Euroleague
Euroleague Top-16. Week 2 Picks. Thursday
We got 2 wins of 2 Euroleague picks yesterday, but could 3 of 3 if CSKA pick would be official. But grandmother would be grandfather if she she would have somenthing :) More important that we managed to choose 3 most logical games from yesterday games.
Tonight we have much more difficult task. We have only 2 games but we have to predict how games will develop to choose a pick. After some analysis I decided that only one game could be well enough readed and it has qualified for a pick.
Galatasaray - Olympiacos
The big battle between Greece and Turkey will take place in Istanbul this evening. I see both teams on the same level if we talk about roster strength however bookies see Olympiacos as better side. I have to agree with this because of one reason. Olympiacos has Spanoulis who can decide games while Galatasaray doesn't have such player. Also Olympiacos experience on this level could be deciding factor too. But is it enough to back Olympiacos here? Well, I think that it would be more fair to get -1 or +1.5 on Galatasaray here and we can talk about small advantage over the line here. But this is only for low stakes and it is more looking like an attempt to find more correct side of line than confident position. And this is the reason why I decided to skip Olympiacos handicap bet.
As for the total I expect clearly slow paced match here and defense should be a deciding factor here. Both teams know how to defend and I see this game in 133-146 points range. More than enough to take under here because my line for total is 139.5 (7 points lower than bookies one).
Pick: Under 146.5 @ 1.91 4/10 Bet365
Maccabi - Barcelona
Two classic Turkish Airlines Euroleague powerhouses will fight for first place in Top 16 Group H in Tel Aviv, Israel, where Maccabi Electra hosts FC Barcelona Regal in the Game of the Week on Thursday. Barcelona is the best defensive team in the competition (59.9 ppg.) but Maccabi has scored more than 80 points six times in 11 Euroleague games this season. Both teams face off for the 30th time in European club competitions. Barcelona has a 17-12 record against Maccabi and has beaten the Israeli giant in their last four matchups. It will be a very special game for Chuck Eidson, who played for Maccabi in the last two seasons and now returns to Tel Aviv with Barcelona.
It is hard to predict how this game will develop. Barcelona right now is in some kind of form lapse before the King's cup in February and Navarro is still far from his best conditions. This is a big chance for Maccabi to get a very important win in terms of playoff qualification. But will Maccabi manage to play their best game against Barcelona defense? This is a question I can't answer and that's why I decided to skip this match. Everything could happen here but I will be on Maccabi side tonight in front of my TV.
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