EuroLeague Primer: Round 15 - Tuesday

EuroLeague Primer: Round 15 - Tuesday

This article is part of our EuroLeague Primer series.

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THE SLATE

Bitci Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz at Anadolu Efes Istanbul

Status Check: Rokas Giedraitis (BKN), Alec Peters (BKN), Chris Singleton (EFS), Dogus Balbay (EFS)

Best Bets for Success: The double-game week should get off to an entertaining start, as the over/under on this game is quite a bit higher than the next four on the slate. Five players on the visiting team have been doing nearly all the damage for Baskonia since they swapped head coaches, and with Giedraitis banged up, the two most promising prospects on their side are Steven Enoch and Simone Fontecchio -- neither of who are particularly pricy on DraftKings. Enoch was as productive as any player in the league over the past month, averaging 16.7 points and 8.0 rebounds over six games, and Fontecchio will face an Efes defense that ranks bottom-5 in the league against opposing forwards in four separate counting stats and in field goal attempts allowed. Shane Larkin and Vasilije Micic will be the top options for Efes like they almost always are, but at least for one Round they will be joined by Rodrigue Beaubois, who has been too good not to include here. Larkin has topped the 24-point mark on DraftKings in five straight appearances, and Beaubois has done so four times in the same span. Micic has not been as consistent, but he did top 40 points on DraftKings two times in the past six Rounds. If this contest is as high-scoring as expected, all three will have a chance to remain on a roll.

DFS Darlings: With Baskonia getting the bulk of its production from its top players, there hasn't been much left over for everyone else. However, given how Efes has fared against forwards, Tadas Sedekerskis is worth considering -- particularly if Giedraitis sits. Matt Costello would also be worth a look in the same scenario. Neither player checks in above $6,900 on DraftKings. While Efes has been leaning on its guards, some of their frontcourt players could be sneaky plays Tuesday, as the Spanish squad has had a lot of issues with players at this spots. They have particularly struggled against forwards, which bodes particularly well for Adrien Moerman.

Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv at Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul

Status Check: Jalen Reynolds (MTA), Roman Sorkin (MTA), Marko Guduric (FBB), Achille Polonara (FBB), Marial Shayok (FBB), Danilo Barthel (FBB)

Best Bets for Success: The next game up features two teams going in opposite directions, as Maccabi has dropped four straight games and Fenerbahce picked up the win in each of the past two Rounds. Fenerbache's first winning streak of the season has been fueled mainly by three players: Jan Vesely, Nando de Colo and Pierria Henry, who all averaged at least 29.4 fantasy points over the last four Rounds. The guards have an edge in the matchup department, as Maccabi has been allowing backcourt players to both get up and make plenty of shots while containing centers fairly well. However, should both Polonara and Reynolds sit out, Vesely's prospects would get a nice boost. While Maccabi has hit a rough patch, Scottie Wilbekin has been doing his best to keep the ship afloat, averaging 15.0 points, 2.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.3 steals and 3.0 threes during the losing streak -- a stretch does not include his 37-point outburst in Round 10. Wilbekin dropped a double-double last time he stepped in Fenerbahce's gym, but on that night he did not have to contend with Henry, who limited him to an average of 7.0 ppg over their two matchups last season.

DFS Darlings: Maccabi's frontcourt has slumped a bit in recent Rounds, which probably does not come as a surprise given the results. However, James Nunnally and Derrick Williams will both be in prime position to get back on track, as Fenerbahce ranks bottom-5 against opposing forwards in all six counting stats as well as field goal attempts allowed. With that matchup, Oz Blayzer could be worth a dart throw at $5,000 if Reynolds is out. Guduric should return after being granted parental leave in Round 14, and he has some appeal on DraftKings at $7,500. Devin Booker will be worth a look if Polonara is sidelined, and Dyshawn Pierre will only have to repeat last week's showing to reurn 3x value at $7,000. 

FC Barcelona at Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade

Status Check: Nick Calathes (BAR), Cory Higgins (BAR), Alex Abrines (BAR), Ognjen Kuzmic (CZV), Ognjen Dobric (CZV), Aaron White (CZV), Marko Simonovic (CZV)

Best Bets for Success: This game will pit an unstoppable force against an immovable object, as a Barcelona team leading the league in points takes on a Red Star squad allowing the fewest of them. The visitors will again be without their top two guards, but they just won an El Clasico matchup without them and sit alone in first place, so they are still the favorites in the oddsmakers' eyes. That's probably because they will have Nikola Mirotic, who has been the best player in the league thus far. Mirotic will have the matchup in his favor in this one, and the game is at least expected to be relatively close, so it seems likely he will see a full allotment of minutes. Four different players on the Red Star roster led their squad in fantasy points over the past five Rounds, so it's not easy to identify their top option like it is for Barcelona. Nikola Kalinic and Nate Wolters have been the Serbian squad's best two players, though, so they are least the safest bets. Kalinic had one of the best games his career his last time out, and Wolters will take on a defense allowing opposing guards to get up a lot of shots.

