Žalgiris

Žalgiris (15-12) will step into the second match of the EuroLeague double week after a home victory against the Lyon Asvel team. By achieving a victory against the French club, Žalgiris ended their 5-game winning streak in the EuroLeague and proved that they are a tough team to beat at home, even for well-performing and very dangerous opponents. In this match, Žalgiris was once again led to victory by Marius Grigonis, who scored 21 points and made 8 out of 12 shots. Interestingly, J. Lauvergne, who usually struggles against strong centers, played a very solid game against M. Fall, contributing 18 points and 6 rebounds to the victory.

This season, Kauno Žalgiris has won 8 games and lost 5 at home, currently holding a 7-game home winning streak. The first meeting with the Milan team was played away, and Žalgiris lost 92-98. Although the match was competitive, the second quarter, which Žalgiris lost 15-31, significantly hindered their chances of winning. Therefore, in this home match, one of the most important factors will undoubtedly be to avoid big runs, after which a team as individually talented as AX Armani can become unreachable.

Since Z. LeDay, who was simply unstoppable in the first meeting of these teams, will not play in this match, Žalgiris should have more opportunities under the opponent's basket. J. Lauvergne should have an advantage both against K. Tarcewski, who is clearly not in the best physical shape, and against K. Hines. Utilizing strength under the basket, Žalgiris would have more ways to win this match.

AX Armani

AX Armani (17-10) is currently ranked 5th in the standings, but only one win ahead of the 8th place Zenit team. This season, the Milan team is characterized by versatility and significantly reduced individualism compared to previous seasons. This year, the team plays smart, team-oriented basketball, utilizing created advantages and maintaining a high game pace. Key players for the team this season include M. Delaney, Z. LeDay, K. Punter, Sh. Shields, K. Hines, L. Datome, and S. Rodriguez. Two of them will miss today's game: M. Delaney will return to the court only during the playoffs if the team qualifies, and Z. LeDay should return soon.

The Milan team has recently struggled in away games – losing 69-78 to Lyon Asvel and 70-79 to St. Petersburg Zenit. The fact that both of these teams are known for their exceptionally good defense, but for a team as individually strong as AX Armani, not scoring more than 70 points in two consecutive games is not a good sign. Possibly, the injuries of key players contributed to this poorer series, but since those players will not be available today, others will have to compensate for their absence.

Prediction

An intriguing basketball spectacle for a good Friday evening – the best description for this match. One can speculate which team has stronger players, which demonstrates better team play, and many other things, but the fact is – the winner of this match will be determined by small details. The increasingly positive play of Žalgiris and the questionable form of the AX Armani team suggest that Žalgiris definitely has good chances to extend their home winning streak, and the given 2.05 odds seem a bit too high, so there is value here.