The first Eternal Derby of the EuroLeague season. Partizan are the designated home team, but that has no bearing on the teams' current form: Crvena Zvezda are flying high after four consecutive wins, while Partizan have lost three in a row following a winning start.
Partizan
Partizan sit 11th with three wins and three defeats. They made an impressive start to the season: a 92:76 win over Olimpia Milano (Carl Jones was the opening round's MVP with 20 points and 10 assists), followed by wins of 92:79 in Paris and 86:84 against Bayern Munich in Munich. A poor run followed: defeats of 76:86 against Real Madrid in Madrid, 55:72 at home to Panathinaikos (in the meeting with former coach Zeljko Obradovic, the visitors pulled away during a 0:11 spell in the third quarter) and 65:74 against Fenerbahce in Istanbul. They average just 77.7 points per game — the lowest scoring average in the EuroLeague. Partizan do concede relatively few points (78.5 per game, the fourth-best figure), but that has not helped them in the last three rounds.
Crvena Zvezda
Crvena Zvezda sit fifth in the table with four wins and two defeats. Their season began with home defeats against Žalgiris (77:83) and Hapoel Tel Aviv (80:81), followed by wins over Anadolu Efes (77:72), Dubai Basketball away (77:58), ASVEL Basket away (84:82, with Chris Jones hitting the winner in the final second) and Paris Basketball at home (90:81). Chima Moneke led the scoring in the latest match with 23 points, while Jordan Nwora added 12 points and six rebounds, Jared Butler scored 13, and Nikola Đurišić and Semi Ojeleye contributed 11 apiece. Crvena Zvezda also score relatively few points — just 80.8 per game, with only Partizan averaging fewer — but their defence has been reliable (76.2 points conceded per game, the third-best figure in the EuroLeague).
Partizan vs Crvena Zvezda Prediction
Both teams have clear problems in attack, but their defences have been reliable. Partizan's last three matches have all stayed below 170 total points, and Crvena Zvezda's away games in the EuroLeague have yet to exceed that mark either. The hosts will look to attack as they seek to make amends for three consecutive defeats, while the visitors will try to extend their winning run, but both teams' defensive resistance will be the deciding factor. We expect a maximum of 169 points between them.
