Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Liga Endesa match.
The Liga Endesa semi-finals begin with a closely matched contest between Valencia Basket and Lenovo Tenerife. Both teams battled for the second and third seeds during the regular season and share comparable styles of play, setting the stage for a tightly contested encounter.
Valencia Basket
Valencia Basket advanced past Gran Canaria, though not without a struggle. The second leg of the series went to overtime (102:94), and the hosts were fortunate to secure the win — their 42.9% shooting from three-point range was significantly above their season average and unlikely to be replicated. Furthermore, Gran Canaria exposed several defensive weaknesses in Valencia Basket, finding easy opportunities in the paint and converting 55.6% of their attempts.
Lenovo Tenerife
Lenovo Tenerife enjoyed a relatively straightforward quarter-final, sweeping Joventut Badalona (2:0). That series showed the team has two distinct game plans prepared for the play-offs. Their key player, Marcelinho Huertas, exploded for 39 points in the first game. Interestingly, he did not feature in the second leg, yet Lenovo Tenerife remained composed. Three different players scored more than 10 points, with Bruno Fitipaldo stepping up as the main offensive contributor with 23 points.
Valencia Basket vs Lenovo Tenerife Prediction
Just before the play-offs, these teams met in the regular season in a match that served as a preview of this upcoming clash. Valencia Basket edged the game (102:99) by just one possession. Despite how close that encounter was, Valencia Basket are widely regarded as clear favourites. However, Lenovo Tenerife have all the necessary tools to provide stiff resistance.
