Unics Kazan and Zalgiris clash in Russia on Friday evening with a Top 16 place at stake for the winner.
Both teams currently own 4-4 records in Group A.
Zalgiris’ leading scorer James Anderson [16.5ppg] was instrumental in their 77-71 win over Unics in their previous meeting in Kaunas and is determined to get this victory out of the way and not have to sweat over qualification on the final night.
“It will be a very different game,” Anderson said. “I know they are playing great basketball lately and it is going to be a tough game for us. They play at home and are going to be really motivated. We both have four wins and pretty much, whoever gets this win will advance to the Top 16.
“We just want to go ahead and get it out of the way early – hopefully we can steal another one on the road.”
Another team hoping to advance this week is last season’s surprise package EA7 Milano. They host Panathinaikos, who are already through in Group C.
If Milano win and Bayern Munich beats PGE Turow in another of the Group C clashes then the Italian champions’ path to the Top 16 is secure. They’ll certainly hope to play better than the last time they met the 2011 Euroleague winners. Milano lost 90-63 in Athens last month.
Panathinaikos coach Dusko Ivanovic is aware that his side will be playing an indomitable side on Thursday.
“We are going to play against a very good team,” he said. “They are playing better now comparing to the previous game in OAKA. They have less pressure because they have almost made the Top 16.”
Thursday
Unicaja Malaga vs CSKA Moscow
Cedevita Zagreb vs Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv
EA7 Milano vs Panathinaikos
Bayern Munich vs PGE Turow
Barcelona vs Fenerbahce
Friday
Dinamo Sassari vs Real Madrid
Unics Kazan vs Zalgiris
Anadolu Efes vs Niznhy Novgorod
Limoges vs ALBA Berlin
Olympiacos vs Red Star Belgrade
Laboral Kutxa vs Valencia
