Olympiacos play host to CSKA Moscow in Group E of the Top 16 as the Turkish Airlines Euroleague returns on Wednesday.
A high-profile showdown right at the start of the Top 16 takes place in the Pireaus, Greece, as Olympiacos hosts CSKA Moscow in Group E.
This is the first meeting between these teams since the 2008 Euroleague Quarterfinals. Olympiacos head coach Dusan Ivkovic faces his former team – he led CSKA to three consecutive Russian League titles and as many Euroleague Final Four appearances from 2003 to 2005.
CSKA led the regular season in assists (20.3 apg.) and performance index rating (103.9), while Olympiacos was first in fouls drawn (23.9 per game).
CSKA has beaten Olympiacos in 5 of its last 6 visits to Greece since 1998. Expect a real battle, as both teams hope to start the Top 16 with a critical win.
Olympiacos is still without Panos Vasilopoulos, while Lazaros Papadopoulos may come back against CSKA. Pero Antic missed his team's Greek League game but may play against CSKA.
It will be a special game for CSKA playmaker Milos Teodosic, who returns to Greece to face his former team. Teodosic earned Euroleague MVP honors in 2009-10, leading Olympiacos to the title game. He will need to use his creativity and experience against Kalin Lucas and Kostas Sloukas. CSKA can also put Alexey Shved at point guard to make the most out of his size, athleticism and driving skills.
Olympiacos has the right man to guard him in Michalis Pelekanos, a prime-time defensive stopper with quick feet and great determination. With Andrei Kirilenko back in CSKA's lineup, Viktor Khryapa will see the most minutes at small forward, sharing playing time with Ramunas Siskauskas and Jamont Gordon at both wings.
Gordon and Shved will have the tough task of guarding Olympiacos superstar Vassilis Spanoulis, in what promises to be one of the biggest keys to this game.
At the same time, Spanoulis needs to play at his best, using his high basketball IQ to read the defence if Olympiacos wants to beat CSKA.
The battle in the paint will be very interesting. Kirilenko must use his quickness and strength on defence against Georgios Printezis, whose mobility and transition game will be a challenge.
CSKA must play its usual quality defence, control the boards and get its big men involved.
