This article is part of our EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge Picks series.
We continue the double-week adventure with the second leg!
Round 26 was marked especially by surprises at the coaching spot, particularly with Dusko Ivanovic and Virtus -- who have generally performed very well at home this season -- losing to ASVEL and disappointing many fantasy players. Results like this serve as a strong reminder of just how crucial the coach selection can be.
If you have any questions or comments about strategy or the picks below, feel free to drop those at the bottom of this article or reach out on X via @RotoWireEuro.
Good luck on your EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge journey!
Guard
Wade Baldwin IV, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (14.9 credits)
With Talen Horton-Tucker falling short of his usual impact in the road game against Barcelona, Baldwin took matters into his own hands and fulfilled his leadership role in style by producing 16 points, five rebounds, and seven assists for a total of 26 PIR. For Fenerbahce -- who is on the road twice this week -- avoiding a loss against a direct playoff contender like Barça was crucial and Baldwin played the biggest role in making that happen. Heading into Thursday's matchup against Paris, there should be little doubt that Baldwin is more than capable of stepping up once again if called upon, making him a dependable fantasy option despite the demanding schedule.
Codi Miller-McIntyre, Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade (13.5 credits)
Over the past five Rounds, Miller-McIntyre averaged 21.78 fantasy points, and the impact of his elevated performance has been evident in Red Star's five-game winning streak. Feeling much more comfortable in his floor general role, he has started approaching -- and occasionally surpassing -- double-digit assist numbers, making it clear to everyone that he has regained his form. In Round 26 against Hapoel, he narrowly missed a double-double, finishing with 10 points and 9 assists, and there should be no doubt that he will give his all to complete that unfinished business in the upcoming matchup against Maccabi.
Andreas Obst, FC Bayern Munich (10.2 credits)
The undisputed on-court leader of Bayern, Obst has been delivering top-tier scoring performances -- especially at home -- once again proving it by dropping 26 points in Tuesday night's matchup against Paris. His PIR may not always look as impressive relative to his scoring output, largely due to his role as a steady shooter, but when he puts 20+ points on the board, that is hardly a concern. In Round-27, against a Monaco side that has suffered a significant dip in form following reports of financial troubles, if Bayern are to find a glimmer of hope, it will most likely come through another high-scoring performance from Obst, boosting their winning chance probability.
Forward
Jordan Nwora, Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade (13.4 credits)
The early-season PIR monster is back in business! It's time to give Nwora the respect he deserves after previously featuring him in our "drop player session" a few weeks ago. Coming off an injury and dealing with the internal balance shifts caused by integrating the newly signed Butler into an already well-set roster led to a period of identity loss for both Jordan Nwora and Miller-McIntyre, which in turn resulted in a dip in their performances. However, over the last five games, everything has clicked for the Belgrade side, who have been riding a high-level winning streak despite consistently tough matchups. In Round-26, Nwora was the standout performer against another Israeli team, Hapoel, producing 23 PIR and now he is just one step away from capping the week off with a perfect finish.
Ercan Osmani, Anadolu Efes Istanbul (8.9 credits)
After being one of key pieces for head coach Igor Kokoskov at the beginning of the season, Osmani later seemed to fall into a void, with his performances hitting rock bottom during the consecutive losses that came after Pablo Laso took over on the bench. That trend finally reversed in Round 26 against Valencia where he dictated the game via posting 20 points and 7 rebounds to emerge as Efes' most impactful player. While Efes looking to extend their home winning streak, the conditions appear favorable for Osmani to step up once again against Zalgiris: not only is the Lithuanian team ranked as the worst team in the EuroLeague in forward defense over their last three games, Rolands Smits -- the backup who shares minutes with Osmani at the power forward position -- is sidelined with an injury.
Tarik Biberovic, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (7.6 credits)
For a team like Paris, which forces opponents into a high-tempo, high-scoring style of play, one of the best options to pick could be Biberovic, as he led Fenerbahce in scoring with 19 points in Tuesday night's road win over Barcelona -- the team's first victory there in years. After successfully navigating the tougher Barça matchup in this double-week and logging a significant 28 minutes on the floor, Biberovic's best path to maintaining his upward form trend in the Paris game will be to carry over the 3-point shooting efficiency he displayed against Barcelona.
Center
Devin Booker, EA7 Emporio Armani Milan (10.3 credits)
Together with the declaration that dropped on timelines Tuesday, many EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge players were forced to make changes to teams they had already built, as the injury news surrounding the in-form Josh Nebo -- and the likelihood that he will be sidelined until at least the end of February -- naturally shifted attention toward Booker. After a sensational start to the season, Booker experienced a significant dip in form, notably during a stretch when Nebo had not yet returned to the court, which likely made those who remember that period somewhat hesitant to roster him for the first leg of the double-game week. However, it now seems that the dark clouds have cleared, as Booker was the standout performer for Milan in the 20-point win over Baskonia, producing an impressive 28 PIR and leading his team on both ends of the floor.
Kai Jones, Anadolu Efes Istanbul (8.4 credits)
Thanks to a perfect field-goal performance against Valencia, Jones significantly cut into the minutes of Vincent Poirier, staying on the floor for 25 minutes and producing 25 PIR. Well, Poirier is uncertain for Round 27, so Jones could man the center spot against Zalgiris, where one of the biggest weapons on the opposing side is Moses Wright. It is difficult to predict which of the two will gain the upper hand, but with the momentum clearly on his side and his low cost, Jones is definitely a pick that can be given a shot.
Head Coach
Sasa Obradovic, Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade (6.8 credits)
After suffering a blowout loss on the road against Zalgiris in Round 21, Red Star went on an impressive five-game winning streak and the upcoming home matchup against Maccabi may well be the easiest test of that run. For Maccabi who will be eager to keep their play-in hopes alive, winning away from home has been a constant struggle throughout the season, and doing so against Red Star would truly qualify as the surprise of the week.
Georgios Bartzokas, Olympiacos Piraeus (8.6 credits)
Against Dubai, Olympiacos managed to drag a game in which they trailed by a step from start to finish into overtime, but the 13-0 run they conceded in the extra period ultimately put an end to their hopes of stealing the win. Heading back to Piraeus for their next matchup, finishing the double-week winless would be nothing short of a nightmare for Bartzokas' squad, and to avoid that scenario, they will need to take care of business against Virtus without letting the game get out of hand. Virtus are the kind of team that, as shown by Vildoza's clutch shot in their recent road win over Monaco, will throw everything they have at their opponent if they sense even the slightest glimmer of hope.
Drop Candidate
Carsen Edwards, Virtus Bologna (12.0 credits)
In Round 26, Edwards was probably pretty popular with Virtus playing the only game Wednesday, but everyone's expectations were left unfulfilled, as he produced just 14 PIR at home against ASVEL. To make matters tougher, their Round 27 opponent will be a challenging road trip to Olympiacos. If Edwards couldn't cross the stream, how will he manage the sea?
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