This article is part of our EuroLeague Primer series.
PREGAME UPDATES
- Paul Zipser will suit up Tuesday for Bayern, but Zan Mark Sisko will not.
- Barcelona's James Nnaji will be available Tuesday.
- Fenerbahce's Nemanja Bjelica and Tarik Biberovic both remain out for Round 3.
- Maccabi's Jalen Adams will suit up for Round 3.
STATS AND INFO.
- EuroLeague Betting Odds
- EuroLeague Starting Lineups
- EuroLeague Injury Report
- EuroLeague Team Stats
- Opponent Averages
- Team Trends
- Twitter - @RotoWireEuro
THE SLATE
Virtus Segafredo Bologna at 
Zalgiris Kaunas
Status Check: Tornike Shengelia (VIR), Awudu Abass (VIR), Dovydas Giedraitis (ZAL)
The Breakdown: Six games will be played on the first day of the first double-game week of the season, and we will kick things off in the city that is favored to host the Final Four next spring. After hitting the road for the first two Rounds, Zalgiris will host in Round 3, and despite an 0-2 start they are slight favorites in their home gym. Virtus is coming off its first victory of the season, which came against another winless team, Bayern.
Best Bets for Success: Both these teams lack a clear-cut top option, which explains why no one in this game checks in above the $9,000 mark on DraftKings. The player listed at that price is Jordan Mickey, who still looks like the most reliable option on the Italian team. He is the only player on the Virtus side to play 30 minutes in both games, and he did reach double digits in one column in each of the first two Rounds. Some may want to see Ignas Brazdeikis do it again before including him here, but his Round 2 showing -- one in which he got up 15 shots and hit the 30-point mark on DraftKings -- was all we needed to see to list him here again. Both players are particularly appealing in the EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge at their price points.
Fantasy Factors: This is one of two games with an over/under just above the 150-point mark, which does not bode well for value plays. However, both Semi Ojeleye and Milos Teodosic are affordable enough on DraftKings to consider. A lot of Virtus players have been getting minutes, but Ojeleye received 28 in both Rounds 1 and 2, and Teodosic -- just $6,200 on DraftKings -- could see more than he saw in his season debut with a game under his belt. The Lithuanian team has also been utilizing quite a few players, but Rolands Smits stands out after a couple productive appearances. His DraftKings price jumped $1,100, but at $6,800 he is still returning some of the most average value on the board. Keenan Evans and Kevarrius Hayes are both worth considering on DraftKings, as Evans can contribute in multiple categories and Hayes' price dropped as much as Smits' increased. Edgaras Ulanovas may be a bit pricey on DraftKings, but he would look good in Fantasy Challenge lineups at just 6.8 credits.
Valencia Basket at 
Anadolu Efes Istanbul
Status Check: Jasiel Rivero (VBC), James Webb III (VBC), Martin Hermannsson (VBC), Shane Larkin (EFS)
The Breakdown: The defending champions host an 0-2 Valencia squad, so it should come as no surprise that Efes is favored by nearly 10 points. The Spanish squad has competed in both games, but they find themselves in flux heading into their first away game of the season, as they will be down a couple key frontcourt pieces, including their leading scorer in Rivero.
Best Bets for Success: Fantasy options don't come much more reliable than either Vasilije Micic or Will Clyburn, so it's not surprising to see both among the three most expensive players on DraftKings and the six priciest options in the Fantasy Challenge. Micic's track record speaks for itself, and through two Rounds, Clyburn has played eight more minutes than any other player in the league. The only concern for these two is the spread, as with two games on the schedule this week, they could take it easy Tuesday if Efes runs away on the scoreboard. The situation is pretty much the exact opposite on the Valencia side, as they will be without their top producer and have eight other players averaging between 10.3 and 17.9 DraftKings points. It's not a slam dunk, but we are going to stick with Chris Jones, who led the Spanish squad in minutes in Round 2 and trailed only Rivero in DraftKings points. Also working in Jones' favor is the 28.0 DraftKings points he averaged against Efes a season ago.
