Match Preview
These two sides met in the EuroLeague quarterfinals last season, where Fenerbahce advanced to the Final Four after four games (3-1). The Turkish giants are also favorites to win on Tuesday.
Fenerbahce Strong at Home Despite Athens Setback
Fenerbahce have made a good start to the new EuroLeague season, claiming three victories in four appearances and currently sitting in 4th place.
After winning all three of their home games against Virtus Bologna 78-68, Bayern Munich 100-76 and Dubai 76-66, the Yellow Canaries suffered a heavy 92-74 loss to Panathinaikos in Athens last week, largely due to a high number of turnovers (17).
Sarunas Jasikevicius' side returned to winning ways last weekend in the Turkish Super Lig, beating Cayirova 100-85 away from home. The game was virtually decided after 20 minutes, with Fenerbahce holding a 16-point lead at the break. Will Clyburn was the top scorer with 18 points.
Zalgiris Riding High After Barcelona Comeback
Zalgiris were slight underdogs in their EuroLeague opening-round clash against Crvena Zvezda in Belgrade but claimed an 83-77 victory. Veteran and former NBA star Jonas Valanciunas played a major role with 13 points and eight rebounds, while Nigel Williams-Goss was the top scorer with 14 points.
However, the Greens lost their next two games on the big stage, first suffering a 93-91 home defeat to reigning European champions Olympiakos in a high-scoring contest, followed by a disappointing 82-78 loss to Paris in France.
Last week, Zalgiris faced a difficult situation ahead of the final quarter against Barcelona in Spain, trailing by ten points. However, they crushed their opponents in the final 10 minutes (33-16) to secure an 88-81 victory. Carsen Edwards led the way with 19 points and seven assists.