We are approaching the final straight of the regular season and as it stands, it seems many of the usual suspects will be filling the play-off picture when the post season gets underway on 21st April. Reigning champions and two-time winners, Fenerbahçe, currently hold a decent gap to 2nd placed Olympiacos and surprise package Valencia Basket and already have half an eye on the play-offs once the play-in teams are decided.
However, behind the trio, there is a very tight and congested play-off picture battle forming with record winners, Real Madrid, heading a chasing pack that also includes the likes of Barcelona, Panathinaikos AKTOR, and Žalgiris. Even a late season charge into the play-off picture for Olimpia Milano and Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv cannot be ruled out and both sides are also picking up form at the right time.
One thing all the teams mentioned in this piece so far, besides from Valencia Basket, have in common is a title-winning mentality. As the regular season enters the business end, experience is beginning to show its true worth, and teams chasing direct qualification for the play-offs or a spot in the play-in will be looking to extract as much of it as possible to set themselves up for an explosive end to the season.
It might be too early to nail on predictions for the eventual winner, but there are plenty of teams in contention that know how to get over the line.
Fenerbahçe Beko
It is hard to look past the current league leaders and reigning champions. The form over the last five games with five consecutive wins is also an ominous sign that Fenerbahçe are ready to challenge for back-to-back titles. Over the last decade, Fenerbahçe have featured prominently in the final four stage and will look to use that knowhow to crack the play-off and final four code once again.
Real Madrid
A team that is synonymous with success across all sports it is involved in and tends to feature towards the sharp end in basketball betting at 1Bet, the record 11-time winners have a bit of work to do to convince the basketball world that they can challenge for the title this season. Sergio Scariolo’s charges last lifted the trophy in 2023 and will want to avenge the defeat in the final to Panathinaikos the following year. Although sitting in 4th, a continuation of their erratic form could put their play-off position in jeopardy. However, Madrid will be looking up the table, not down it.
Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv
If Real Madrid have work to do to cement their play-off position, 6-time champions, Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv have a mini mountain to climb if they want to feature in the play-in, let alone the play-offs and the final four. Through the decades, Maccabi have been one of the leading teams since the FIBA era of the EuroLeague began in 1958.
15 finals appearances over their 96-year history is only beaten by Real Madrid, and with favourable fixtures against teams in and around and below them, including a derby match against local rivals Hapoel (5th March), Maccabi will be looking to reassert themselves in the world of Euro basketball and make a final four appearance for the first time in a decade, since they won the competition last in the 2013-14 season.
Valencia Basket
There is plenty of experience contained within this article, but how about a youthful underdog story to round off this piece? Valencia, with an average squad age of 27.4, have delighted the world of EuroLeague basketball this season and have put themselves in with a great shout of making the play-offs direct.
Even more impressive considering Valencia only joined the league this season following the expansion to 20 teams. Whether a lack of experience will count against them remains to be seen. But with a potent attack and a solid defence, anything is possible in the remainder of the campaign.
Experience vs Youth
There is still a lot of action between now and the finals in Athens and at this stage of the season, teams could look to older heads to guide them through. If that is the case, Barcelona (31.6), Panathinaikos AKTOR (30.9), and AS Monaco (30.8) could hold a slight advantage with the oldest squads in the league.
At the other end of the spectrum, Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (27.1), Valencia Basket (27.4), Virtus Bologna (27.7), and Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv (27.8) will be hoping youth can prevail. Although many of the main protagonists are currently showing their experience, there are some underdogs sprinkled among them. Will experience or youth prevail at the end of the season?
