Turkish Airlines EuroLeague gets up - Round 16

The second half of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season gets up and running this week with a series of tantalizing showdowns in Round 16. 

Today`s matches (04.01.2018)

Panathinaikos Superfoods Athens vs Anadolu Efes Istanbul

Panathinaikos will look to remain undefeated at home when it hosts an Efes side that is trying to mount a second-half charge following a coaching change and roster shakeup. The Greens should be back at full strength with playmaker and team leader Nick Calathes in uniform. Now back in form after missing the start of the season, Derrick Brown is also a game change for Efes. 

Unicaja Malaga vs Valencia Basket

Unicaja welcomes Valencia Basket. This will be just the second time these two teams meet in the EuroLeague; Valencia won in the first leg 91-53 at home. This week, Unicaja won at home 74-67 in domestic competition. The hosts are currently riding a four-game winning streak while Valencia finally broke a spell that lasted for 10 games in the EuroLeague and is back to the winning path.After a few injury problems, Valencia is recovering players little by little and getting back to form. Unicaja will try to stay on the winning path at home.

FC Barcelona Lassa vs CSKA Moscow

FC Barcelona Lassa welcomes the team at the top of the standings, CSKA Moscow. This will be the 22nd time both teams meet in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, with the Russian squad currently leading their series 8-13.  Barcelona only has a tiny advantage under the glass going into the game, so the team will have to rely on its home crowd and also the new gained confidence after the important win at Khimki. The long trip could affect CSKA but the leaders will look to stay on the winning path to stomp their way towards the playoffs.

Tomorrow`s matches (05.01.2018)

Fenerbahce Dogus Istanbul vs Baskonia Vitoria Gasteiz

The defending champs welcome 2018 with a home showdown as Fenerbahce Dogus Istanbul welcomes Baskonia Vitoria Gasteiz for Round 16. This will be the 21st time that both teams face each other in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, with Baskonia dominating the series, 7-13.  Both teams will write a new chapter in this rivalry with the goal of starting 2018 in a positive way to stay in the leading group of the regular season.

Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade vs Zalgiris Kaunas

The hottest team in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague visits one of the toughest home courts in the competition when Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade welcomes Zalgiris Kaunas to Aleksandar Nikolic Hall. The two sides met in the opening round of the season and Zalgiris held on for 78-76 decision, but now arrives to the Serbian capital on a five-game winning streak, tied for the club’s longest in the EuroLeague this century. The hosts, on the other hand, have won four of their last six games.  LET`S GO RED STAR!

 Brose Bamberg vs Khimki Moscow Region

Two teams looking to snap recent slides meet on Friday when Brose Bamberg hosts Khimki Moscow Region. The German champs have dropped three straight games and Khimki has lost two in a row. When they last met in November, Khimki won 82-73 behind 26 points from Alexey Shved.

Olympiacos Piraeus vs AX Armani Exchange Olimpia Milan

In a duel between two teams from opposite ends of the standings, second-place Olympiacos hosts last place AX Milan on Friday. Despite the significant differences in their records, the Reds worked hard to edge Milan 85-86 earlier this season with former Milan big man Jamel McLean leading the way with 22 points. McLean has been hot as of late for an Olympiacos squad that has been without big men Georgios Printezis and Nikola Milutinov. Milan will need to be at its best, but with Olympiacos’s injuries, the door may be open for the upset.

Real Madrid vs Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv

Round 16 comes to an end in the Spanish capital, where Real Madrid hosts longtime rival Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv. Madrid is back in top form after winning four in a row thanks to Round 15 MVP Luka Doncic. Maccabi has dropped three of its last four, though the lone victory in that stretch was over the reigning champion, Fenerbahce Dogus Istanbul. the visitors may have trouble matching the Madrid attack.