Real Madrid can put further pressure on EuroLeague leaders CSKA Moscow when they face Brose Bamberg in Germany, Wednesday night.
The Liga Endesa champions head into the clash having won their last four games and currently, they are owners of a seven-game winning streak against Bamberg, including a comprehensive 95-72 win in Madrid last month.
Madrid coach Pablo Laso expects a much tougher and determined opposition Thai time around, especially that they are on their home floor, where they have won their last three.
“Brose is a balanced team that has dominated Germany these last years and it’s competing better in the EuroLeague year after year,” he said.
“They have lost some games they could have won, which shows that they are a competitive squad and in Bamberg it’s always difficult.
“For us, Brose is a tough test that will demand a big effort. We will have to try to control the situations they propose through their capable players on the one-on-one, and thus avoiding the rhythm they want. We will need to do many things well in Bamberg if we want to win.”
∞∞∞ OLYMPIACOS LOOKING TO APPLY PRESSURE, TOO ∞∞∞
Third placed Olympiacos travel to the fashion capital where they know that a win would also put pressure on the top two in the EuroLeague.
They face an EA7 Milano side that finally ended their exhausting ten-game losing streak last week against Galatasaray and will head into this game hoping to begin a different streak: one of victories.
“As you know, everything starts for us from defence,” said Olympiacos’ Dominic Waters.
“We must play good defence like we did last week against Baskonia. The two teams play in a similar way, so we must do a great job again defensively.”
∞∞∞ ISTANBUL DERBY FOR PLAYOFF POSITION ∞∞∞
In a bid to climb up the Playoff spots, Anadolu Efes hosts local rivals Darussafaka Dogus at the Abdi Ipecki on Wednesday.
Anadolu Efes, currently riding an 8-10 record sits in ninth spot with Darussafaka right above them with a two-cushion which makes this encounter one of the more intriguing Istanbul derbies this season.
“This will be a very important game for us,” states Efes coach Velimir Perasovic.
“We know that we will be playing against a good team who is playing very well at the moment. We must stop their fastbreaks, pick and rolls and offensive rebounds to win the game.”
For the visitors, Darussafaka coach David Blatt understands the task in front of him, knowing that a win is paramount to creating space between his side and the teams outside the post-season picture.
“This is the strength of the EuroLeague,” he says. “Anadolu Efes is certainly a very talented and athletic team that have shown their quality throughout the season thus far. We know we have to be at our best and play a high level game.”
