This article is part of our EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge Picks series.
Round 13 is the last Round that will be played before unlimited trades become available, so we can set aside long-term strategy for the next couple days. We just need to focus on the games played Thursday and Friday and nothing more. This makes things a little easier when sifting through the options.
If you have any questions or comments about strategy or the picks below, feel free to drop those at the bottom of this article or reach out via @RotoWireEuro.
And here are your players!
Guard
Mike James, AS Monaco (16.7 credits)
In his last game against Partizan, James had everything except high shooting percentages (8 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 steals, 4/15 shooting from the field). The next game against Zalgiris might be a favorable matchup for him. Zalgiris' guard rotation is extremely short, which may not be enough to stop James all game long.
Shane Larkin, Anadolu Efes Istanbul (16.2 credits)
Heading into Round 13 there are eight Efes players officially out. What is left will be used a lot to deliver the win in Berlin. In the last game, we saw a lot of Efes players who used to play fewer minutes getting a lot of playing time, such as Tyrique Jones, Ercan Osmani, Justus Hollatz and Erten Gazi. Furthermore, Erkan Yilmaz got hurt last game and will miss for quite some time, leaving the team extremely shorthanded. Larkin will play as many minutes as he can and will have to carry the team on his shoulders, something he excels at.
Daniel Hackett, Virtus Segafredo Bologna (9.4 credits)
Three Rounds ago, Hackett's minutes got a boost, and his stats followed suit. He is attempting a few additional shots since then, leveling up his rebound and assist numbers, recording a 16.7 PIR over the last 3 games. Playing against a team that is famous for its offense but not defense (Maccabi) in round 13 may be a nice matchup for Hackett. He could be a good replacement for Isaiah Canaan, who is becoming a little risky with Shaquielle McKissic working back into the rotation.
Edwin Jackson, LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne (4.3 credits)
Jackson has increased minutes and his shot attempts doubled over the last 3 games compared to his season averages, resulting in games of 7, 6, and 8 PIR. A red flag, and quite a big one, is the tough schedule over the next 5 games (Valencia, Panathinaikos, Milan, Olympiacos, Real). At the end of the day, he only costs 4.3 credits, and if we expect him to continue playing 20 minutes per game, he's worth considering for your fantasy team.
Forward
Tornike Shengelia, Virtus Segafredo Bologna (15.6 credits)
Shengelia is no longer delivering huge games (30ish PIR) as we saw multiple times in the first 6 games of this EuroLeague season. However, he is consistently recording his usual numbers. Over the last 3 rounds, he generated 17.0 PIR, which aligns with his value (15.6 credits). So, he is playing as per his value.
Shavon Shields, EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (14.3 credits)
With Nikola Mirotic out again, it's quite obvious that Shields will remain the primary option on the offensive end for Milan. His shooting form is up, and Milan will play a Partizan team that is great on offense but not so much on the other end.
Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne (11.7 credits)
ASVEL will play against Valencia, who doesn't defend SFs too well. Luwawu-Cabarrot's stats over the last 3 games: 30+ minutes, 19.7 points, 15.0 shot attempts, 45/35/92% shooting splits, 3.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.3 steals, 4.3 fouls drawn, 18.7 PIR. Please monitor his status closely; he stepped on the foot of an opponent while landing his foot uncomfortably when attempting a three-point shot last game. Apart from that, he is a good pick.
P.J. Dozier, Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (11.1 credits)
One of the hottest players right now in terms of trending up stats. Since Aleksa Avramovic broke his nose, Dozier has received more minutes and more shot attempts, and in addition he distributed more assists over the last handful of Rounds. Avramovic is back, but Dozier continues his momentum and keeps delivering great games statistically, recording 21.0 PIR per game over the last 3 games. During this span of time, he managed to increase his value from 10.1 to 11.1 credits. Red flags: he was reported as dealing with an injury, so it's possible he is playing through that. Missing the domestic league game last Saturday even strengthens the guess that he may actually have an injury. The next opponent is the Mirotic-less Milan.
Danielius Lavrinovicius, Zalgiris Kaunas (4.1 credits)
If you are looking for a forward around the minimum price, Lavrinovicius is one of the best picks. His teammate Brady Manek is injured, which shifts some minutes to Lavrinovicius, who can shoot from a distance and is also good at rebounding. A nice pick at this price, and we know that at most, he could decrease our budget by 0.1 credits, as 4.0 is the lowest price possible in the EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge.
Center
Bruno Caboclo, Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (13.0 credits)
Frank Kaminsky didn't play last Round and will miss another one. Caboclo was widely expected to have big playing time, but he had only 18 minutes last game vs. Monaco because he got in foul trouble and eventually fouled out. Partizan will play against Milan next; do we believe he can manage to play 25+ minutes?
Johannes Thiemann, ALBA Berlin (11.8 credits)
I am writing probably the same thing again and again, Round after Round, but he is still a player worth picking. He costs 11.8 credits but generated 14.3 credits over the last three rounds. In other words, he slightly outperforms his value. He had a little dip in playing time in Rounds 10 and 11 but got back to his usual minutes in Round 12 against Zalgiris.
Tyrique Jones, Anadolu Efes Istanbul (11.7 credits)
Jones had an unfortunate situation for the team but favorable for himself (a lot of injured players) and took advantage of that by playing his EuroLeague career game against Panathinaikos (35 PIR). It seems like Efes continues to miss a lot of players across all positions, meaning another high minutes game for Jones, which he might use to deliver another good game playing against ALBA.
Head Coach
Erdem Can, Anadolu Efes Istanbul (6.0 credits)
Efes is facing the tied-worst record opponent in the league - ALBA (2W-10L). While Efes is thin in roster depth, their recent win showcased their ability to perform. With top-class players like Larkin, Thompson (despite struggling), and Jones in good form, they have potential. Additionally, ALBA has its own lengthy list of injuries.
Zeljko Obradovic, Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (7.1 credits)
Partizan has won the last two games (against Panathinaikos and Monaco), and with Punter back in the roster, they are set to have a good game at home against a Mirotic-less Milan.
Drop Candidates
Mathias Lessort, Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens (16.1 credits)
Panathinaikos faces Real Madrid in round 13, a team known for having one of the best defense in the league. Lessort is a great player, but the matchup against a strong defense makes him a risky pick, especially with other excellent centers available from other teams.
Serge Ibaka, FC Bayern Munich (15.5 credits)
While Ibaka has shown impressive performance with high minutes, good averages, and solid percentages, the upcoming challenges against Olympiacos and Real, both strong defensively, make him a 50/50 pick. Considering these challenges, dropping him for the next two rounds might be a prudent move.
Isaiah Canaan, Olympiacos Piraeus (8.8 credits)
With McKissic playing decent minutes and impacting Canaan's playing time, Canaan becomes a risky pick. Considering other players who are more likely to play 20+ minutes, such as Hackett and Nick Weiler-Babb, might be a good move.
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