Virtus vs Tortona: Analysis and Prediction – Virtus will play against Tortona in the first quarterfinals Serie A game.
Virtus vs Tortona Odds
Virtus Team News
Virtus finished the regular season in the first position of the Serie A with a record of 22-8, tied with Milano, but the team from Bologna had the edge in head-to-head matchups. Before the start of the playoffs, they dominated Trento with a convincing 108:61 win.
Head coach Luca Banchi managed to rest all of his players to a large extent before the beginning of the playoffs. In the last game of the regular season, only Jordan Mickey spent more than 19 minutes on the court. Marco Belinelli has fine-tuned his shooting and enters the playoffs in good form, which is particularly important for this squad. Despite his injury, Tornike Shengelia has been performing well, but there is still room for improvement. Perhaps the most crucial aspect for the team from Bologna at this moment is that, apart from the injured Devontae Cacok, everyone else is entering the playoffs at 100% capacity. It is important to mention that Daniel Hackett and Isaia Cordinier are in good rhythm, as well as Iffe Lundberg, and all of them form the backbone of this squad.
Virtus is known more as a defensively oriented team that dedicates a lot of attention to defense throughout all 40 minutes, enabling them to grind down opponents with aggression and rhythm, which will be their primary task once again. In addition, alongside Shengelia dominating in the paint, it is crucial for them to shoot well from beyond the three-point line.
Tortona Team News
Tortona secured a playoff spot in the final stretch of the season with a record of 14-16, interestingly tied with Napoli and Sassari. However, they don’t enter the playoffs in good form, having won only once in their last five games.
Tommaso Baldasso has been playing exceptionally well recently, reminiscent of his form at the beginning of the season when he was a key player for this team. Colbey Ross, last year’s Serie A MVP with Varese, returned to Italy after a challenging start with Buduцnost, and has been averaging 12 points and five assists per game in his 18 appearances for Tortona. American guard Chris Dowe also averages double-digit points, but he enters the playoffs in slightly poorer form. Tortona, a team that was highly ranked last season just behind Virtus and Milan, cannot yet be considered successful this season, as they are now seen as underdogs.
Their primary focus in this game to put themselves in a favorable position will undoubtedly be controlling defensive rebounds and playing at a slower pace. Engaging in a fast-paced transition game against their opponents would likely be difficult for them to match.
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Virtus vs Tortona H2H
Absences and Injuries
Virtus vs Tortona Prediction
Virtus has clearly focused all its efforts on winning the Serie A title. Facing Tortona as their first hurdle seems highly favorable for them, as evidenced by their seven consecutive victories against them. On the other hand, it’s evident that the visitors have a much less quality team compared to the one from Bologna. It’s to be expected that defenses will be up to the task, as the first playoff game can always come with added pressure. In such a power dynamic, just one quarter of ineffective scoring could result in the total points scored being lower than the offered margin, which we anticipate happening.
Tip-off Time: Saturday, 11.05.2024, 20:45 CET
Prediction: Under 161.5 points
Odds: 1.90
Sportsbook: MyBookie
*Odds are active at the time the article is published
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