Zalgiris at Panathinaikos
Date: 1/17
Time: 8:30 PM CET
Game Preview
The final game of Round 20 features an up-and-coming Zalgiris team against Panathinaikos, a team looking to tighten its grip on a playoff spot. The visiting Lithuanian team won three of its last four contests and, despite sitting just 6-13 overall, owns a mere negative-one point differential on the season. 11 of the team's losses have been by single digits, including a whopping six by five points or fewer. They pack a balanced punch and are powered by a four-man group of Zach LeDay, Jock Landale, Thomas Walkup, and Lukas Lekavicius, who all average at least 9.6 ppg. They opposing Panathinaikos team boasts the top offense in the EuroLeague, which hums away to the tune of 88.6 points per game. They're led by star point guard Nick Calathes, who is putting up numbers in bunches and leads the league at 9.4 assists per game. Complementing Calathes are sharp-shooting guard Jimmer Fredette, versatile forward Deshaun Thomas, and Ioannis Papapetrou. Zalgiris will need to slow down the Greek team's run-and-gun offensive attack if they want to reverse the result last time these teams met in Round 9, when Panathinaikos eked out a slim, one-point 86-85 victory.
Injuries
Zalgiris
Marius Grigonis - OUT - Ankle
12/3 11:42 PM IST - Grigonis will undergo surgery on his injured ankle and is expected to be out about three months, according to Zalgiris' official website. Grigonis was able to play through the pain for some time, but he was unable to overcome the injury, so it was ultimately decided to send him under the knife. Grigonis is second on his team in scoring in EuroLeague play, so Zalgiris will be without one of its top players for several months. KC Rivers and Thomas Walkup are the favorites to fill the void until Grigonis returns.
Panathinaikos
None
Zalgiris Probable Starters
G - Thomas Walkup
G - KC Rivers
F - Edgaras Ulanovas
F - Martinas Geben
C - Jock Landale
Panathinaikos Probable Starters
G - Nick Calathes
G - Jimmer Fredette
F - Ioannis Papapetrou
F - Konstantinos Mitoglou
C - Georgios Papagiannis
Top Picks
Nick Calathes, PAN - Panathinaikos' star won Round 9 MVP honors the last time the two teams' squared off, totaling 19 points, 12 assists and five rebounds. If he's able to replicate that performance, it's difficult to imagine the Greek squad losing.
Jimmer Fredette, PAN - Fredette has topped 20 points on four occasions this season, including a 28 -point explosion in Round 18. His scoring is fueled by terrific percentages, as he is shooting 47.6 percent from the field, 43.9 percent from three and 95.6 percent from the free throw line.
Zach LeDay, ZAL - In addition to LeDay's averages of 11.0 points and 4.7 rebounds, he's chipping in solid defensive numbers at 0.7 blocks and 0.5 steals per game. He scored in double figures in three of his past four games.
Jock Landale, ZAL - LeDay's frontcourt mate is contributing 10.7 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. Working alongside LeDay, the pair will try to take advantage of Georgios Papagiannis and co.
Captaincy Options
Dream 11 Lineup
| NAME | POS | TEAM | OPP | CREDITS |
| Nick Calathes | PG | PAN | ZAL | $22.00 |
| Lukas Lekavicius | PG | ZAL | @PAN | $9.50 |
| Jimmer Fredette | SG | PAN | ZAL | $14.50 |
| Ioannis Papapetrou | SF | PAN | ZAL | $13.00 |
| Konstantinos Mitoglou | PF | PAN | ZAL | $6.50 |
| Zach LeDay | C | ZAL | @PAN | $15.00 |
| Jock Landale | C | ZAL | @PAN | $13.00 |
| Martinas Geben | C | ZAL | @PAN | $4.50 |
Grand League Combination
Calathes, Landale, Lekavicius, Mitoglou
Small League Combination
Calathes, LeDay, Fredette, Thomas
