better defense, better players, better bench, more experienced coach, and only home factor and good 3-point shooting is all that plays for Zalgiris. That's why I expect hard Barcelona win in today's match.