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By: Nick Gibson / @euro_adventures

Barcelona’s defense held two opponents under 50 points this season.  And those games were on the road.

But neither Lietuvos Rytas nor Besiktas has what Group F has: Bobby Brown, PG, Montepaschi Siena. EL-leading scorer and chucker of many a shot.

Or will Olympiacos’ momentum return from this brief sabbatical in top shape?  And oh yeah; that yellow team from Israel.

ALSO: [Meet Euroleague Group E: Sonny In Moscow, With A Chance of Teodosic]

1. Maccabi Electra  Tel Aviv (1B): If you’re like me and enjoy well-played basketball, then you’re scouting eBay for one of those flashy light things from Men In Black (it’s a called a neuralyzer, and it can be yours for just over $400). It’s my only hope if I want to live in a world where Group B never existed.  For a flawed Maccabi team, it might help them shake the notion that their 8-2 record is slightly less than legitimate.

And oh my good God, look what I found.

2. Barcelona Regal (1D): For a second straight season, Barcelona couldn’t quite complete the undefeated regular season after CSKA Moscow took a ‘meaningless’ week ten match-up by three, 78-75.  Life’s rough.

3. Khimki Moscow Region (2A): With all the attention on Real Madrid, the family drama surrounding Panathinaikos and Fenerbahce’s futility, it was sort of easy to forget about Khimki Moscow, who had the sort of boring season coaches dream of.  Win all five at home and earn your lone road victory against the Greens. Zoran Planinic is right in the thick of the MVP discussion.

 

Which Euroleague Top 16 group is deeper?

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4. Olympiacos Piraeus (2C): As the few I told you so-ers were cracking their knuckles and rolling their necks in preparation for unadulterated assault on those still hung up on Olympiacos’ championship run after back-to-back embarrassing losses in weeks two and three and a squeaker against Cedevita in the fourth, the Reds boarded a plane bound for Milano.  They won by 18 there then took the next four by double digits, politely asking the naysayers to shut the hell up and enjoy the show.

5. Montepaschi Siena (3B): Bobby Brown.

6. Besiktas JK Istanbul (3D): Vladimir Dasic scored 37 points in eight Euroleague games this season.  Patrick Christopher put up 45 (25, 20) in weeks one and seven alone.  Probably not the sort of scoring duo they dreamt of in early October. But hey: here they are.

7. Fenerbahçe Ülker (4A): The yellow canaries were about as tough inside as the palm-sized, flying fluff balls for which they’re named. They sure picked a hell of a week to post their largest rebounding margin (+13) of the season, a finale against Cantu which ultimately scurried them along into Group F.

8. Caja Laboral Vitoria (4C): Not as easy to tolerate an abnormally intolerable level of crazed intensity when the team you’re yelling at is losing. I’m sure Dusko Ivanovic didn’t let the door hit him on the way out, because he probably punched it first.

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11 Responses

  1. Vaidas

    Superb article. I presume fearless predictions about the order after top16 is coming?

    About the poll. I think it depends on your definition of “deeper”. Is it more competitive (as in more leveled), or capable of higher quality basketball (through stronger and deeper-roster teams).

    • Slam

      With your poll question Vaidas I think it comes down to that Group E has more talent at the top but with overall depth and the weaker teams seem to be more talented in Group F. But for me if I was a team trying to advance, Group F has a lot shakier teams and would seem like an easier path to manage.

      • Nick Gibson

        For me, my answer to this poll is a reflection of the confidence I have in the teams that have and upped and downed their way to the Top 16.

        Is Maccabi the weakest Number One? Yes. But they’re offset by Olympiacos as the strongest two. Unicaja has question marks, but CSKA Moscow just beat the previously unbeatable and have been dragging people since midseason. So top of the heap will be top of the heap.

        But what about Siena? What about Besiktas? Me, I’d take Panathinaikos and—I know I’ll regret this—Anadolu Efes instead.

        And while Berlin is clearly the worst team left on the board, Bamberg will be able to carry the German torch, and is capable of upping their play against tougher comp.

        Fenerbahce and Caja Laboral are big names, but when you’re the worst rebounding team left in the tourney and then Caja, who is—what is Caja? Shallow? Slow? Disisnterested in defensive anything?—um, vulnerable in several areas, it’s tough to intimidate anyone.

        So that’s why I’d rather be in Group F if I were a team with playoff hopes. Group E gets my vote in the poll.

  2. Vince

    Olympiacos seems to be the going thing right now, but just what if Caja, yes Caja, continue the form they have been showing?

    • Slam

      I’m with Vince here. Watch your words on Caja Nick, they’ve won 7 in a row including ACB, this team might be a serious Playoff challenger. Everything is working now, let’s see what happens when they hit their next round of adversity.

  3. Vaidas

    Alba won in it’s national league against Brose 90-75. I wouldn’t say Brose is stronger.

    • Nick Gibson

      I know that the head-to-head didn’t go Bamberg’s way, but I’ve seen some degree of evolution from Bamberg, and people are out-performing expectations—Gavel, Zirbes, even Goldsberry considering the severity of his injury—and Brose is starting to come together, while Alba Berlin just lost their PG, most unselfish, and experienced Euroleaguer in Vule Avdalovic. He provided balance next to Wood and Schaffartzik. Bottom line: I think Bamberg can beat some better teams. Berlin will be lucky to.

      Nihad Dhedovic needs to step up and run the show responsibly at times, like he proved he could do with Bosnia and Herzegovina in Lithuania two summers ago.

  4. Cos

    There’s more competition in group E for a place in the top-16 for sure. Alba and Bamberg are as good as out and they’ll be lucky to get two wins each if any….
    In group F, anyone can lose to anyone on a bad day maybe with the exception of Barcelona.
    I picked group E just because I think its going to come down to the matches the first 6 play between each other

  5. Vaidas

    Is it just a coincidence that Raptors without Bargnani won 3rd straight game?

    • Vince

      Italy team looked better without him too in qualifiers with Gallinari and company leading the way