I don't like today's games because at least 2 of 5 games are nobet type for me (Partizan & Barcelona), while others 2 (Fenerbahce & Aris) are games where I don't know what to expect because all scenarios are possible there. So only one game is left and this is central game of the day where Maccabi hosts Real Madrid. Big game but I will try to explain my point of view. 

 

VS.

Maccabi Tel-Aviv vs. Real Madrid 

At the end of November Olympiacos already proved that they are much better team than Zalgiris when they controlled game and won by 16 points. Olympiacos was 13.5 pts favorite in that game,  today 2 months later they will meet the same opponnent but now they are only 5.5 favorites. The only seriuos reason for such Olympiacos understimation is their recent results and Macijauskas injury. By the way Olympiacos players before this game were not available for interviews and this talks a lot about their preparation for this game. Maybe they will have some surprises for Zalgiris and on of them could Macijauskas appereance in the game. As far as I know he was training with a team but felt back spasms so doctors decided to give him rest before the game with Real Madrid. Since then no new information was available from the club... So everything is possible here at least I would be suprised to see him playing today.

On other side we have Zalgiris.. I already wrote that I don't hold Zalgiris as a seriuos team. They are lucky to be here. Lucky from the work "luck". They always playing against injury troubled teams or against poor teams like Olimpija, Prokom or Virtus. They had only 2 games I respect against Tau at home and against Real in Top-16. But today I see them clear underdogs of this battle. Zukauskas is quiestionable for this game and even with him on the court it will be extremely hard to stop Tsakalidis-M.Jackson-Bouroussis trio under baskets. N'Diaye is good player but he grabs fouls very fast and against very powerful Oly centers he should appear in foul trouble very soon. Brown will be defended very hard today and as it often happens he could stay out of the game in such hot arenas like Pireus Peace and Friendship arena.

Crucial Group F encounter takes place on Thursday in Kaunas, Lithuania, as Zalgiris hosts Maccabi Elite Tel Aviv at the S. Darius and S Girenas Sport Center. The game could be a turning point for both teams following their Top 16 opening results. Zalgiris lost a hard-fought contest at Real Madrid 88-85 and cannot afford to drop another game, certainly not at home, if it plans to advance to the Quarterfinal Playoffs for the first time. Meanwhile Maccabi scored a tough 67-75 win at Olympiacos Piraeus and would become a clear favorite to advance to the quarters if it started 2-0 with both wins on the road.