Adam Williams presents his prediction for the EuroLeague match.
The opening game of this EuroLeague Playoffs series between the first and eighth seeds unfolded exactly as anticipated. Olympiacos BC secured a confident 84:72 victory and now stand in a strong position to wrap up the series swiftly.
Olympiacos BC
Olympiacos did not display anything extraordinary in the first encounter, but they didn’t need to. Aleksandar Vezenkov led the way with 23 points, firmly settling the outcome. One notable aspect was the team’s uncharacteristically poor three-point shooting, hitting only 25.9% from beyond the arc—something that rarely happens. Real Madrid are unlikely to benefit from such generosity again.
Real Madrid
The only thing that might salvage this season for Real Madrid is the off-season. Not only did the squad put in a lacklustre performance in Game One, but there were also frequent complaints about officiating. Facundo Campazzo, expected to be a key figure in the playoffs, managed just seven points along with five turnovers. The frontcourt duo of Walter Tavares and Jonas Ibaka combined for only six rebounds—fewer than Aleksandar Vezenkov collected on his own with seven. The sole bright spot was Sergio Llull, who contributed 16 points, though it’s doubtful he can replicate that performance any time soon.
Olympiacos BC vs Real Madrid Prediction
Real Madrid have failed to mount any serious challenge against Olympiacos in three meetings this season. Their best effort still resulted in a 10-point defeat. Nevertheless, the spread for Real Madrid is set at +6.5—a surprisingly generous line given how the squad has been performing. It’s unclear what justifies this margin, as they appear unlikely to cover it.
