The deadly Anadolu is waiting for Real • Milan want to break another psychological barrier • Barcelona will meet the mythological ex • And will the Corona affect Fener?
• The money time of the prestigious factory on the continent is underway
Larkin vs. Garuba.
Getting ready for a tight series
Photo:
IPI
Tonight, the Euroleague playoff series will begin, from which the four teams will advance to the Final Four in Cologne at the end of May.
Lots of compliments were given to the factory captains for being able to pass a very complex season and finish it on time alongside the Corona restrictions.
The thing is, the plague is still here, and could have a big impact on one of the series.
All four teams also have a home advantage, which is due to the quality advantage.
The home team will of course be less dominant, as most teams play without an audience.
Anadolu Zero - R. Madrid (Tonight, 20:00, Sports 5)
The main story: the late awakening of the Blancos.
This is the most intriguing series in the playoffs, and may very well be the tightest as well.
At the end of the first round Anadolu was in a negative balance of 9: 8, but at the end of the season she is in third place with a balance of 12:22.
The Turks returned in the second round to last season's deadly fitness (which was stopped because of the Corona) when their coach Argin Atman said he thinks this year the ability of his players is better.
At the right time for her and the worst for Anadolu, Real are back to themselves.
The Blancos, who were hugely disappointed in the second half of the season and almost found themselves out of the playoffs, woke up with a huge display in the win in the decisive game against Fenerbahce and a win over Barcelona in the Clasico in the Spanish league.
With perfect timing, Sergio Yui also returned to play with his tons of experience.
Nor does the fact that she lost Gabriel Dek, who moved to Oklahoma City, detract from the Whites' renewed faith.
Milan - Bayern Munich (Tonight, 21:45, Sport 5 Stars)
The main story: the historic chance of Milan.
In the promotion to the playoffs, the Italians broke a huge barrier for them after not being in the standings since 2014. Now, the goal of Ettore Messina and his trainees is to break another glass ceiling with their first appearance in the Final Four in almost 30 years.
Milan of the season is no longer the naive team it used to be.
Milan looks powerful, deep and navigated by one of the greatest coaches in history.
Also, Malcolm Delaney returned from injury just in time.
Andrea Trinkieri, the German coach, is unofficially considered the "coach of the season".
The Italian took a team from the bottom of the factory to a historic playoff appearance with a very unsparking roster.
Despite its charms, it seems that this is where the Bavarian journey will stop.
Barcelona - Zenit (tomorrow, 22:00, Sport 5 Stars)
The main story: Xavi Pasqual against Barcelona.
In its second overall appearance at the factory, the Russian team reaches the playoffs with an impressive season of 20 wins.
The thing is that Zenit will have to create a huge sensation to rise another stage when the one standing in front of it is the one who finished the regular season first, and received a huge boost towards the money-time in the form of Pau Gasol.
Whoever will try to do the unbelievable is Xavi Pascual, the coach of Zenit, who guided the Catalans for a decade and even led them to win their last Euroleague title.
CSKA - Fenerbahce (tomorrow, 20:00, Sports 5 Stars)
The main story: Will the corona determine the identity of the final four?
In this match-up it is impossible to talk about net basketball.
Ideally we would try to answer the question of whether CSKA's favorites will be hurt by its decision to part ways with the superstar - Mike James (signed in Brooklyn) near the end of the regular season. In practice, we are talking about the virus again. Whose name has not been released), and the rules of the game change completely.