Olympiacos vs Barcelona: Analysis and Prediction – Olympiacos will host Barcelona in the EuroLeague playoffs, game 3.
Olympiacos vs Barcelona Odds
Olympiacos Team News
Olympiacos entered this quarterfinal series in excellent form, having suffered only two losses in the previous three months. They confirmed their good form with a victory in the first game of this series and will now try to finish the job in front of their home fans.
Throughout the season, Olympiacos struggled with three-point shooting, although the percentages might not look so bad due to Alex Peters’ incredible shooting. However, in the two games in Barcelona, they only made 13 three-pointers. One significant advantage of Olympiacos is that their game does not rely solely on the performance of one player. They won the first game even though Peters, their top scorer during the season, scored only one point. However, there is a concern regarding the performance when Thomas Walkup is on the court, as Olympiacos has a significant deficit in those moments (-37 points in 102 minutes). This becomes problematic considering Walkup’s importance for the team’s aggressiveness and defensive play against opponent’s ball movement. Another noticeable aspect from the first two games is how much weaker Olympiacos’ offense is compared to the regular season. In the 34 games of the regular season, they scored 116 points per 100 possessions, while now that number has dropped to just 105 points.
An advantage for Olympiacos will be the fact that they did not play games over the weekend but instead focused on preparing for Barcelona. If they manage to hit double-digit three-pointers, we believe they will secure a victory in this game.
Barcelona Team News
Barcelona is having a quite impressive season, currently holding the third place in the Liga Endesa and securing home-court advantage in the EuroLeague playoffs, leading them to this matchup against Olympiacos. After allowing the visitors to take the victory in the first game, the team faced significant pressure in the second game and managed to come out on top.
Throughout the season, Barcelona has performed above expectations, particularly considering the uncertainties surrounding the new head coach, Roger Grimau. One challenge has been the inconsistency of certain players, especially in the backcourt, while the frontcourt has usually had at least one player performing well, such as Jabari Parker in the last match. Interestingly, in the four matchups against this opponent this season, Barcelona has dominated when Nikola Kalinic has been on the court. In just under 100 minutes with Kalinic on the court, the team has recorded a +31 point differential, a significant statistic considering the competitiveness of these games.
To have any chance of winning this game, Barcelona will need to match the physicality of the home team. If they succeed in doing so, they will have a great opportunity to secure the victory and regain home-court advantage.
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Olympiacos vs Barcelona H2H
Barcelona has won three out of four matchups against these two teams this season.
Absences and Injuries
Tip-off Time: Tuesday 30.04.2024, 20:30 CET
Prediction: Under 156.5 points
Odds: 1.70
Sportsbook: 22Bet
*Odds are active at the time the article is published
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