Javier Gancedo gives his recommendations for this week's playoff action
Fantasy tips for Games 3 and 4: Rising to the moment
Fantasy Challenge
2 Mins read
What a way to start the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Playoffs!
Olympiacos Piraeus, AS Monaco and Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul made the most of their home-court advantage to take 2-0 leads in their series, while Anadolu Efes Istanbul edged Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens in Game 2 to level things up heading back to Turkiye.
Anything can happen this week – from sweeps to comebacks. As always, I have some recommendations to make your EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge teams even better.
Terry Tarpey, AS Monaco (4.2 credits)
Terry Tarpey has earned a reputation for always being ready when his number is called. Coach Vassilis Spanoulis surprised Barca with a very small lineup featuring Tarpey at power forward, which worked well. No player under 5.0 credits has been more effective in the playoffs: 3.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 6.0 PIR.
Tarik Biberovic, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (8.2 credits)
Tarik Biberovic is coming off a career-best night, reaching 20 points for the first time in his EuroLeague career. He was effective from beyond the arc but also attacked the rim and was really active on offense. Paris's run-and-gun style suits him well, and Biberovic is ready to keep shining in Game 3.
Dzanan Musa, Real Madrid (11.9 credits)
Dzanan Musa struggled in Game 2 against Olympiacos, finishing the night with 2 points on 1-of-7 shooting and a PIR of 0. He already bounced back in Spanish League action, getting 22 points on 6-of-7 three-pointers. Real Madrid plays at home this time and it is hard to imagine that Musa has such a sub-par performance again. He could be your X-factor in Game 3.
Vincent Poirier, Anadolu Efes Istanbul (14.6 credits)
Vincent Poirier has been simply sensational so far, dominating the paint and finding a lot of advantages against Omer Yurtseven and Wenyen Gabriel. In Games 1 and 2 in Athens, Poirier averaged 16.5 points on 73.7% shooting, 9.0 rebounds, 3.5 blocks and a PIR of 26.0. It will be hard to find a better center in the game.
TJ Shorts, Paris Basketball (20.2 credits)
If you think Paris won't fight until the very end, think again. Paris hosts Game 3, where TJ Shorts feels comfortable, and he should be his usual, unstoppable self. He has been playing well in the series, averaging 17.5 points, 5.5 assists and a PIR of 19.0. If Paris needs a monster game from Shorts to force Game 4, he will be ready to deliver.