This article is part of our EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge Picks series.
We have passed the halfway of the EuroLeague season and when we look at the team standings, there is only a one-game difference between Monaco in second place and Zalgiris in eighth, which is absolutely wild. Unfortunately, the most recent double-game week was marked by some bad news, as the injury of Mathias Lessort -- arguably the best center in the league right now -- took the main stage. Additionally, the Paris versus Fenerbahce game was canceled and rescheduled for another date, as Paris was unable to register the minimum of eight players due to illness.
And now, after the holidays, both the EuroLeague and the EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge return.
If you have any questions or comments about strategy or the picks below, feel free to drop those at the bottom of this article or reach out on X via @RotoWireEuro.
Here we go!
Guard
T.J. Shorts, Paris Basketball (18.1 credits)
He could not play in the first game of the double-week due to injury, but Paris played two games within 48 hours over the weekend and in both games TJ Shorts continued his strong performance. In the loss against ASVEL, he posted 13 points and 12 assists for a double-double, but it was not enough for getting a win. However, in the second game against Limoges, he contributed 26 points and 9 assists remaining a key role in the victory. In Round-18, Paris will face a tough challenge against Baskonia, who are going through difficult times, and TJ Shorts will continue to be the nightmare for his opponents.
Kendrick Nunn, Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens (15.7 credits)
Panathinaikos had an amazing double-game week, but tragically after Lessort's injury, the roles within the team will inevitably change significantly. From this point on, Nunn will probably be the main option for his team and may need to raise his game even higher after an already great season. In the last game against Eurocup team Aris, Pana continued their ruthless form winning by a staggering 52-point difference. Nunn played only 18 minutes in this blowout win but still logged 17 points and dished 6 assists. This week, Panathinaikos will face Bayern, who have any single loss at their home. Like Nunn as a challenger player will likely aim to outplay Euroleague's Most Improved Player, Carsen Edwards, in a real duel.
Tamir Blatt, Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv (9.6 credits)
Might can be said that Maccabi's hopes for this season are almost gone, but the team, one of the Euroleague's traditional powerhouses, continues to improve their players day by day. The most trusted player in their guard rotation is certainly Blatt, who is currently leading in assists average in whole leaue. We will see how he adjusts with the new addition Trevion Williams in their upcoming game against Zalgiris.
Marko Guduric, Fenerbahce Beko (8.7 credits)
Fenerbahce is not in great shape and in addition to that, Wade Baldwin is once again suffering from a hamstring injury and is expected to miss around a month. However, for those who closely follow Euroleague, it's worth remembering that two years ago, Guduric played one of his best games ever in a Partizan away game, which Fenerbahce won in overtime. While things will be much harder this time, if considering individual performance, Guduric as a former Crvena Zvezda player will likely have an extra motivation when facing with Partizan and this makes him a risk worth taking.
Forward
Nikola Mirotic, EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (19.4 credits)
The Milan team has adapted well to the forward-duo system. Perhaps at this line-up Shields' impact has somewhat decreased, but the performances of Mirotic & Leday have definitely been utilized and both are now the driving forces of the team. This week, Mirotic will face his rival Vezenkov, who is the subject of the question "Who is the best PF in the Euroleague?" In the first half of the season the game played in Piraeus, Vezenkov produced 31 PIR while Mirotic only stuck in 12 PIR. This clash will be a key factor in evaluating the answer to that question. Although Olympiacos is a very tough matchup, considering the upcoming games against Asvel, Maccabi, and Alba Berlin, it is expected that Mirotic will naturally heat up during this period making him an ideal candidate for those thinking him as a long-term investment.
Roman Sorkin, Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv (8.7 credits)
With Wenyen Gabriel's move to Panathinaikos and Trevion Williams' arrive in Maccabi from Alba Berlin, the Israelie side has had a busy week. Despite not having the double-week they hoped for, Sorkin's rising performance has been the standout. In these two games, Sorkin achieved 19 and 21 PIR, and while his playing time might slightly decrease, his contribution to the team is crucial, and Coach Kattash will continue to trust and invest in him.
Konstantinos Mitoglou, Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens (7.7 credits)
His name had previously appeared only once in the recommendation section, but did not end well. However, the situation has changed now due to Lessort's injury, the minutes of all players in Panathinaikos' frontcourt rotation will change significantly. Comparing with the last year, Mitoglou who had fallen out of favour could be one of the biggest beneficiaries of this. Despite playing 15 and 18 minutes in his last two games, his playing time is likely to rise above 20 minutes, and his credits are now very low, making him one of the players with breakout potential.
Melvin Ajinca, LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne (5.2 credits)
Until the second leg of the double-week, everyone had either lost or limited their expectations of him, but his performance against Zalgiris away was like a phoenix rising from the ashes. Not just in that game, but also in the domestic league in LNB derby played over the weekend, he scored 20 points against Paris and becoming his team's top scorer and playing a vital role in the 98-92 victory. Whether he can maintain this high-level form is uncertain, but for an underdog player it is a risk can be taken.
Center
Tyrique Jones, Partizan Mozart Bet Belgrade (13.3 credits)
As have mentioned many times before, centers playing against Fenerbahce generally perform at high level especially the athletic ones. If you asked someone who the most athletic center in the league is right now, the answer would likely be Tyrique Jones. In the derby played over the weekend, Tyrique proved his impact in the paint once again by grabbing 12 rebounds against Crvena Zvezda. In Round 18, would not be an unrealistic expectation to see him dominate the painted area, especially with his rebounding.
Moustapha Fall, Olympiacos Piraeus (10.6 credits)
The French center has struggled with injuries this season and has typically had slow starts after each returnings from injury. However, he had a flashback to his performance from last year in Round 17 when he produced 25 PIR in an unexpectedly difficult game for Olympiacos against Alba Berlin. According to an announcement made by Olympiacos earlier this week, Mulitinov will not be available to play, which means Fall will have significant in court time. Considering that Milan does not have a pure center, we can say that Fall has a high chance of continuing his strong performance from last week.
Head Coach
Chus Mateo, Real Madrid (8.4 credits)
Actually only one game is guaranteed in Round-18, while the rest of the games can be considered as fifty-fifty for all teams. The Spanish Matador who far from his desired position in the Euroleague standings, seems to have viewed this double-week as a statement, as led his team to impressive victories against Paris away and Monaco in Madrid. They will likely continue their comeback without making any mistakes in the Berlin away game as well.
Zeljko Obradovic, Partizan Mozart Bet Belgrade (5.9 credits)
Partizan had to face with many heartbreaking losses at home this season like Virtus game and the recent Asvel ones. None of Partizan fan probably expected to lose against those teams at their own court at the beginning of the season. However, with half of the season behind them, they are still in the playoff race and in this context, they will face with Fenerbahce who is missing many players, at a good time for themselves. The Belgrade team is in the favorite position.
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