Tel Aviv Maccabi is currently 4th in the standings with 9 wins after 13 rounds. Meanwhile, Zenit and Zalgiris Kaunas share the last 2 positions, with 3 wins and 10 losses. Just when Zenit seemed to be getting into better shape, one of Zenit's key players, M. Ponitka, suffered an injury in the match against Lyon-Villeurbanne Asvel. It is not clear when this player will be back on the court, so the team will face some serious challenges.
The situation is completely different for Tel Aviv Maccabi. Few expected Maccabi to get off to such a good start, but the team's game is very efficient and eye-catching. The fast-paced team has now won 3 in a row, including the last game against CSKA (90-80) at home.
Zenit ST Petersburg
To start with, although this team was not promised the top position in the tournament, almost nobody expected that one of the strongest Russian teams would be in last place in the standings after 13 rounds. A team with well-known players in Europe such as Gustavo Ayon, Mateusz Ponitka, Will Thomas, Andrew Albicy, Alex Renfroe and others has not yet lived up to expectations. A few rounds ago, there were rumours of a possible sacking of Plaza, but the Spaniard is still at the helm of the team. If the situation does not improve and the game does not improve, in a few more rounds it is a real possibility that we will see a different strategist at the helm.
Zenith The team ranks 16th out of 18 teams in points scored, averaging 74 per game. Zenit's poor offensive performance is also reflected in the fact that they shoot just 33% three-pointers per game, which is only 15th in the league and second to last in the league "True Shooting %" in statistical category.
Zenit leaders:
Gustavo Ayon - 13.1 points on average The center, who has 5.7 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game, is the team's undisputed leader. The Mexican, who is best remembered for his good play for Real Madrid, has had various health problems during the season and has missed a few games due to injuries, but overall he is in really good shape, so slowing down this player is one of the main tasks if we want to win against Zenit.
Mateusz Ponitka - 10.2 points, 4.2 rebounds 1.3 res. pass. These are the stats of one of Poland's most talented players who joined Saint Petersburg in the off-season. Ponitka was a key player in the game against Zalgiris, where he practically closed the game alone. Ponitka will not play in Tuesday's game against Maccabi, which is a huge loss for Zenit.
Will Thomas - 9.3 points, 4.5 rebounds 1.5 res. pass. These are the stats of the forward who represented Valencia for three seasons before joining Zenit. His integration into the team has been quite smooth, but his three-point shooting is a bit worrying compared to last season (43.5%). Thomas is hitting just 28% from 3-point range this season, and in an even stronger EuroLeague, better long-range shooting is a must if you want to win games.
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Maccabi Tel Aviv
Like Zenit, Maccabi is defying the predictions, but on the bright side. The Israeli team is currently in 4th place in a much strengthened Euroleague standings, behind only Anadolu Efes, Real Madrid and Barcelona, who are having an impressive season. Maccabi, who played in the last round without two key players (Di Bartolomeo and Tarik Black), managed to come back and beat one of the tournament favourites, CSKA, by double digits. Maccabi is playing fast, efficient, but at the same time team-based basketball, which is really interesting to watch.
Tel Aviv The team ranks first in many statistical categories. Maccabi ranks 3rd in points scored (86 points), 4th in rebounds per game (36.62), 1st in the league in steals (8.54 per game), and 2nd in two-point shooting (57.46 %).
Maccabi Tel Aviv leaders:
Scottie Wilbekin - 16.8 points, 1.9 rebounds and 3.2 assists These are the stats of one of the most efficient players in the tournament. Wilbekin is definitely one of the most surprising players this season. The 48.5% guard can take the lead at any time from three-point range, but he plays as a team and sticks to the game plan, which leads to good team results.
Othello Hunter - A centre-forward with 10 points and 6 rebounds per game is also a key factor in achieving good results. With Black out of the line-up, Othello Hunter was the player who, together with Wilbekin, was the one who punished CSKA. 20 points and 7 rebounds against CSKA is a really good result. It is not clear if Black will play on Tuesday, but in any case Hunter's form looks great and his importance is undoubted.
Nate Wolters - 9 points, 2 rebounds and 3 assists These are the stats of the guard who represented Zalgiris last season. Unlike last season, this year Walters has practically no health problems and has missed only 1 game in 13 rounds. Injuries and poor health were the main reasons why Zalgiris was not able to show its full potential, so this year Wolters looks really solid and is having a good season.
Forecast
Although the line-ups of both teams are not yet 100% clear, as both teams are dealing with mini-injuries, Maccabi seems to be on a different level during the part of the season they have played. Of course, it will be tougher away than at home, but with one of Zenit's most important players, Ponitka, out of the line-up, it's hard to imagine the Russians putting up a serious challenge against one of the best teams in the tournament. Maccabi's offense is hard to stop, so Zenit will have to show near-perfect scoring and ideal defense to win the game, which is hard to believe.
Maccabi Tel Aviv, -5.5 1.9 kof, betsafe
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