Fantasy Factors: Rivero is not the only frontcourt option Valencia will be without, as Webb will join him on the sidelines for Round 3. As such, Bojan Dubljevic and Kyle Alexander are both in position to pick up some minutes. Neither has done a lot to open the season, but Dubljevic checks in at a tidy $7,100 on DraftKings, and Alexander is worth a look both on that website and in the Fantasy Challenge. Jared Harper also remains intriguing on DraftKings at $6,900. Efes ran a short rotation in a competitive Round 2 contest, but it seems likely more players will be involved in this one. With Valencia thin in the frontcourt, a trio of Efes big men are appealing on DraftKings, starting with Ante Zizic at $7,600. Amath M'Baye is even cheaper at $7,000, and we're also going to mention Achille Polonara, who checks in at just $3,800. Polonara has not made an impact for Efes yet, but he's far too talented to be listed at the price and this could be a spot for him to make his mark.
LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne at 
Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul
Status Check: Parker Jackson-Cartwright (ASV), Nemanja Bjelica (FBB), Tarik Biberovic (FBB)
The Breakdown: ASVEL picked up its first win of the season in Round 2, but the oddsmakers don't like their chances to pick up another, as like its fellow Turkish team, the home team is favored by nearly 10 points. Fenerbahce is off to a fast start this season, going 2-0 and leading the league with a plus-27 point differential. They will be even tougher to deal with if Bjelica suits up for the first time since the season got underway.
Best Bets for Success: As noted in past editions, there is a ton of talent on the Fenerbahce roster. However, no player on their side has been better than Nick Calathes, who has excelled running the offense for head coach Dimitris Itoudis. Calathes is getting a little pricey on DraftKings, and there is some concern about minutes if the game gets out of hand, but he is still returning some of the most average value on the board and at least for Round 3 will occupy this spot by himself. Calathes essentially replaced fellow legend Nando de Colo on the Turkish team, and like his counterpart de Colo is shining with his new squad. de Colo topped the 25-point mark on DraftKings in each of the first two Rounds, and he should continue seeing ample minutes with Jackson-Cartwright still sidelined. Plus, he will no doubt have some extra motivation playing in the gym he played his home games in the last three seasons.
Fantasy Factors: Scottie Wilbekin slipped from the top section for Round 3, but because his DraftKings price also slipped $800 he still earns a mention in this one. Johnathan Motley checks in at the same price on the same website and is another name to add to your list. Both players are also worth a look in the Fantasy Challenge, and although it's best to hold off on Carsen Edwards in that contest, it could be worth betting on a breakout on DraftKings with him listed at just $6,400. ASVEL's rotation is a bit uncertain, but one player whose minutes seem safe is Youssoupha Fall, who dropped a double-double his last time out. Fall is up to $7,600 on DraftKings, but even at that rate he is returning over 3x value. We'd suggest holding off on Charles Kahudi on DraftKings, but at 5.7 credits he could occupy a spot in your Fantasy Challenge lineup. We of course have to mention Bjelica as well, given that he remains a meager $3,800 on DraftKings.
AS Monaco at 
Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv
Status Check: Darrun Hilliard (MTA), Jalen Adams (MTA)
The Breakdown: While Maccabi will be without one of its top guards, the backcourts will be the focus in this one, as four of the eight priciest guards on DraftKings and five of the 14 priciest guards in the EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge will take part in this contest. Given the talent in the backcourt, it should come as no surprise that the over/under in this game is the highest on the board over the next couple days. Monaco is 2-0 and made a statement last week with its victory over Efes, but the oddsmakers like the home team, who are favored by 1.5 points.
Best Bets for Success: Mike James remains the most expensive option in both contests, which is no surprise given the numbers he has put up. There may be times where the cost is prohibitive, but in a game that is expected to be close and high-scoring, this is not one of them. James is not the only Monaco player to occupy a spot here, as Alpha Diallo has also been stuffing the stat sheet. Although the French club brought in a number of scorers, Diallo has taken the second most shots on the team through two Rounds. Despite a noticeable price jump on DraftKings he is still returning some of the most value on the board, and he also stands out in the Fantasy Challenge at 11.6 credits. Lorenzo Brown and Wade Baldwin both hit the 25-point mark on DraftKings in each of the first two Rounds, and given the circumstance it's likely both will do so again.
