Zalgiris
Zalgiris Kaunas (15-15) is currently only 11th in the standings after the last few games. After 3 consecutive losses, Kaunas will try to prove that they cannot be written off early and will aim to break their losing streak. 2 of the last 3 losses have come on the road against Anadolu Efes (62-89) and Fenerbahce Ulker (61-84). The last home game was against Milan Armani (64-69). Looking at the results of the last games, it is quite obvious that Zalgiris' main problem is a completely stagnant offense, which makes it extremely difficult to win against more capable teams.
With Artūras Milaknis out of the line-up, Zalgiris' offence has obviously weakened and although many basketball fans underestimate Milaknis' contribution to the team's game, it is clear that his importance to the team is high. Marius Grigonis was the only player on the team who maintained stability and took the initiative despite the games against strong opponents, although it was not enough to make a serious push.
However, it must be admitted that the defeats were against higher calibre teams, while on Thursday the team will face Tel Aviv Maccabi, who have never found their game this season. Although Zalgiris has lost to Maccabi by 28 points on the road this season, Zalgiris has won 4 of the last 5 meetings between the two teams. With such a big game and Maccabi playing for the honour of the game, we can expect Zalgiris to find a way to revitalise their offense and make the fans happy, while keeping their chances of fighting for a place in the playoffs.
Maccabi
Tel Aviv Maccabi (11-17) is currently only 14th in the standings, which is a real disappointment for a team that had high goals in the pre-season. This year's roster is really competitive, with a number of Europeans returning from the NBA, a core of players, including leader Scottie Wilbekin, as well as key players such as O. Hunter and T. Dorsey.
Tel Aviv Maccabi is one of the worst away teams in the EuroLeague, with just 4 wins in 14 away games. By far the most memorable win came on the road against Barcelona, who are in 1st place in the Euroleague standings. Maccabi has a rather unproductive away record, so when the opponents get into viscous, defensive basketball, this team is at its best, despite the fact that it has individually capable players who can run the fast break.
Maccabi should have a full squad for the game against Zalgiris, but considering how poor the team is away from home and the fact that this game is practically irrelevant for the team's Top 8 ranking, we shouldn't expect the team to suddenly transform itself and dramatically improve its game. Of course, this team should not be underestimated, because the players are individually very strong and can punish the opponents in almost all positions, but individual strength is not enough to win in the Euroleague, and this has been proven by many teams.
Forecast
The bookmakers' odds show Zalgiris as a slight favourite - 1.57 kof. to 2.35 for Maccabi. In other circumstances, a Maccabi victory would be worth a try, but given the huge importance of this match for Zalgiris, it is easy to see why Zalgiris is considered the favourite. Although Kaunas has had a bad run in the last few games, this team usually plays better than usual in important games, so it is to be expected that this game will be no exception.
Zalgiris Kaunas wins by more than 3.5 points, 1.9 kof., betsafe
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