This article is part of our EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge Picks series.
This will be a key week for teams competing for a spot in the EuroLeague Playoffs, with matchups between Paris and Monaco, Panathinaikos and Real Madrid as well as Milan and Fenerbahce all set to make a major impact on the standings.
Every week remaining will be crucial in the EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge with just seven Rounds remaining in the regular season. We had a tough time finding value plays at the guard spots for Round 28, so it looks like a turn to focus on the pricier backcourt options. The picks at the forward spots will be key, and thus we are focusing on them below.
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 now, for the players!
Guard
TJ Shorts, Paris Basketball (19.3 credits)
The Paris team will play their second game within 3 days; in the game against Fenerbahce on Monday being allowed the Istanbul representative to accomplish a 14-point comeback, which seriously damaged in their playoff race. The only positive aspect for the team is that their star player is still a hot steak; during the 28 minutes played against Fenerbahce he produced 28 PIR. It's another home game, but this time the opponent is Monaco, a team known very well and at this moment both team are tied with in terms of victories. If Shorts takes this game personally and dominates Monaco's guards, it could be the biggest reference for him to be selected to the "best starting 5" at the end of the season.
Theo Maledon, LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne (16.7 credits)
Although his performance seems to have depreciated in recent weeks (at least when compared with his season averages), he scored 17 points in just 13 minutes during the domestic league game played over the weekend. He managed to conserve himself fresh for the Maccabi game and this matchup can be ideal for him to return to the 30 PIR performances we used to. Maccabi is a team that both scores a lot and allows a lot of points which sets up an ideal scenario for Maledon. If he wants to make a comeback in the latter part of the season, he should not miss this opportunity.
Andreas Obst, FC Bayern Munich (8.4 credits)
One of the most reliable players among the low-credit candidates for Round 28. The importance of the upcoming game against Red Star in Munich is huge for both teams in terms of the playoff race. Therefore, in these high-stakes games where the ball can be tricky, an "ice in veins steady shooter" like Obst becomes one of the top players on your team. In his last 5 Euroleague games he has surpassed the 20-point mark in 3 of them, and scored 15 points in the other one. Now, with 2 consecutive home games ahead and the support of the fans continuing this performance will be vital for his team.
Forward
Nikola Mirotic, EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (19.2 credits)
The nemesis of Fenerbahçe. In Round 12 game played this season he had an outstanding 38 PIR and played a crucial role in his team's important victory in the tough Istanbul away game. In his post-game interview, the star forward mentioned that playing against his former teammate Nigel Hayes-Davis gave him an extra motivation. Now, it's time for another showdown and another statement game for the rest of the season. In last week's game against Monaco, Mirotic delivered the expected performance by scoring 22 points and the basic expectation for this match is for him to score at least 20 points again.
Filip Petrusev, Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade (12.2 credits)
Petrusev remains one of the top recommendations, but be aware that he is uncertain for Round 28 due to an illness. In Round 27, he started the game well but ended poorly; despite scoring 16 points, he was stuck with a 14 PIR. However, this can be seen as an unfortunate mishap, and it is undeniable that he will remain the most trusted player for Red Star in their upcoming matches. He traveled to Germany with his teammates for Thursday's game against Bayern, so it seems more likely than not he will be available for this Round.
Vladimir Lucic, FC Bayern Munich (9.4 credits)
Since his return from injury in Week 23, Serbian forward has produced 16.22 Fantasy Points in his last 5 games. Despite his numerous injuries and advancing age, his comeback at this level deserves praise. Considering that he is a former Partizan player, it is obvious that he will approach the upcoming game against Red Star with extra motivation.
Alen Smailagic, Zalgiris Kaunas (7.5 credits)
As a former Partizan player, last week he did what needs to be done and together with Sylvain Francisco's great performance, they defeated Red Star in away game. Due to the poor form of the centers at Zalgiris, Smailagic has started playing more and more as a center and now regularly gets about 20 minutes of playing time.
Dyshawn Pierre, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (5.9 credits)
Pierre has been struggling with injuries since the start of the season; he has failed to get minutes in 13 games and had gradually lost his spot in the rotation. However, in the postponed Round19 game on Monday when his team struggled against Paris, coach Saras brought Pierre into the game and he made the most of this opportunity. In just under 14 minutes on the court, he produced 11 PIR and played a significant role in the second-half comeback. He could be an extra factor for the upcoming Milan game.
Center
Vincent Poirier, Anadolu Efes Istanbul (12.4 credits)
Although it seems that Coach Banchi's takeover has not significantly impacted Poirier's playing time, the fact that the backup center, Daniel Oturu, only played 6-7 minutes against Berlin last week is an important data point that needs to be closely monitored. If there is going to be such a significant change in the team's rotation, Poirier will likely be given more responsibility. Moreover, considering that 3 of the next 5 games for Efes will be against the teams outside from the playoff spot, and the other 2 will be against Partizan and Bayern, it seems like the time has come for Poirier to dominate.
Kevarrius Hayes, Paris Basketball (8.6 credits)
His performance in the games after Round 20 has not been good and could even be considered poor. However, in the game against Fenerbahce Beko on Monday, he produced 15 PIR becoming his team's second-most contributing player after Shorts. Apart from the positive side of its, after Monaco's addition of Daniel Theis, the opposing team now has 4 centers and it's predictable that they will rotate continuously to find a player who could be a difficult matchup for Hayes.
Head Coach
Luca Banchi, Anadolu Efes Istanbul (6.2 credits)
If there are any coaches who chose Banchi in Round 27, which I believe there were probably not too few, starting this week without changing coaches and with the option of trading 4 players will be his biggest advantage. Looking at the upcoming game against Virtus, Efes who is fighting for a play-in spot will be the clear favorite in this match at home against a Virtus team that no longer has any objectives. From Banchi's perspective, considering he was dismissed mid-season, there might be some tension between him and the team, though it might not be very serious. However, he will likely prepare for this game with extra focus.
Joan Penarroya, FC Barcelona (6.4 credits)
Barça has only won 1 of their last 5 games and that was at home against Maccabi. They urgently need to get back on track or the season will slip away from their hands. During this crucial period to make a comeback, they have a relatively easier fixture compared with other play-in contenders. After their away game against Berlin in Round-28, they will face three consecutive games at home against direct play-in rivals: Partizan, Zalgiris, and Bayern. They absolutely must go through this stretch with a perfect record.
Drop Candidates
Duane Washington, Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (9.0 credits)
Aside from heading to one of the toughest away games in Euroleague, the most in-form players in Partizan right now are the two guards, Carlik Jones and Sterling Brown. In recent weeks, Coach Obradovic announced that he has tightened the rotation and as the league enters its final weeks, he is keeping the most in-form players on the court, almost as if in the playoffs. As a result of this, Duane only played 7 minutes last week. Given that the upcoming games are away games against Olympiacos and Barcelona, the outlook does not seem very bright.
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