• Home
  • FIBA
  • EuroLeague
  • NBA/NCAA
  • National Leagues
  • Podcast
  • Features
  • More
  • Contact

Grimag

  • FIBA
  • EuroLeague
  • NBA/NCAA
  • National Leagues
  • Podcast
  • Features
  • More

From Barca to Kazan – The prospects for the non playoff teams

April 6, 2017

With the end of the regular season comes a chance for the eliminated sides to focus more on their domestic campaigns. Emmet Ryan looks at what’s in store for the teams not in the Euroleague playoffs

We’re going to leave Dacka and Crvena Zvezda to one side for now and not just because both are still live teams at the time of writing. The difference in their situations in domestic action, particularly with Zvezda’s Adriatic League campaign already at the back end of the post-season, means it’s far too complex to go deep on who might not be playing in the post-season. Instead we’re taking the seven teams already out of Euroleague and what’s ahead for them. In order to keep things neat, we’re going in alphabetical order…

Brose Bamberg
While still the deepest side in Bundesliga, Bamberg sits three games behind unbeaten Ratiopharm Ulm going into the post-season. With Bayreuth visiting a couple of days after their Euroleague closer with Galatasaray, the schedule doesn’t ease up all that much. Each of Bamberg’s last four games comes in double-week situations, although that does come with a two week break due to the cancelled game against now-defunct Hagen (whose name Phoenix seems super ironic now). The post-season is looking increasingly likely to come down to a series between Bamberg and Bayern in the semi-finals, not a pleasant thought for either. As it stands, its Bamberg with the home court tie-breaker but this will probably go down to the final round of the regular season. Ulm meanwhile won’t fear anyone.

FC Barcelona
As it stands right now, Barca would play Real Madrid in the first round of the ACB playoffs but that’s really unlikely. The clutter at the top of the ACB is significant and there’s going to be movement. For the side that has suffered the most with injuries this season in Euroleague, the switch to one game a week until the ACB post-season is more than welcome. The one thing this side needs right now is for games not to pile up quickly. They’ve got room to breathe, that can only help.

Galatasaray
The smart money says Gala will be in Eurocup no matter what next season but that won’t distract them from their remaining BSL campaign in Turkey. It’s been brutally tough for this side to find consistency and everyone keeps on talking about Ergin Ataman’s next move. This isn’t a healthy look going into the post-season. Clear one week gaps should help again in terms of rest but, after that, it’s probably a first-round series against Besiktas if there isn’t much juggling. That’s not awfully tempting although it could get worse, depending on what happens with Efes and Fener. Making the playoff semi-finals would be a good return considering the way this season has gone.

Maccabi Tel Aviv
Ah the Winner League post-season, what a glorious piece of nonsense. For those wondering, this year’s playoff format is the same of last year’s which means the quarter-finals are best-of-five and then a straight final four format to crown the champion. No two-legged decider, thankfully, and basically what we get with Euroleague. Maccabi only have a couple of double-round weeks before the regular season ends in mid-May. The most likely scenario is Maccabi gets a nice match-up for that best-of-five series, although they could yet end up with a nightmare series against Hapoel Jerusalem, before who knows what will happen in the final four.

Olimpia Milano
Well it’s not been a fun year in Euroleague for Milano but they are just so far ahead of everyone else in Serie A in spite of that. Top seed in the playoffs should be locked down soon enough and from there it’s really hard to see anyone beating them in the playoffs. They will win Serie A and it’s gloriously over-sized trophy.

Unics Kazan
This is not a fun place for Kazan. They are going to get either Lokomotiv Kuban or Khimki in the first round of the playoffs and if they somehow get through that, they’re going to get CSKA in the semi-finals. Given they need to lock down at least a place in the final to secure a Euroleague spot, it’s not looking like we’ll see them back in the big show next year.

Zalgiris Kaunas
It’s actually a pretty crowded run-in for Zalgiris but that probably won’t matter a great deal in the end. They have held the title since 2011 and have only lost four playoff games in the last five seasons. I can see them possibly dropping a couple of games in the post-season but don’t be shocked if they sweep. The title is staying in Kaunas.

Apr 6, 2017Emmet Ryan
Powered by Sidelines
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
This post was published on April 6, 2017
Podcast - Sweet 16 - Episode 19United they stand, divided this backcourt falls
You Might Also Like
 
ACB remains leader in attendance
 
The NBA-Euro Exodus continues

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Emmet Ryan
5 years ago EuroLeague, National LeaguesBrose Bamberg, FC Barcelona, Galatasaray, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Olimpia Milano, UNICS Kazan, Zalgiris Kaunas
Recent Posts
Musa shows the renaissance is real
7 hours ago
Ieva Bagdanavičienė of Killester. Credit: Michelle La Grue Photography
A Love Story between a Community and Basketball
6 days ago
Irish women’s cup final preview
6 days ago
Categories
Recent Posts
Musa shows the renaissance is real
A Love Story between a Community and Basketball
Irish women’s cup final preview
Tags
EuroLeagueNBAYouTubeCSKA MoscowFC BarcelonaReal MadridFIBAOlympiacosZalgiris KaunasPanathinaikosACBSpainMaccabi Tel AvivTeam SpainRicky RubioLos Angeles LakersMontepaschi SienaPartizan BelgradeLithuaniaPau GasolTeam LithuaniaGermanyItalyTurkeyIrelandTeam FranceCaja Laboral BaskoniaLietuvos RytasFenerbahce ÜlkerJuan Carlos NavarroGreeceSan Antonio SpursTony ParkerFranceMinnesota TimberwolvesDirk Nowitzkibasketball highlightsTeam RussiaSerbiaTeam USAALBA BerlinEuroBasket 2011EuroCupBrose Baskets BambergDallas Mavericks
Share
0
Facebook
ABOUT
BallinEurope.com was founded in September 2007 by Christophe Ney (who now runs the excellent scouting-themed website European Prospects) and Tobias Seitz, both then bloggers for FIBA.com with over 10 years’ worth of experience in the professional basketball world each. The mission then was to “provide a very unique perspective of Basketball in and about Europe.”
Most Commented
Why Andrei Kirilenko and CSKA Moscow must win the Euroleague
10 years ago
180 Comments
Euroleague Transfers Table 2008/2009
14 years ago
168 Comments
A week in highlights: Spanish block party, mighty Milos, Utah rap and some dude dunking in L.A.
12 years ago
139 Comments
Archives
Get In Touch

Email: emmetryan@gmail.com

Name: Emmet Ryan

2014 © BallinEurope. Join JCI Dublin