DFS Darlings: Barcelona's backcourt has held its own without its top two options, but they will face a tough test Tuesday, as Red Star is ceding the fewest points and field goal attempts to opposing guards and also ranks top-5 against them in rebounds and threes. As such, we'll look to Barcelona's frontcourt again and mention Brandon Davies, who remains an affordable $8,100 on DraftKings. It's tough to find a lot to like on the Red Star side, but there could be some opportunities available on their side if either or both of the Ognjens are sidelined. Austin Hollins is the best bet to fill in if Dobric is out, and Luka Mitrovic would be the same if Kuzmic sits. The over/under on this game is far lower than the others, so be cautious not to load up too much in your lineups.

Panathinaikos OPAP Athens at AX Armani Exchange Milan

Status Check: Nemanja Nedovic (PAO), Jehyve Floyd (PAO), Konstantinos Mitoglou (AXM), Riccardo Moraschini (AXM)

Best Bets for Success: The next game up is not expected to be particularly high-scoring, either, but don't let that dissuade you from considering both of Panathinaikos' top options, Daryl Macon and Georgios Papagiannis. The Greek team will be without the same players that sat out that Round, and in that contest both Macon and Papagiannis fell just shy of the 40-point mark on DraftKings. Milan is faring quite well against guards, but Macon has assumed more playmaking duties in recent Rounds, and he is now a threat in both the points and assists columns. Papagiannis averaged a stellar 15.3 points, 10.7 rebounds and 3.3 blocks over the last three Rounds, and he's a good bet for 30 minutes with Floyd out. The safest play for the home team remains Shavon Shields, who found other ways to contribute over the past two Rounds despite scoring a total of just 15 points. With Luigi Datome back for Milan, Shields will likely start at a guard spot, and that will give him a chance to bounce back in the scoring column, as Milan ranks bottom-5 in both points and threes ceded to backcourt players.

DFS Darlings: The absences on the Panathinaikos side will not only benefit their top producers, but a couple others as well. Ioannis Papapetrou has been a bit quiet lately, but he should be back at full speed after battling an illness, and he brings a lot of upside to the table at a season-low-tying $8,200 on DraftKings. Papapetrou averaged 14.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.5 triples in two matchups with Milan last season. Howard Sant-Roos isn't quite the bargain he was last week, but 3x value is well within reach beneath the $8,000 mark. With the visitors allowing guards to put a fair amount of points on the board, Malcolm Delaney will be plenty appealing at $7,700. Ben Bentil has done enough since joining Milan to garner consideration at $7,200, particularly with Panathinaikos allowing the most rebounds to opposing frontcourt players.

ALBA Berlin at Real Madrid

Status Check: Luke Sikma (BER) Christ Koumadje (BER), Guerschon Yabusele (RMB), Anthony Randolph (RMB), Trey Thompkins (RMB), Alberto Abalde (RMB), Carlos Alocen (RMB)

Best Bets for Success: Both teams in the final game of the day will be smarting from tough Round 14 losses, but the oddsmakers expect the home team to be more fired up, as they are favored to win by at least 13.5 points by five separate services. Part of that is due to the uncertainty surrounding ALBA's best player in Sikma, whose status remains firmly up in the air. A healthy Sikma is just about always the top option for the German team, but with his availability unknown, Marcus Eriksson looks like the safest play on their side in Round 15. The sharshooter has put up at least 23.3 points on DraftKings four times over seven games since returning from a lengthy absence, and seeing as he is a guard, he will not directly match up with a Real Madrid defense that has been as tough on frontcourt players as anyone. The lynchpin of Madrid's imposing front line is Edy Tavares, who with Yabusele uncertain occupies the top spot by himself for Round 15. Tavares has put up at least 24.0 DraftKings points in five straight Rounds, and the only main concern is his minutes, as he could get a chance to take it easy Tuesday if the game gets out of hand.

DFS Darlings: Value plays could be light in this game, as Madrid's production was pretty spread out in recent Rounds and ALBA's forwards and centers have about as tough a matchup as possible. Oscar da Silva generally sees action at both positions, but if Sikma is sidelined, he should at least get enough opportunities to return useful value at $7,600. ALBA ranks bottom-3 against guards in all of the points, assists and threes categories and is allowing backcourt players to make the highest percentage of shots both from the field and beyond the arc, so Thomas Heurtel and Nigel Williams-Goss will both be worth considering at least.

The author(s) of this article may play in daily fantasy contests including – but not limited to – games that they have provided recommendations or advice on in this article. In the course of playing in these games using their personal accounts, it's possible that they will use players in their lineups or other strategies that differ from the recommendations they have provided above. The recommendations in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of RotoWire. Kevin O'Brien plays in daily fantasy contests using the following accounts: FanDuel: kevob100, DraftKings: kevob100.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kevin O'Brien
Kevin mans the Packers and Brewers beats and moonlights as RotoWire's Director of Operations.
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