Maturity test for FB coach Itoudis: Will the Final Four beckon?
The quarterfinal of the Euroleague Playoffs between Olympiakos and Fenerbahce Basketball could not have been more exciting. In the fourth meeting of the best-of-five series, the Greek representative missed a match point to enter the semifinals, instead Fenerbahce evened the quarterfinal series and now goes into a landmark final game in the hell of Piraeus.
As expected, Fenerbahce will start as underdogs against the main round best. The best bookmakers are currently offering betting odds of up to 1.48 for an Olympiakos vs Fenerbahce bet on the Turkish guests. In case of success for the Greeks, on the other hand, odds of only 3.05 are offered.
In Piraeus, Fenerbahce already won one encounter during the quarterfinal series, originally setting the stage for a spot in the final tournament in Lithuania. Because one of the subsequent two home games was lost, the BO5 series is now 2-2 – much to the delight of the Greek basketball players.
When considering how strong Olympiakos presented itself in front of the home crowd over the 2022/23 season, it would be more than surprising if they now concede a defeat in the final match against Fenerbahce, of all teams. Nevertheless, our Olympiakos vs. Fenerbahce prediction does not rule out a surprise, as we are leaning towards a high-scoring encounter.
Olympiakos – statistics & current form
Olympiakos started the quarterfinal series of the Euroleague Playoffs with a 79-68 win over Fenerbahce, underlining the strong performances from the main round. Already in the regular season, Olympiakos was the strongest team in the standings. Under head coach Georgios Bartzokas, the “Thrylos” won 24 of a total of 34 matches on the international stage.
Nevertheless, the Greeks were not lucky in their draw. With Fenerbahce Beko, the three-time Euroleague champions caught a difficult hurdle in the quarterfinals. After four of a possible five meetings in the best-of-five, the score is 2:2. Both teams have lost one home game each in the current quarterfinal series.
The defeat was particularly bitter for Olympiakos BC. Prior to the loss to Fenerbahce Beko, Bartzokas’ team won 20 consecutive matches at home across competitions, including ten matches in the 2022/23 Euroleague. The Red and Whites’ scoring average in front of a home crowd was commendable.
Is Olympiakos BC ensuring a clear balance of power?
In the last ten home compulsory games, Olympiakos had an average of 88.5 points per match. It is quite possible that this will be followed up against Fenerbahce Beko. In the last showdown in Piraeus, the 160-point mark was broken. It is therefore not at all unreasonable to expect a high-scoring encounter in the final game of the quarterfinal series.
The best player in the ranks of the red and white team so far has been Sasha Vezenkov. The 27-year-old is on course to be MVP and has already averaged 17.2 points on the international stage. Vezenkov also has the second most rebounds this season. Only Matthias Lessort of Partizan Belgrade has better rebounding statistics.
Olympiakos has won three of its last four home games against its upcoming opponent from Turkey since March 2021. This season, for example, there has already been a 94:67 victory to cheer. If there is the next win now, betting odds of 1.48 are paid out for an Olympiakos vs Fenerbahce tip on the Greek host.
Predicted lineup of Olympiakos:
Canaan – Case – Papanikolaou – Vezenkov – Walkup
Fenerbahce – Statistics & current form
Fenerbahce can breathe a sigh of relief. With the victory against Olympiakos BC, the Canaries have evened the series and thus prevented a déjà vu. In the home game before, Fenerbahce still lost 71:72, where the defeat was sealed only with the buzzerbeater of ex-FB player Kostas Sloukas.
In contrast, FB coach Itoudis’ team presented a much more focused performance in the fourth match of the BO5 series. Despite being behind, Fenerbahce fought their way back into the game again and again, and ultimately claimed a well-deserved victory in front of a home crowd. Now it’s time for another trip to Piraeus.
FB is threatened with defeat and a quarterfinal exit on the international stage. Looking at their recent record on foreign soil, Fenerbahce’s chances of reaching the “Final Four” in Lithuania are vanishingly small. After all, the Canaries have won just one of their last ten competitive matches away from home.
Is FB suffering from away weakness?
Betting fans who still want to place a bet on the Turkish guests in Olympiakos vs. Fenerbahce Basketball can pick up betting odds of up to 3.05 in case of success for the yellow-navy-blue team.
In the main round of the Euroleague, Fenerbahce Beko won only seven of 17 away games. The Canaries from Istanbul conceded an average of 84.41 points in the process. It is quite possible that this negative trend will continue in Piraeus. In the last three away games at the upcoming opponent FB conceded an average of 83.66 points.
Offensively, however, FB only had something to counter in the last showdown in Piraeus. So far, Jonathan Motley has been the most dangerous player in the Canaries’ ranks, averaging 14.5 points. In the playoffs, however, it was Dyshawn Pierre in particular who was a factor for success, repeatedly hitting important 3P shots in crucial game situations.
Predicted lineup of Fenerbahce:
Calathes – Dorsey – Hayes – Jekiri – Pierre
Olympiakos – Fenerbahce Direct comparison / H2H record
This is the 29th time the two clubs have met on the international stage. After 28 matches, the direct comparison is even so far. Both teams have picked up 14 wins each. In the current quarterfinal series of the EL playoffs, it is just as even. After four matches, the score is 2:2.
However, Olympiakos BC leads the season H2h. The Greeks have won four of their six encounters against Fenerbahce this season. The best result came in the first duel of the season, when Olympiakos BC beat the Canaries from Istanbul 94-67 in December 2022.
Olympiakos – Fenerbahce Tip
Showdown for a place in the final tournament of the Euroleague. Olympiakos BC, top of the main round standings, has struggled against the supposed weakest team in the playoffs so far. Nevertheless, there is a chance for redemption at home. The final game of the BO5 series will take place in Piraeus, after all.
The Red and Whites have won three of their last four home games against their upcoming opponents from Istanbul. In addition, Fenerbahce has stumbled recently anyway, winning only one of its last ten matches away from home. It’s quite possible that this negative trend will continue at Olympiakos BC, who are strong at home.
We expect, as in the two previous encounters, a hard-fought match between the two teams. However, unlike the two quarterfinal matches in Istanbul, this time we are leaning towards a high-scoring encounter. Our Olympiakos vs Fenerbahce Basketball tip targets Over 154.5 points at betting odds of 1.95. We bet five units.
