Last season, Valencia gave Baskonia little chance in their head-to-head meetings, losing only their final encounter in May. The hosts have the stronger squad and are in better form — they should dictate play on their own court.
Valencia
Last season was a breakthrough for Valencia. They beat Barcelona 3-1 in the Liga Endesa final series to become Spanish champions for the first time since 2016/17. Valencia have been less impressive in the new campaign: they lost to Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup (86:87) and to Lleida in the latest round of Liga Endesa fixtures (100:105). They did, however, make a strong start in the EuroLeague with a 96:94 away win over Beşiktaş, in which Shorts stood out with 26 points in 23 minutes.
Baskonia
Baskonia suffered a painful 84:96 defeat to Joventut in the Spanish Super Cup semi-final — their opponents took control after Baskonia's poor third quarter (18:30). Their EuroLeague campaign also began badly, with a heavy 89:106 home defeat to Olympiacos in which shooting efficiency made a big difference. The Greek giants shot 56.3% from the field and dominated the rebounds (42-34).
Valencia vs Baskonia Prediction
Valencia beat Baskonia four times in five meetings last season, including friendlies. The gap in quality and the visitors' many mistakes suggest backing the reigning Spanish champions with a handicap.
