Match Preview
Zalgiris Kaunas have been victorious in their last six head-to-head matches against Lietkabelis, but their recent results in the EuroLeague have been slightly underwhelming. Can the visiting side take advantage of this and upset the champions?
Zalgiris Dealing With Back-to-Back EuroLeague Defeats
Speaking of their domestic affairs, Zalgiris claimed three consecutive victories in the Lithuanian top flight against Gargzdai 98-77, Neptunas 93-69 and Siauliai 101-82.
They were tagged as slight underdogs in the EuroLeague opening round in Belgrade against Crvena Zvezda but took an 83-77 victory, with veteran and former NBA star Jonas Valanciunas playing a massive role with 13 points and eight rebounds, while Nigel Williams-Goss was the top scorer with 14 points.
However, the Greens were beaten in the next two games on the big scene, first at home by the reigning European champions Olympiakos 93-91 in a big shooting showdown, followed by a disappointing 82-78 defeat to Paris in France on Thursday.
Lietkabelis Off to a Solid Start
Lietkabelis have been in solid form in the new basketball season, claiming three victories in their four appearances across competitions.
The LKL opening round saw them lock horns with Juventus at home and claim a narrow 84-82 victory, followed by an 86-77 road defeat to Siauliai.
Last weekend, Lietkabelis returned to winning ways with an 85-79 home win, thanks to Ognjen Jaramaz, who landed clutch shots in the final quarter and finished as the top scorer with 20 points.
Their European debut came during the mid-week, defeating KK Bosna Sarajevo 75-72 in the EuroCup opening round, where shooting percentages were not great (41%), but they forced 21 turnovers.