Zalgiris vs Crvena Zvezda

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Zalgiris has picked up right where they left off from the previous season, demonstrating an impressive track record in the EuroLeague. They are widely regarded as strong contenders for the Final Four once again.

In their opening game, they staged a remarkable comeback in the final quarter to secure a victory against the formidable Virtus Bologna team on the road. Keenan Evans delivered another outstanding performance with 25 points, but it was their exceptional defensive play that ultimately secured the win for Zalgiris.

During the previous season, both teams secured home wins during the regular season, with those games being closely contested. Additionally, they had a recent friendly match less than a month ago, which Zalgiris narrowly won 85-84. Going into this match, the Lithuanian team is in top form and brimming with confidence, fielding a full-strength squad.

Duska Ivanovica, the new head coach of Crvena Zvezda, had an exceptionally strong start to the EuroLeague campaign. The team dominated Lyon with a 94-73 victory at home, and the performance was smooth and comfortable from start to finish. In this match, Zvezda matched a club record in the EuroLeague by making 17 three-pointers. Remarkably, they achieved this without much contribution from their star point guard, Teodosic.

The standout players in that game were Napier and the Lithuanian player Giedraitis, who is likely to have extra motivation for the upcoming match.

Despite not having the services of the highly experienced ex-NBA forward Nemanja Bjelica, who is still recovering from a leg injury sustained in March, Marko Simonovic has been performing well in his role. So, the absence of Bjelica hasn't posed a significant issue thus far.

Zalgiris has had an exceptional start to this season, winning all four of their matches since the official competitions began. In their domestic championship, they have remained dominant, and they pulled off a surprising victory in the EuroLeague opener by defeating Virtus in Bologna.

What's particularly encouraging for Zalgiris is the strong performance from Keenan Evans at the beginning of the season. The American point guard had played exceptionally well at the start of the previous season before suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury, which kept him sidelined for a year. However, he already managed to score 25 points in the game against Bologna. Edgaras Ulanovas continues to exhibit the same level of skill as he has in previous seasons, and Coach Kazys Maksvytis heavily relies on him. Zalgiris has a history of compensating for its shortcomings with teamwork in previous seasons, and it appears that this trend will continue this year.

Zalgiris has consistently performed better at home compared to away games, and they have a reputation for upsetting the favorites, as demonstrated in the first round. The history of their matches against Crvena Zvezda suggests that another thrilling game is in store.

On Friday, two unbeaten clubs will compete to extend their records as Zalgiris (1-0) hosts Zvezda (1-0) while also playing in its first home game. Local supporters will be especially happy to see playmaker Keenan Evans, who made his long-awaited comeback last week and put on an outstanding performance, scoring 25 points on 9-of-15 field goals to lead Virtus to an incredible comeback victory. After excelling in last week's demolition of ASVEL, in which the team knocked down a club-record 17 three-pointers with a 50% conversion rate, Zvezda will be hoping that new signings Shabazz Napier (21 points on 5-of-8 three-point shooting) and Rokas Giedraitis (20 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists) can maintain their stellar form.

Round 1 of the 2023–24 EuroLeague saw dominant victories for Zalgiris and Crvena Zvezda. The early-season matchup between the two teams, which both have legitimate aspirations to reach the Final Four this season, might be crucial. Here are our predictions for Zalgiris vs. Crvena Zvezda.

They faced off twice in the previous campaign, with each team defending its home-court advantage. They engaged in a friendly game prior to the start of this season, which Zalgiris won. The Lithuanian team won six of their previous 10 matches. Only twice have Crvena Zvezda won in the seven games against Zalgiris as the host. This incident last occurred in 2019.

Crvena Zvezda has been delivering impressive performances early in the new season, despite making significant changes to their squad. They secured victories against Igokea and Cedevita Olimpija in the ABA league and also triumphed over Asvel in the opening game of the EuroLeague season.

Initially, there were concerns about how the 10 new players on Crvena Zvezda's roster would adapt to Coach Dusko Ivanovic's system, but it seems that they have seamlessly integrated into the team's dynamics at the beginning of the season. The Belgrade-based squad has a deep roster with multiple quality players at every position. Shabazz Napier and Rokas Giedraitis have found their scoring touch, while Nemanja Nedovic, Milos Teodosic, and other team members are making valuable contributions on both offense and defense. Even though Asvel might be considered one of the weaker teams in the EuroLeague, Crvena Zvezda displayed their offensive prowess against them. To achieve their lofty ambitions, there's no better test than the one they face in Kaunas at the season's outset.

Crvena Zvezda has built a team with clear aspirations, openly expressing their desire to reach the EuroLeague Final Four. This is a significant long-term goal, and they understand that they must take gradual steps to get there. Their strong performance at the season's start is a testament to their commitment, and now they are aiming to end a four-year winless streak in Kaunas.