This article is part of our EuroLeague Primer series.
PREGAME UPDATES
- Fenerbahce confirmed that Nando de Colo will return to action Thursday, and also revealed that Ahmet Duverioglu will be unavailable for Round 13.
THE SLATE
Olympiacos Piraeus at 
Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade
Key Injuries: Langston Hall (RED)
Best Bets for Success: Jordan Loyd is arguably the best bet on the board, as he leads the slate in fantasy points per game on both FanDuel and DraftKings and has led Red Star in that category in 10 of his 12 appearances. Despite his price he's also returning some of the most value on both websites, and he will take on an Olympiacos that hasn't been particularly stingy on opposing guards. Hassan Martin and Shaq McKissic have both produced consistently over the last few weeks, and both players pushed their scoring average into double figures in Tuesday's makeup game.
DFS Darlings: There won't be many appealing value plays in this one, as the over/under on this game is five points lower than every other one on the slate and Olympiacos has limited opposing frontcourt players better than anyone. Red Star's Corey Walden will be worth considering, though, as he's a good bet for 30 minutes with Hall out and scored in double figures in eight of his last 10 games. Johnny O'Bryant is at least somewhat appealing on DraftKings at just $7,100. Olympiacos' Aaron Harrison also has some nice upside on both websites, as his minutes -- and presumably, his output -- should pick up in his second game back from injury.
Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul at 
ALBA Berlin
Key Injuries: Nando de Colo (ULK), Alex Perez (ULK), Ben Lammers (BER), Marcus Eriksson (BER), Simone Fontecchio (BER)
Best Bets for Success: de Colo is set to return from a lengthy absence, and although it's unclear if he will be at full speed, he figures to reclaim his role as Fenerbahce's top playmaker. He's a bit too expensive on DraftKings to gamble on, but he is almost a must-start on FanDuel, as he will only cost you the minimum price and is facing an ALBA team that is allowing opposing guards to rack up nearly an assist more than any other team. His teammates, Jan Vesely and Lorenzo Brown are good picks in this one, too, with Vesely a good bet to score in double figures for the fourth game in a row against the squad allowing the most points to opposing frontcourt players. Brown will cede some duties, but ALBA has had enough trouble with guards for two of them to produce. Luke Sikma has really turned it on for the German team of late, and he will have the opportunity to pile up more stats against a Fenerbahce squad that has been among the friendliest to opposing frontcourt players in just about every category. He should get some help from Peyton Siva, who has racked up assists as well as anyone of late.
DFS Darlings: de Colo, Vesely and Brown were the only Fenerbahce players to produce regularly when de Colo was healthy, which provides some pause when considering players from the Turkish team in the middle tier, even if there are some enticing matchups. Jarell Eddie is at least cheap enough to consider in a pinch. With ALBA presumably still short-handed, their rotation should remain tight, and they will have several intriguing options on both websites. On FanDuel, Niels Giffey and Louis Olinde are some of the best values on the slate, plus they get the same matchup as Sikma. Fenerbahce is giving up enough assists for Siva and Jayson Granger to both contribute like they did last week.
Zenit Saint Petersburg at 
Real Madrid
Key Injuries: None
Best Bets for Success: It's impossible to ignore what Sergio Llull has done since Facundo Campazzo parted ways with Madrid, and he figures to remain the team's primary facilitator. However, he will be a risky fantasy pick, as he is not as cheap as he was a couple weeks ago and will face a Zenit team that has shut down opposing guards better than anyone. Walter Tavares is pretty pricy on FanDuel, but with averages of 12.7 points, 8.0 rebounds and 2.5 blocks over his last six games few have been as productive in recent weeks. The top option for the Russian team is Kevin Pangos, who averaged right around 30 fantasy points over his last four appearances and 8.5 assists over his last six. He will have his work cut out for him Thursday, though, as Real Madrid is allowing two fewer assists than any team in the league.
DFS Darlings: Madrid's Trey Thompkins has not scored as consistently early on, but he offers some of the best value on both websites, and he's capable of providing it if he gets 20 minutes, which he has done in seven of his 12 appearances. Zenit's Arturas Gudaitis will be worth considering on DraftKings, where he is back below $7,000.
Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv at 
TD Systems Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz
Key Injuries: Luca Vildoza (BAS)
Best Bets for Success: Two of the most productive guards in the league will square off in this one, as the league's third-leading scorer and leading three-point maker, Scottie Wilbekin, takes on Pierria Henry, who is third in assists and the active leader in steals per game. Maccabi is averaging the most possessions in the league and dropped 113 points on Baskonia last time these teams squared off, so there's potential for it to be a high-scoring affair. Both players figure to capitalize if it is. Baskonia's Alec Peters is one of the best upper-end values on the slate, as he has scored as well as anyone of late, averaging 16.5 points over his last six games.
DFS Darlings: Vildoza will provide the most value on the board if he suits up, so it's worth keeping an eye on his status leading up to tip-off. Things are set up nicely for Achille Polonara as well, as Maccabi is giving up a lot of rebounds and blocks. Chris Jones is worth considering on DraftKings if he holds onto his starting spot, and if you are really looking for salary relief -- particularly on DraftKings with several safer minimum-price options on FanDuel -- you could take a shot on Yovel Zoosman, who could be limited in his debut but scored at least 24 points on DraftKings five times last season.
Anadolu Efes Istanbul at 
Valencia Basket
Key Injuries: Krunoslav Simon (IST), Louis Labeyrie (PAM), Vanja Marinkovic (PAM), Joan Sastre (PAM)
Best Bets for Success: Shane Larkin isn't scoring as much as he did last season, but he has remained a regular contributor, recording at least 25 fantasy points in every game he has appeared in. Valencia is allowing the second-fewest points to opposing guards, but this game has the highest over/under on the slate, so Larkin should have plenty opportunities to produce. Seven different Valencia players put up 20 fantasy points over the last three Rounds, so they don't have a clear top option heading into Round 13. In that case, it's best to go with Bojan Dubljevic, who scored his most points since Round 2 his last time out.
DFS Darlings: Valencia has been by far the most vulnerable to opposing forwards, so both Adrien Moerman and Chris Singleton will be in play for the Turkish team. Rodrigue Beaubois will be as well on FanDuel, where he costs the minimum price. Klemen Prepelic will be worth considering for the Spanish squad if he starts, as his price has slipped back down into a more affordable range.
