This article is part of our EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge Picks series.
There is no need to plan ahead, as after this Round we will again have unlimited trades in the EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge. As such, our picks below will focus only on Round 22.
If you have any questions or comments about strategy or the picks below, feel free to drop those at the bottom of this article or reach out on X via @RotoWireEuro.
And off we go!
Guard
Sterling Brown, Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (10.9 credits)
All of Frank Ntilikina, Duane Washington, Vanja Marinkovic and Mitar Bosnjakovic remain out, which will keep Brown's minutes and role safe. Brown's numbers are up pretty much across the board since the start of December, which adds confidence to this selection.
Iffe Lundberg, Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (8.6 credits)
Lundberg is a solid pick for the same injury-related reasons above. He logged 33 minutes in Round 20 and 28 more Tuesday. Lundberg can score -- he averaged 17.0 ppg across the last two Rounds despite taking a total of only 14 shots -- and he is also a reliable passer who can log steals and draw fouls.
Isaiah Canaan, Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade (6.8 credits)
If Nemanja Nedovic remains out, Canaan is worth considering for your fantasy team. Without Nedovic, Canaan averages 24 minutes, 13.8 points, 10.0 field goal attempts and 11.0 PIR on a per-game basis, making him a decent value pick.
Alessandro Pajola, Virtus Segafredo Bologna (6.6 credits)
Yes, Pajola had a rough game against Zalgiris, going just 2-of-11 from the field However, he continues to see significant minutes (31, 34, 26, 28, and 25 in his last five EuroLeague games). He is a solid passer, grabs a few rebounds, and records a steal or two per game. He is a risky but considerable pick.
Forward
Zach LeDay, EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (16.9 credits)
Since Josh Nebo and Ousmane Diop remain out, LeDay is a reliable pick. In the last two games, he played fewer minutes than usual (19 and 20), but this could be due to his team's larger leads early or mid-game. Even with limited minutes, he still recorded a 26 PIR in both games.
Nikos Rogkavopoulos, Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (8.7 credits)
Rogkavopoulos is a decent pick if Tadas Sedekerskis remains absent. However, if Sedekerskis returns for Round 22, it will be a major risk to keep Rogkavopoulos on your team.
Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz (7.3 credits)
If Markus Howard remains out, Luwawu-Cabarrot is a strong candidate, as he has been stepping in to substitute for Howard the most per the substitution analysis data on givemestats.com. Luwawu-Cabarrot could still be worth considering if Howard plays, as he averaged 18.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.0 steals, 2.5 triples and 34 minutes over the last two Rounds.
Center
Devin Booker, FC Bayern Munich (14.2 credits)
Booker plays the second-most minutes per game among centers in the league, averaging 25+ minutes. Bayern will face Virtus in the next round, a team that allows high PIR scores for their opponents. Additionally, Virtus might be missing key big -- Ante Zizic is GTD -- which might give Booker a slight advantage.
Tarik Black, LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne (5.1 credits)
If Joffrey Lauvergne remains out, Black could be a good value pick. He's an inexpensive center who boosted his minutes to 22 and 17 in the last couple of games. He's a solid rebounder and can capitalize that when is getting some playtime.
Head Coach
Gordon Herbert, FC Bayern Munich
We don't have many confident head coach picks for the next round. Herbert is a decent option as Bayern will play at home against Virtus Bologna, who may still miss Will Clyburn and possibly Zizic. However, Tornike Shengelia is back from injury.
Pierric Poupet, LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne
A risky but very affordable coach pick. ASVEL might miss a few players, but so will Alba Berlin. Playing at home against the worst-record team in the EuroLeague gives ASVEL an extra motivation for the win. They can't afford to think about anything other than victory.
Drop Candidates
Kevin Punter, FC Barcelona (13.2 credits)
Punter has had four consecutive underwhelming games. While his playtime remains solid, he's only managed a maximum 6 PIR during this stretch. It's unusual to see Punter on the drop list, but until he starts producing more PIR again, he's a risky option. Of course, he could bounce back as soon as the next game.
Mikael Jantunen, Paris Basketball (8.3 credits)
Jantunen is averaging just 1.0 PIR per game over the last five games, with three of those games resulting in negative PIR. While his next opponent, Maccabi, allows high PIR for their opponents, his recent form doesn't inspire confidence.
Achille Polonara, Virtus Segafredo Bologna (7.0 credits)
Polonara was a viable pick while Shengelia was out. However, with Shengelia back, Polonara's role is likely to diminish significantly. Virtus is returning to its usual rotations, which means fewer minutes for Polonara.
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