Fantasy Factors: Maccabi's rotation expanded in Round 2 with Fenerbahce controlling the scoreboard, but it could shorten again if this game is as competitive as expected. That does not leave much room for value -- particularly on DraftKings -- but we do like Bonzie Colson in the Fantasy Challenge at 11.1 credits. John Brown and Jordan Loyd played complementary roles over the first two Rounds, but they both have the talent to shine for Monaco. They could turn out to be bargains on DraftKings, as both dropped over $1,000 and beneath the $8,000 mark.
FC Barcelona at 
FC Bayern Munich
Status Check: Nikola Mirotic (BAR), Kyle Kuric (BAR), James Nnaji (BAR), Sergi Martinez (BAR), Isaac Bonga (BAY), Paul Zipser (BAY), Zan Mark Sisko (BAY), Elias Harris (BAY)
The Breakdown: These two teams will square off for the first time since competing in a riveting five-game Playoff series a season ago. Both teams are off to a bit of a slow start, but Barcelona did take down El Clasico in Round 2, and even without its best player are expected to wind up on top by seven points.
Best Bets for Success: Four different Barcelona players occupied a spot in this section over the first two Rounds, so you could go a number of different ways on their roster. However, Tomas Satoransky appears to have settled in, and he looks like the safest option for Round 3. We wouldn't wager a lot on any Bayern player leading the way for his team Tuesday, but in a big-time matchup we still like Vladimir Lucic, who put up at least 25.0 DraftKings points three times in six matchups with the Spanish squad a season ago. We're also buying in -- maybe more so in the Fantasy Challenge -- on Nick Weiler-Babb, who has been Bayern's steadiest guard thus far and made at least three marks in five categories his last time out.
Fantasy Factors: While we did not list any of Nikola Kalinic, Jan Vesely or Nicolas Laprovittola in the section above, they all have enough upside to return value on DraftKings beneath the $9,000 mark. Sertac Sanli has also done enough to qualify on both DraftKings and in the Fantasy Challenge. Nine Barcelona players are averaging 14 minutes and this game is the other one featuring an over/under just above 150 points, so it may be best to go with only one or two players on their side for Round 3. There are not many more appealing options on the German team's roster, but we do like Cassius Winston's price point on both websites, and Andreas Obst is cheap enough to consider in both contests.
EA7 Emporio Armani Milan at 
Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade
Status Check: Luigi Datome (EA7), Naz Mitrou-Long (EA7), Tommaso Baldasso (EA7), Alen Smailagic (PAR), Aleksa Avramovic (PAR)
The Breakdown: The Serbian squad will be hosting both its first game of the season and its first EuroLeague game of any kind in eight years, so expect the home team to come out fired up for this one. Partizan fell on the road in each of the first two Rounds, but the oddsmakers are expecting this to be a tight one, as the Italian team is favored, but only by a couple points.
Best Bets for Success: Four Partizan players have put up at least 34.8 DraftKings points in a game, so they have as many options to consider here as anyone. However, the two big men on their team who recorded a double-double in Round 2 will face a tougher test this time out, so we like Kevin Punter the best for Round 3. Punter is third in the league with 28 field goal attempts, and it seems likely he will have a bit of a pep in his step taking on the team he used to play for. We figured Shavon Shields might be eased into action in his Round 2 debut, but that was hardly the case, as he led his team with both 34 minutes and 34.0 DraftKings points. He figures to be a fixture in his section moving forward.
Fantasy Factors: The Serbian squad ran a pretty short rotation in both Rounds 1 and 2, so you could consider another of their pricier options. However, James Nunnally and Ioannis Papapetrou could have just as many opportunities to contribute and will cost far less. Nunnally -- $7,800 on DraftKings and 9.8 credits in the Fantasy Challenge -- looks good in both contests and Papapetrou stands out on DraftKings at just $6,300. Kevin Pangos could join Shields among the "best bets" at some point, and he remains affordable in both contests at just $7,500 on DraftKings and 11.4 credits in the Fantasy Challenge. Billy Baron is even cheaper in the Fantasy Challenge and thanks to a price drop on DraftKings is returning some of the most average value on the slate. We also have to mention Brandon Davies, who should still break out at some point and runs just $6,700 on DraftKings.
