This article is part of our EuroLeague Primer series.
PREGAME UPDATES
- Zenit's Billy Baron is ready to return to action in Round 7.
- Tibor Pleiss will be in Efes' starting lineup Thursday.
- Peyton Siva, Maodo Lo, Johannes Thiemann and Louis Olinde will be sidelined for ALBA.
- Nikola Mirotic and Nick Calathes are back in Barcelona's starting lineup.
THE SLATE
Olympiacos Piraeus at 
Zenit Saint Petersburg
Key Injuries: Billy Baron (DYR)
Best Bets for Success: The last undefeated team in the league will be back on the court Thursday, as Zenit plays its first EuroLeague game since Oct. 9. The Russian club did play a domestic league game over the weekend, so they did get a least one game to readjust. One player who showed little rust was Kevin Pangos, who showed little rust in last weekend's tune-up, scoring 14 points over 24 minutes. Few players were as productive over the first two Rounds as Pangos, and at just $8,300 on DraftKings he's one of the best values in Thursday's contests on that website. Olympiacos' top players have been on-and-off all season, and their most consistent player to date has been Hassan Martin. The high-flying forward does not score as frequently as you'd like, but when he does he has the potential to hit 30 points on DraftKings.
DFS Darlings: This game lacks some star power, but it does provide several affordable options for those playing in fantasy contests. Alex Poythress, thanks mainly to a big Round 2, has provided the most value on Thursday's DraftKings slate at his current price. Both Arturas Gudaitis and Billy Baron -- provided he plays -- are also attractive on DraftKings at less than $7,000 each. Fantasy players should be aware that Olympiacos has been pretty tough on frontcourt players, though. The Greek team has numerous affordable options, but it's really anyone's guess which of them will deliver with their team at full strength.
Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv at 
Anadolu Efes Istanbul
Key Injuries: Omri Casspi (TEL), Yovel Zoosman (TEL), John DiBartolomeo (TEL), Shane Larkin (IST), Bryant Dunston (IST), Tibor Pleiss (IST), Sertac Sanli (IST)
Best Bets for Success: Shane Larkin's return tour will be put on pause Thursday, and Efes will also be without two and possibly all three of its centers in Round 7. There are going to be some opportunities available on the Turkish squad, and Krunoslav Simon seems likely to capitalize on them. He shined in Larkin's absence earlier this season and is one of the better high-end values on Thursday's slate. Scottie Wilbekin and Ante Zizic are rolling for Maccabi and are the most likely to produce for their squad. They both are both getting a little pricey on DraftKings, but in their favor, Efes is surrendering the most points and second-most assists to opposing guards, and Zizic won't have to contend with as many obstacles in the post.
DFS Darlings: It's not clear what is ailing Pleiss, so he could be limited if he takes the court Thursday. However, with Dunston out, he could be worth a gamble on DraftKings if he plays. His price has dropped noticeably and he can return 5x value if he matches his Round 3 showing. Chris Singleton should see some extra minutes regardless, and while he's off to a slow start he showed last season he can produce when given the chance. He also has a soft matchup facing a Maccabi team that is allowing by far the most points and rebounds per game to players listed at the forward position.
Key Injuries: Victor Claver (BAR), Johannes Thiemann (BER), Kresimir Nikic (BER)
Best Bets for Success: Nikola Mirotic is the most pricey player in Thursday's contests, but he is also averaging the most DraftKings points per game on the slate. Although he has played in just one EuroLeague game since Oct. 9 due to a positive COVID-19 test, he has taken part in three domestic league games, so conditioning should not be an issue. He is about as safe as headliners come. The rest of this game is littered with uncertainty, as it remains to be seen who will take the court for an ALBA team that has not played in over two weeks due to a COVID-19 outbreak. While he's off to a bit of a slow start, Luke Sikma remains the safest option for the German team, and he did put up 30 points on DraftKings in his last appearance.
DFS Darlings: Besides Mirotic it's tough to peg the rest of Barcelona's roster. However, this seems like a good opportunity for Nick Calathes to put up a big score on DraftKings. ALBA has allowed opposing guards to rack up nearly two more assists per game than any team in the league, and they're also giving up the most points per game. ALBA has one intriguing value play in Simone Fontecchio -- who has fallen just short of 30 points on DraftKings twice -- and they could have a couple others, depending on who suits up Thursday.
LDLC ASVEL at 
TD Systems Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz
Key Injuries: Guerschon Yabusele (ASV), Paul Lacombe (ASV)
Best Bets for Success: The French team is just about back at full strength after a COVID-19 outbreak of its own, though it will be down a couple rotation players Thursday. Moustapha Fall will take the court, though, and he's likely to lead the way for ASVEL. Both Achille Polonara and Pierria Henry offer some nice higher-end value in DraftKings contests, particularly with Polonara producing steadily and Henry putting up 30 DraftKings in three of the four EuroLeague games Baskonia has played.
DFS Darlings: Baskonia has been tough on opposing forwards, but David Lighty and Charles Kahudi should play extra minutes Wednesday and both are coming off their highest-scoring games of the season. Norris Cole doesn't offer much savings on DraftKings, but he's also a volume scorer who may not be afraid to shoot the ball in his first appearance in nearly a month. Zoran Dragic should garner consideration for the Spanish squad, as he has scored 15 points in back-to-back Rounds.
