Paris – Besiktas

International - Eurocup, Group A, Round 8

21/11/2023 - 21:00 CET

Paris is playing phenomenal basketball, and nothing less was expected. They are currently at 7-0 in the EuroCup, being the only undefeated team in their group. This achievement is even more significant considering that they played away five times so far, with only two games in front of their home crowd. Outside of the EuroLeague, Paris is arguably the best team in Europe at the moment. For those unfamiliar, the club's chiefs brought in former head coach of Bonn, Tuomas Iisalo, and the top six players from Bonn during the summer. That team won the FIBA Champions League last season and dominated the regular season of the Bundesliga. On paper, they are even more formidable now because alongside T.J. Shorts, there is Nadir Hifi, averaging over 17 points in the EuroCup. Shorts lacked such support in Bonn. Now, when he has an off night, Hifi is there to step up. When both are in excellent mood, Paris becomes unstoppable. In the two home games, they won both by 27 points - 114:87 against Hapoel Tel Aviv and 105:78 against Wolves. 

Besiktas is in the second place with a 5-2 record, but their schedule has significantly influenced this standing. They played five games at home without facing any top 4 teams from the group on their turf. Last week, they lost in Istanbul to the London Lions by 80:83, indicating that they might not be as powerful as initially thought. Head coach Dusan Alimpijevic has done a fantastic job so far with a team composed of only five foreign players. Jonah Mathews is undoubtedly the most crucial player in the team, bringing experience from a higher level after playing for Asvel in the EuroLeague last year. Derek Needham collaborated with coach Alimpijevic in Bursaspor, so there was no need for an adaptation period, and Angel Delgado was one of the best centers in the Turkish Super League while playing for Pinar Karsiyaka. Besiktas relies heavily on the performance of their domestic players. Berk Ugurlu and Yigit Arslan spend a lot of time on the court, primarily tasked with defensive duties, but to win a duel like this, they must also deliver on the offensive end. 

This is the type of game where Paris will dictate the terms. They are a much more quality team than Besiktas at the moment. The only question for them is how motivated they will be for the clash, but since they are playing against a rival competing for the top two positions in the group, they should be entirely focused. They suffered a shocking defeat against Roanne in the domestic league over the weekend, and that should only add to their determination to secure a win from tip-off. Besiktas lacks players like Shorts and Hifi, who can create for themselves and score over 20 points. Besiktas' goal will be to impose good defense and slow down the pace as much as possible, but it will be challenging against such a well-coordinated team with exceptional offensive potential.