Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the EuroLeague match.
Hapoel Tel-Aviv remain the biggest surprise of this EuroLeague season. After six rounds, they sit alone at the top of the table with a 5-1 record. However, the coming week will be a true test for Hapoel — first hosting Partizan, then travelling to Athens to face Olympiacos.
Hapoel Tel-Aviv
Hapoel come into this fixture on a six-game winning streak, three of those victories in the EuroLeague. More importantly, they have beaten strong opposition along the way: Valencia (100:93), Paris (89:88), and Monaco (85:77). Their main strength lies in offence, averaging 92.3 points per game — third-best in the league. They attack in a variety of ways and are dangerous from the foul line, attempting 17.7 free throws per match (sixth overall).
Partizan
Over the weekend, Partizan defeated Borac Mozzart (85:74) in the Adriatic League, but the win was overshadowed by injuries to Aleksej Pokusevski and Jabari Parker. The loss of the American forward is particularly damaging, as his 12 points and 3.7 rebounds per game have been key to Partizan’s EuroLeague campaign. With Tyrique Jones and Shake Milton still recovering, Željko Obradovic’s options are severely limited against a top-tier opponent.
Hapoel Tel-Aviv vs Partizan Prediction
Hapoel are clear favourites, and rightly so. The visitors’ significant injury problems will prevent them from performing anywhere near their usual level. The Tel Aviv side should control the match and extend their winning run.
