Hapoel Tel Aviv vs Zalgiris – Preview & Prediction: Hapoel Tel Aviv will play at home against Zalgiris in the EuroLeague Round 19.
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Hapoel Tel Aviv vs Zalgiris Preview
Hapoel Tel Aviv remains alone at the top of the EuroLeague. After 18 games, they are the only team with 13 wins, which is especially impressive considering they have only played against Crvena Zvezda on their home court in Israel. This matchup against Zalgiris will be the first ever EuroLeague game in their arena in Tel Aviv. There’s no doubt the arena will be packed to capacity, giving the home team the full support they have been waiting for. Hapoel Tel Aviv held the top offensive rankings in the EuroLeague for more than two months, but that has slightly changed. Lately, they have occasionally been a bit less efficient, although it has not significantly affected the results since they deliver defensively. Currently, they have the fifth-best defensive rating in the EuroLeague, which was not the case during October and November.
In the previous round, Dimitris Itoudis’ team visited Munich and easily defeated Bayern, even though Vasilije Micic did not play due to a shoulder problem. The final 82-72 score reflects what was mentioned above. Their offensive numbers have slightly declined, while defensively they are now capable of holding opponents under 75 points. Elijah Bryant led the game with 18 points, continuing his impressive season. Without a doubt, Bryant is playing the best basketball of his career and has become a true leader for Hapoel Tel Aviv. Dan Oturu has been consistently good, and against Bayern he played more than usual due to Bayern’s issues in the paint, finishing with 16 points. Antonio Blakeney and Chris Jones are always a threat from the second unit. Overall, coach Itoudis can be extremely satisfied with what his team has shown so far this season.
Zalgiris has been quite inconsistent recently, showing turbulence both on and off the court. In the last EuroLeague round, they lost at home to Panathinaikos, despite holding a double-digit lead at the start of the third quarter. They completely disappeared at that moment, allowing the opponent not only to level the score but to turn the game in their favor. At one point in the fourth quarter, Panathinaikos had a double-digit lead. Sylvain Francisco played his worst game of the season and even had a heated reaction toward head coach Tomas Masiulis. This further fueled local journalists, especially since coach Masiulis had some issues a few weeks earlier with Moses Wright. All of this has greatly questioned the team atmosphere and chemistry, as Zalgiris’ results have been significantly worse than in October and November.
At one point in mid-October, Zalgiris had the best offensive and defensive ratings simultaneously. Now, they are ranked sixth in both areas, which should theoretically still be excellent. However, their 10-8 record shows that a single loss could potentially drop them out of the top 10. For Zalgiris, it is crucial that Francisco feels comfortable, as he is the player who makes an absolute difference in the offense of the reigning Lithuanian champions. He averages 16.3 points and 6.8 assists, and everything good starts from him. Wright was in a significant slump at the start of December, as was Maodo Lo. Even the return of Nigel Williams-Goss hasn’t contributed much for coach Masiulis. Convincing wins against Partizan and a road victory over Paris show that quality exists. The only question is whether team relationships can remain at a high level, because without that, achieving results is impossible.
Claim Now Hapoel Tel Aviv vs Zalgiris H2H
This will be the first-ever matchup between Hapoel Tel Aviv and Zalgiris.
Injuries and Suspensions
Bruno Caboclo will not play for Hapoel Tel Aviv, and it is very unlikely that Vasilije Micic will be on the court. Dovydas Giedraitis is questionable for Zalgiris.
Where to Watch Hapoel Tel Aviv vs Zalgiris?
Hapoel Tel Aviv vs Zalgiris Best Betting Tip and Prediction
Hapoel Tel Aviv has not been dominant recently, although they mostly won when they were favorites. This was evident against Asvel, Crvena Zvezda, and Bayern. Realistically, Bayern are currently the weakest EuroLeague team and could not stop Hapoel Tel Aviv’s dominant frontcourt. Zalgiris is a completely different story, and we believe they will make a good impression here. Maybe not strong enough to leave Israel with a win, but we also do not expect them to lose by double digits.
Tip-off Time: Tuesday, 30.12.2025, 20:05 CET
Prediction: Zalgiris +9.5
Odds: 1.74
Stake: 2 Units
Sportsbook: 22Bet
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