Obradoiro – Baskonia
Spain - Liga ACB, Round 9
12/11/2023 - 12:30 CET
Obradoiro has been in the middle of table in the Liga Endesa for several seasons, without significant chances of reaching a playoff spot. It seems that nothing will be different in this campaign. They are currently at 3-5 after eight games, and all three wins came at home. However, it should be noted that the opponents they defeated were Girona, Zaragoza and Palencia, all of which are considered weaker teams in the competition. Regarding the roster, it has weakened during the summer as their best player, Kassius Robertson, signed with Valencia. Veteran Thomas Scrubb had a few good games, as did Artem Pustovyi, but overall, Obradoiro's season will be considered successful if they avoid relegation.
Baskonia made a major sensation on Thursday by defeating Olympiacos at road in the EuroLeague. Dusko Ivanovic's fourth arrival in Vitoria has started exceptionally well, as they also outplayed Partizan at the 'Fernando Buesa Arena.' Between those games, they lost to Gran Canaria in the Liga Endesa, but considering the numerous injuries, it wasn't a big surprise. Chima Moneke is playing so well that, alongside Nikola Mirotic, he is one of the best power forwards in Europe, and Marcus Howard is capable of scoring over 20 points regardless of the defender. Tadas Sedekerskis was an important player for coach Ivanovic in his previous tenure, and he will be crucial again as he can do everything on the court. Baskonia's offense is one of the most potent and explosive in Europe, and if Ivanovic improves their defense, they can aim for big things. Given that Baskonia currently has three consecutive losses in the Liga Endesa, it's time for them to get serious and consider this match as crucial.
The quality of the two teams is needless to say. Baskonia is a top 4 Spanish team with aspirations to reach the EuroLeague playoffs, while Obradoiro is at the lower end of the domestic league. In a different situation where Baskonia might be more relaxed, the host would have a great chance to cause an upset. In this case, with the guests desperately needing a win to break a three-game losing streak, it's expected that their approach will be at its maximum, and in that scenario, a positive result is hard to be avoided given their talent superiority over the opponent.