Anadolu Efes closes Top 16 stage with Real Madrid game

MADRID

CSKA Moscow leads Group E of Euroleague top 16 with a 10-3 winning record, while Real Madrid, Panathinaikos and Anadolu Efes are on nine wins and four losses. AA photo

Anadolu Efes visits Real Madrid and Panathinaikos meets CSKA Moscow in two key games on the last match day of the Euroleague Top 16 Group E tonight.

The four teams have already qualified for the Euroleague playoffs, but it will directly affect their places in the group.

CSKA Moscow leads the group with a 10-3 winning record, while Real Madrid, Panathinaikos and Anadolu Efes are on 9-4.

Efes coach Oktay Mahmuti said, “We still have the chance to finish the group in the first two spots. Firstly we must win in Madrid and then will wait for the remaining results.”

“In the last few weeks of Top 16 our performance decreased a little bit but we want to open a new page with the beginning of the playoffs and try to walk in the direction of our Final Four aim,” he said.

The two sides look to snap their losing streak and grab a playoff home-court advantage. If CSKA beats Panathinaikos, the winner of this showdown will be second in Group E and the loser will be third, regardless of other scores. If Panathinaikos beats CSKA, however, things are not that easy. Madrid will be first if it wins and Panathinaikos wins by 17 to 22 points and second if it wins and the Greens down CSKA by any other difference. Efes is second if it wins and CSKA loses by less than 4 points or by more than 47. If Panathinaikos wins by any other margin, Efes will be third if wins. If Panathinaikos wins, the loser of this game will be fourth regardless of other scores. In other words, Madrid will secure second place and a home-court advantage with a win and Efes cannot win the group.

Efes will also try to avoid finishing the group on fourth spot and meeting Barcelona in tthe playoffs.

Tough challenge

“The result will effect the spots of the teams in our group,” guard Kerem Tunçeri said. “Although Real Madrid lost a few games recently, we all know that they are a very good team. Will be a difficult game.
 
But to win, we must keep our discipline on court both in defense and in offense for 40 minutes.”

Zalgiris Kaunas takes on Brose Baskets and Unicaja Malaga hosts Alba Berlin in other Group E games.
In the Group F, Barcelona Regal, who has already won the group, hosts second Maccabi Electra.

Olympiacos meets BC Khimki and Caja Laboral takes on Montepaschi Siena.

Five teams are still in contention for the remaining three spots behind Barcelona.

Maccabi and Olympiacos have eight wins, while Khimki, Caja Laboral and Montepaschi have seven wins in 13 games.