The games for the first season of the new 16 team 30 game Euroleague format have been announced. With 61 game nights in total, BiE’s Emmet Ryan has picked the game to watch on every night of the campaign
We knew it was going to be big but wow that is a crowded calendar. While visitors to this site more au fait with NBA hoops will be familiar with oodles of games in a tight schedule, the presence of double-game weeks in Euroleague is going to be a huge change for the regular season. Prior to this campaign, that was only seen in the post-season but the 5 double-round weeks on this calendar will be quite the shift for regular season play.
We have laid down a couple of ground rules for this. Every team must appear at least three times and, if possible, we will avoid repeat games. With the former, it just seems blindingly obvious to get solid looks at everyone. As far as repeats go, it’s actually to avoid the blindingly obvious games and ensure BiE’s readers get the best mix of action from across the season.
The full calendar is available here. Now to the games, day by day through 61 game days with times listed in CET.
12 October 2016
Real Madrid vs Olympiacos – 21.00
It’s the opening game of the season between two of the biggest names in the sport.
13 October 2016
Galatasaray vs CSKA Moscow – 19.00
The reigning Euroleague opening their title defence at the winners of last season’s EuroCup.
14 October 2016
Baskonia vs Anadolu Efes – 21.00
A nice early look at two teams who have undergone significant changes to their rosters in the off-season.
20 October 2016
Maccabi Tel Aviv vs Real Madrid – 20.05
For Maccabi, this will be a good early indicator of where they stand after consecutive disappointing seasons.
21 October 2016
FC Barcelona vs Fenerbahce – 21.00
Two powers clashing where the former is looking to reassert itself at all levels.
25 October 2016
Unics Kazan vs Darussafaka Dogus – 18.00
The first two round week and a first look at a Dacka team that has once again loaded up its roster while Unics promise to be one of the harder teams to judge in Euroleague this season.
26 October 2016
Brose Bamberg vs Panathinaikos – 20.00
If Bamberg are to make a serious run at the playoffs this year, this is the type of home game they have to win.
27 October 2016
CSKA Moscow vs Unics Kazan – 19.00
A second look at the Kazan crew in three days, we’ll see how they handle the heat at this level.
28 October 2016
Galatasaray vs Fenerbahce – 19.00
A clash of arch-rivals and the first classic Istanbul derby of the season, coming a night after the little derby between Dacka and Efes.
3 November 2016
Maccabi Tel Aviv vs FC Barcelona – 19.00
Another lay-up here, it’s a clash of two of the biggest names in the sport.
4 November 2016
Brose Bamberg vs Olimpia Milano
We’ve taken our time getting around to checking out Milano, this will be a big test for them.
10 November 2016
FC Barcelona vs Zalgiris Kaunas – 21.00
We finally get our first look at Zalgiris at a team they troubled mightily last season.
11 November 2016
Baskonia vs Fenerbahce – 21.00
On a night where all of the games are crackers, this Final Four 2016 re-match edges it in fun factor.
15 November 2016
Brose Bamberg vs Crvena Zvezda – 20.00
I’m a little surprised we’ve gone with a third game at Bamberg this early but we need to get a reasonably early look at Zvezda.
16 November 2016
Real Madrid vs Panathinaikos – 21.00
A classic match-up, easy call here.
17 November 2016
Fenerbahce vs Anadolu Efes – 19.45
The two top teams in Turkey collide in the second of the two-round weeks.
18 November 2016
Panathinaikos vs Olympiacos – 20.15
There’s a reason they call it the Derby of Eternal Enemies.
24 November 2016
Real Madrid vs Unics Kazan – 21.00
At the 30 per cent point of the season, we’re going to start to understand what both of these sides are made of.
25 November 2016
Galatasaray vs FC Barcelona – 19.00
Gala think they have a playoff calibre roster, beating the likes of Barcelona at home is necessary for that roster’s potential to come to fruition.
1 December 2016
Fenerbahce vs Real Madrid – 19.45
Obradovic vs Laso, always a reliable option.
