In the second round of the EuroLeague regular season, Anadolu Efes and Fenerbahçe will meet in a high-stakes matchup. Dailysports analysts have shared their expert prediction for this thrilling contest between two of Turkey's top basketball teams.
Anadolu Efes
So far, Anadolu Efes has had a solid start to the season, winning all three of their matches across different competitions. They kicked off the season by claiming the Turkish Super Cup, narrowly defeating Fenerbahçe by a single point.
In their EuroLeague opener, Efes secured a hard-fought victory on the road against Virtus Bologna, winning 76-67. The decisive factor was a strong final quarter, where Efes outscored Bologna by 10 points. Additionally, they dominated in the Turkish domestic league, crushing Yalovaspor 100-59. Against a rival like Fenerbahçe, no extra motivation will be needed—Efes will be fully focused on winning.
Fenerbahçe
Fenerbahçe is the reigning Turkish champions, having defeated Efes in last season’s playoff finals. However, they started this season by losing the Turkish Super Cup to Efes.
In the EuroLeague, Fenerbahçe began with an impressive win at home over Olympiacos. Leading by just one point heading into the fourth quarter, Fenerbahçe surged in the final period to win 82-71. With their sights set on revenge for the Super Cup loss, Fenerbahçe will be eager to even the score.
Match Facts
- Anadolu Efes has won all of their matches this season.
- Fenerbahçe has scored at least 82 points in every game this season.
- Betting odds: Anadolu Efes win (1.7), Fenerbahçe win (2.02).
Key Player
One of the players to watch could be Elijah Bryant from Anadolu Efes. In their EuroLeague opener, Bryant put up an impressive stat line with 21 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists, playing a key role in their victory.
Head-to-Head
These teams have a rich history of fierce encounters. Last season alone, they faced each other at least eight times. In their most recent meeting, the Turkish Super Cup final, Anadolu Efes edged Fenerbahçe 83-82.
Prediction
This is a classic showdown between two of Turkey's best basketball teams, and being a derby, it's tough to predict a clear winner. Instead of betting on the outcome, a safer bet seems to be on the total points over 161.5, given both teams' offensive capabilities and their history of high-scoring matches.