This article is part of our EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge Picks series.
We might be witnessing a historic fight for places in the EuroLeague Playoffs and Play-In Showdown. In past seasons, the main discussion at this stage was usually about which teams would secure home-court advantage. However, considering how volatile the standings can be, the top four contenders seem to have solidified their spots. On the other hand, there is an intense battle for the sixth seed, which guarantees a direct playoff spot without having to go through the Play-In. A total of five teams are fighting for this position and the matchups between them in Round 33 will play a crucial role in shaping the final standings.
The competition remains fierce in the EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge, and we will list all our top picks 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.
To the list!
Guard
Kevin Punter, FC Barcelona (15.3 credits)
Everyone knows he loves playing the villain role, and an away matchup with Fenerbahce is exactly the kind of game where that persona needs step forward. Punter inked a three-year contract extension with Barcelona on Wednesday, so he should be plenty fired up for Round 33.
Sylvain Francisco, Zalgiris Kaunas (14.3 credits)
Zalgiris has been eliminated from playoff contention, but that doesn't take away from the season Francisco has had. Especially in the final stretch after Lonnie Walker IV returned to the NBA, Francisco has fully taken over the leadership role on his team. Looking at his last 10 EuroLeague games, he has averaged 19.71 fantasy points. In Round 33 against Partizan, he will once again be the player Zalgiris relies on the most.
Rokas Jokubaitis, Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv (13.0 credits)
Since returning from injury, the Lithuanian playmaker has struggled in only one of his last four games -- a matchup with Panathinaikos. In the other three, he delivered statement performances, recording over 20 PIR in each. At the start of the season, Maccabi relied more on Tamir Blatt's leadership, but as the season has progressed, Jokubaitis has taken on a more significant role. In Round 33 he faces a tough matchup in Belgrade against Bayern, and he will be part of a must-watch duel with Carsen Edwards.
Sebastian Herrera, Paris Basketball (4.6 credits)
Herrera saw limited minutes for most of the season, but he has become one of the favorite players of coach Tiago Splitter over the past three weeks, averaging over 20 minutes per game. During this stretch, he has contributed significantly off the bench, recording PIRs of 13, 8 and 7. Known primarily for his steady shooting, Herrera does not hesitate to take long-range three-point attempts when he finds his rhythm.
Forward
Tornike Shengelia, Virtus Segafredo Bologna (15.7 credits)
Virtus Bologna's season is coming to an end, but for Shengelia -- who is in a contract year and set to become a free agent -- challenging away games against rival Milan and Barcelona give him an opportunity to go into the summer on a night note. In Round 32 against ALBA, the Georgian forward put up a 28-PIR performance, which shows he has regained his form. In this week's derby, he will once again be his team's most crucial piece. It has been a tough season, but they could be motivated to end Milan's playoff hopes.
Roman Sorkin, Maccabi Playtika Tel-Aviv (11.6 credits)
He delivered an epic performance in Round 32 against Efes, playing almost the entire game without rest and finishing with 27 PIR. He no doubt capitalized on the absence of Trevion Williams, who was sidelined with an injury but has since returned. Regardless of who suits up around him, Sorkin's outstanding form has elevated him to the highest level within his team. Against Bayern we can expect a highly competitive matchup with Johannes Voigtmann, which could directly impact the game's outcome.
Jaron Blossomgame, AS Monaco (9.1 credits)
During this period when his team is fighting for home-court advantage, Blossomgame has become a great alternative to Alpha Diallo, who has not been at his best recently. In the double-game week against Zalgiris and Olympiacos, he was the player with the most minutes on the court, racking up 37 and 34 minutes of them. As a result of producing 17 and 21 PIR in these games, he is increasingly becoming an irreplaceable player for head coach Vassilis Spanoulis.
Center
Walter Tavares, Real Madrid (15.6 credits)
Although his playing time has not increased significantly, the Cape Verdean center has greatly improved his PIR during Real Madrid's four-game winning streak. Last week, in an away game against Red Star, he recorded a double-double. In Round 33, Real Madrid will face Paris, and Tavares will once again be their most important asset in the painted area. He holds a size advantage over his matchups and against both Kevarrius Hayes and Mikael Jantunen and could have a Shaq-like performance. As a result, he could draw a lot of fouls, similar to the clutch moments at the end of the Red Star game. As a solid free-throw shooter, Tavares knows exactly how to handle crucial situations.
Youssoupha Fall, FC Barcelona (6.3 credits)
The greater the risk, the greater the reward! This approach is the main economic dynamic, and implementing this strategy into the clash that will be played between Fenerbahce and Barcelona, it's possible to say that there are significant gaps in the home team's painted area defense. In a domestic game over the weekend, Fall played 24 minutes and tallied eight points and eight rebounds. He has the potential to perform with a similar game against Fenerbahce.
Moses Wright, Olympiacos Piraeus (5.9 credits)
After a long layoff, the player made his return to the court last week, but he didn't seem to have found his rhythm yet. However, with a couple games under his belt and both Nikola Milutinov and Moustapha Fall unavailable for Round 33, Wright could play a key role.
Head Coach
Georgios Bartzokas, Olympiacos Piraeus (8.1 credits)
As a result of losing three games in a row, Olympiacos has lost the top seed in the standings. However, compared to Fenerbahce's remaining schedule, Olympiacos has relatively easy matchups with ALBA on the road and Maccabi at home. Olympiacos simply needs to win both games and hope Fenerbahce slips up.
Chus Mateo, Real Madrid (8.1 credits)
With the victories they have achieved in the last four games, Real Madrid has quickly climbed the standings and is among the teams that could avoid the Play-In. Real Madrid can be considered the most advantageous among them because, in the head-to-head matchups between these teams, they hold the advantage in the five-way tiebreaker. Simply put, if Real Madrid wins their remaining two games they will at least secure the sixth spot. Moreover, if Bayern loses one of their two remaining matches, Real will even have the chance to finish fifth. Everything is completely in Real Madrid's hands.
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