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By: Slam

Last Week: 7-5 Overall Record: 13-12

We have some undefeated match-ups and some teams trying to grab their 1st win this week in the Euroleague.  Montepaschi Siena is going into Istanbul to battle Fenerbahce Ulker in an undefeated clash and is the must watch game of the week.  Permanent Final Four participant CSKA Moscow is 0-3 and will have to play a perfect game to stop the scorching hot Union Olimpija.  Please enjoy the picks.

Wednesday’s Games

CSKA Moscow vs. Union Olimpija

This is a battle of Group D’s 1st and last place team.  You wouldn’t think CSKA would be in this spot, fighting for their Top 16 lives, but they are.  Union is 1 of 3 undefeated teams left after going into Athens and beating Panathinaikos last week.  With their backs against the wall and a season to fight for, CSKA will come through here.  Trajan Langdon has been to too many Final Fours and won too many high pressure games to not come through in this situation.  Expect Langdon to have some good shooting numbers and for the game to stay relatively low scoring if CSKA wants to pull the upset at home.  I can’t believe I just said that.  CSKA Moscow

Fenerbahce Ulker vs. Montepaschi Siena

This might be the best game of the Euroleague season so far as we have two 3-0 teams going at it in Turkey.  Roko Ukic and Bo McCalebb will be battling for European point guard supremacy has each team looks to gain 1st place in Group C.  Behind a ramped up home crowd FB Ulker will be shooting for the magic number of 80 points to try and get by Siena.  No team has gotten there yet this season and I see it staying that way through another week.  Montepaschi Siena

Olympiacos vs. Spirou Charleroi

Olympiacos is coming off an absolute thrashing of Unicaja with their youngster Kostas Papanikaleau putting on an offensive showcase in the win.  Spirou dropped to 0-3 last week with a lose to Brose Baskets, I think you can see where this one is going.  Olympiacos

Asseco Prokom vs. Partizan

Prokom hasn’t been able to win a game this year, but this might be one of their best opportunities with Partizan coming to their house.  JR Giddens has played progressively worse in every game since putting up 20-10 in his 1st Euroleague outing.  If he can get on track then Asseco should take care of Partizan team that usually has some hiccups on the road.  Asseco Prokom

Caja Laboral vs. Zalgiris

Caja suffered their 1st loss of the season at BC Khimki last week while Zalgiris pulled out an OT thriller over Asseco Prokom.  Both teams are tied at 2-1 in the logjam that is the top of Group A.  Caja had scored 94 and 80 points in their 2 games before last week, meaning look for Fernando San Emeterio and crew to get back on track at home.  The key to the game for Caja usually is how effective can Marcelo Huertes run the offense and get everyone involved, if he can do that Caja should win big.  Caja Laboral

Unicaja vs. Virtus Roma

No Terrel McIntyre is a real blow to Unicaja, but it will not stop them in their quest for their 1st win.  The young prospect Rafa Friere will have to step up and run an offense that so far this season has been below average.  The key for Friere is to get both Joel Freeland and Robert Archibald on track in the same game, Roma will have no match for them in the post if they do.  Unicaja

Thursday’s Games

BC Khimki vs. Maccabi Electra

Khimki has 2 wins at home and 1 loss on the road, this game is at home.  Kieth Langford is 3rd in the Euroleague in scoring (Slam’s pick to lead the league) and really hasn’t had anyone stop him yet.  Chuck Eidson will look to go blow for blow in what should be one of the best and highest scoring contests of the week.  Late in the game the home crowd will be too much for Maccabi.  BC Khimki

Cibona Zagreb vs. Cholet Basket

Cibona got beat up by 23 points last week against Siena, but Cholet should be a much easier foe.  Leon Radosevic and Bojan Bogdanovic had been stars before last week and trip back home should cure their scoring blues.  Look for Bojan to put in more than 20 and Cibona to play much, much better this week.  Cibona Zagreb

Real Madrid vs. Brose Baskets

It is a real tribute to Madrid that they beat Roma last week by 18.  Sergio Rodriguez finally looks totally comfortable in Ettore Messina’s offense and now he can spread the ball around as he pleases.  Look for some 10 plus assist games in the future to go along with a great pick and roll tandem forming between him and Ante Tomic.  Real Madrid

Regal FC Barcelona vs Lietuvos Rytas

Barcelona does not lose 2 weeks in a row, they just don’t.  I said last week that FB Ulker was a potential upset game and it was.  That might have been the game that lights a new fire under Barcelona and if it does look out.  Barcelona

Valencia vs. AJ Milano

Valencia finally got Nando de Colo and Jeremy Richardson back last week to add much needed scoring to their offense.  De Colo will need to find his jumper, but once he does he should be one of the better scorers in the Euroleague.  Milano is still waiting for Oleksiy Pecherov to get back and until he does the point guards Mo Finley and Ibby Jaaber are going to have to carry Milano on offense.  Valencia has the more balanced team right now.  Valencia

Panathinaikos vs. Efes Pilsen

Both of these teams only blemish is OT loses to Union.  This could turn into an offensive duel with so many talented players on the court, including Euroleague leading scorer Igor Rakocevic.  Here at ELA we were clamoring all last season that Igor needed more touches and shots to be effective and lead this team, well bam now he’s rolling.  Romain Sato and Dimitris Diamantidis will have the unfortunate task of trying to shut him down, but they are 2 of the best defenders around.  Panathinaikos