Scafati vs Pistoia: Analysis and Prediction – In Round 11 of the Serie A, Scafati will host Pistoia on Saturday.
Scafati vs Pistoia Odds
Scafati Team News
Scafati has suffered two consecutive losses in Serie A, leaving them tied for 12th place with a 3-7 record. In the previous round, they were defeated at home by league leaders Trento with a 119-110 score. The round before that, Reggiana handed them a crushing defeat, with Scafati losing 90-57 on the road.
Before their match against Trento, Scafati had won two consecutive home games, beating Varese and Cremona, teams that will be fighting for survival in Serie A. However, this Scafati team had ambitions of being closer to the playoffs rather than fighting relegation, which led to the dismissal of coach Marcelo Nicola. The former great player was fired, and his position was temporarily filled by Damiano Pilot. According to Italian media, Damiano Pilot impressed the club’s officials during the loss to Trento, and he will be appointed as the permanent head coach. But changes in Scafati don’t stop there. Jordan McRae has been disappointing since joining the team and is now on the verge of having his contract terminated. He is expected to be replaced by Dusty Hannahs from Hapoel Tel Aviv. Until these changes are official, Scafati will have to rely on a few key players in their rotation. Rob Gray, who is averaging 20 points per game, is one of them. He scored 28 points in the game against Trento, while Elijah Stewart was the standout player for Scafati, posting 34 points and an efficiency index of 44, the second-highest in the club’s history. Stewart is averaging 17 points per game this season, confirming his excellent form. The team is led by experienced Andrea Cinciarini, one of the best assist leaders in the league, while Kruize Pinkins dominates under the basket. He had a strong start to the season but then struggled. However, he seems to be recovering his form, averaging 16 points and 8 rebounds over the last three games. Interestingly, Scafati plays highly efficient games, despite being the fourth-slowest team in the league. This is mainly due to their poor defense, which is the second-worst in Serie A. The fact that they conceded 119 points to Trento is concerning, as is the fact that they lost despite attempting 27 more free throws than their opponents.
In this match, Scafati feels a certain pressure to win. Their opponent is in terrible form, and Scafati must start winning games against teams of similar quality. To do so, they will need to improve their defense and rebounding.
Pistoia Team News
Pistoia is currently on a disastrous four-game losing streak, with defeats coming from Sassari, Trento, Treviso, and Trapani. However, there is some optimism for the team, as all of these losses were by a very narrow margin (2, 4, 3, and 6 points), which suggests that the team is not performing as badly as the results might indicate. After ten rounds, Pistoia holds a 3-7 record, sharing the 12th position on the table with Scafati.
Despite the losses, Pistoia’s performance in recent games has been commendable in certain areas, particularly in offense. They are still the second-worst offense in the league, but they have been scoring significantly more points recently, playing at one of the fastest paces in the league. This has led to very high-scoring games, even though they have the fourth-best defense. However, maintaining both a high-scoring pace and a solid defense remains a big challenge. Pistoia is playing with one of the shortest rotations in the league, which has contributed to them conceding more points in recent games. The most significant boost for the team could come from the return of Eric Paschall, the former NBA player who is arguably the biggest name on the roster. After a long period of physical recovery, Eric Paschall returned to action two rounds ago and immediately showed his value. He scored 23 points against Treviso and 15 points against Trapani. Along with him, Maverick Rowan, Karlis Silins, and Semaj Christon have been the standout players for Pistoia this season. The team has a quality option at each position, which makes them dangerous. Additionally, they strengthened their roster with the arrival of Maurice Kemp, a power forward/center from China. In his first two games with the team, Kemp averaged 12.5 points and 8 rebounds, showcasing his abilities. Pistoia is one of the best rebounding teams in the league, but they have struggled with their two-point shooting percentages. They are slightly better from three-point range (36%), but the bigger issue is that they take the fourth-lowest number of three-point attempts in the league.
For Pistoia to get back on track, they will need to play a focused and disciplined game, particularly in the closing stages of the match. With a more defined rotation under their new coach, they are showing signs of progress. However, improving shot selection and boosting their shooting percentages will be crucial. Additionally, they need to regain their defensive identity, as recent changes in the squad have led to a slight decline in their defensive performance. A more consistent and balanced approach will be key for Pistoia to climb up the standings and end their losing streak.
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Scafati vs Pistoia H2H
Last season, Scafati and Pistoia faced each other twice. Both times, the home team won, with Scafati defeating Pistoia 85-77, and Pistoia winning 78-71.
Absences and Injuries
Scafati is expected to appear with their full roster. Pistoia, on the other hand, has Andrew Smith as a question mark, as he was recently signed but has yet to play for the team.
Scafati vs Pistoia Prediction
Scafati has looked quite strong in their last four home games, securing two victories, while tight losses came from excellent teams like Milano and Trento. Pistoia, on the other hand, has only one win from five away games, a narrow victory by half a point against Cremona. This game is of great importance, as both teams have the same record and share the same position on the standings. Therefore, we believe the home team will be extra motivated and focused, and they will manage to secure the win in this matchup.
Tip-off Time: Saturday, 14.12.2024, 21:00 CET
Prediction: Scafati -1.5
Odds: 1.79
Sportsbook: 22Bet
*Odds are active at the time the article is published
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