Unicaja vs Barça Basket

Prediction

• Unicaja: 51%
• Barça Basket: 49%

Pick: Unicaja (Low confidence)

Match context

A league game between two sides with the same 3-2 record. Unicaja have had seven days off since their win at Breogán. Barça arrive from a busy spell: EuroLeague games on 22, 27 and 30 October (the last a 98-94 win over Valencia) and a league win over Zaragoza in between. No current injury report was available when this was written, so check team news before tip-off.

Recent form

Unicaja have won their last three league games, 92-84 over Andorra at home, 84-72 at Manresa and 103-90 at Breogán, after opening with defeats against Real Madrid (89-87) and at home to Tenerife (80-75). Barça are 3-0 at home in the league and 0-2 away: they lost 100-94 at Murcia and were thrashed 113-89 at Joventut on 18 October. In the EuroLeague they are 6-3.

How they attack and defend

Barça score more, about 98 a game in the league against Unicaja's 88, but they also give up more, about 96 against 83. Unicaja's strength is keeping opponents down: they have not allowed more than 90 in any of their last three.

Head to head

They have not met in the league yet this season.

Key players and availability

Amine Noua and Cameron Hunt are the main scoring options on the Unicaja roster, with Kendrick Perry running the offence. Barça rely on Kevin Punter and Justin Robinson in the backcourt, with Olivier Nkamhoua and Josh Nebo up front. No current injury report was available when this was written, so check team news before tip-off.

The edge

This is a narrow lean to Unicaja. They are at home, rested and defending well, while Barça's league form on the road has been poor and their legs have been tested by four games in nine days. The pick goes wrong if Barça's depth and shooting overcome the tiredness, which is plausible given they scored 98 against Valencia on Friday and 99 against Zaragoza in their last league game.

Team news

• Barça have played four times in nine days: Barça played in the EuroLeague on 22, 27 and 30 October and in the league on 24 October. Unicaja last played on 25 October.