2 December 2016
Crvena Zvezda vs Zalgiris Kaunas -19.00
Having taken too long to see Zvezda, we are making up for lost time.
8 December 2016
Panathinaikos vs Galatasaray – 20.15
Definitely one where we will get an idea of where both of these teams are going.
9 December 2016
Baskonia vs Darussafaka Dogus – 21.00
Two borderline playoff teams meet in a game that will likely be relevant to how both sides prioritise the rest of the season.
15 December 2016
Zalgiris Kaunas vs Olympiacos – 19.00
We really did take far too long to get a game in Kaunas on the list. That’s the box ticked.
16 December 2016
Panathinaikos vs Fenerbahce – 20.45
A Zoc homecoming is a lock for this list.
20 December 2016
Real Madrid vs Brose Bamberg – 20.45
A big shot at the spotlight for the Bundesliga champions.
21 December 2016
Olimpia Milano vs Panathinaikos – 20.00
At this point of the seasons things will either be looking hopeful for Milano or there will be a grim few months ahead.
22 December 2016
Crvena Zvezda vs Real Madrid – 19.00
Real Madrid’s Christmas week will either show they are strolling to the playoffs or in for a fight all the way to April.
23 December 2016
Panathinaikos vs Baskonia – 20.15
Every year on 23 December I go to Sheehan’s for beers with friends from school. I’m watching this game on delay the next morning but were I to stay home, this is the game I’d watch.
29 December 2016
Olimpia Milano vs Zalgiris Kaunas – 20.00
Honestly, this is on the list solely to see how much Zalgiris care about this game. This might be a clash of cellar dwellers.
30 December 2016
Galatasaray vs Brose Bamberg 19.00
A great one for judging where this potential playoff sides stand and we are now halfway through the season so happy new year.
5 January 2017
Maccabi Tel Aviv vs Darussafaka Dogus – 20.05
Last season this fixture forced Maccabi into EuroCup for the first time ever. That’s some hot recent history to keep an eye on.
6 January 2017
Real Madrid vs CSKA Moscow – 21.00
The two most recent Euroleague champions meet in Madrid.
12 January 2017
Unics Kazan vs Brose Bamberg – 17.00
Again, at this stage of the year, a clash between two fringe playoff contenders seems the right call here.
13 January 2017
Panathinaikos vs Anadolu Efes – 20.45
Too long a gap since both of these contenders featured here, their match-up makes solid sense.
19 January 2017
Maccabi Tel Aviv vs Crvena Zvezda – 20.05
Has the attraction of being both an interesting match-up and a means of avoiding a repeat.
20 January 2017
Olympiacos vs Baskonia – 20.00
Good solid clash between two fun teams to watch.
24 January 2017
Panathinaikos vs FC Barcelona – 19.45
This has long been one of the best rivalries in Europe.
25 January 2017
Zalgiris Kaunas vs CSKA Moscow – 19.00
It’s highly likely that this will be one of the last watchable Zalgiris games in Euroleague all season.
26 January 2017
Crvena Zvezda vs Panathinaikos – 19.00
Two thirds of the way through the season we should really be starting to see the broader picture by now.
27 January 2017
Olympiacos vs Brose Bamberg
This fixture rocked the Top 16 last year. No reason not to expect another classic this time round.
2 February 2017
Fenerbahce vs CSKA Moscow – 19.45
Istanbul hosts a repeat of last year’s title game. It might be worth a look.
3 February 2017
Baskonia vs Real Madrid – 20.30
It’s long been a solid rivalry and should prove a good preview for Copa Del Rey week a fortnight later.
9 February 2017
Maccabi Tel Aviv vs Baskonia – 20.05
Neither side is expected to make the Final Four but both have strong playoff hopes.
10 February 2017
Darussafaka Dogus vs Fenerbahce – 19.00
It’s an Istanbul derby between two teams that are a touch affluent.
23 February 2017
CSKA Moscow vs Maccabi Tel Aviv – 18.00
It’s one of Europe’s classic rivalries, a natural to include here.
24 February 2017
Real Madrid vs Darussafaka Dogus
A week after the break for national cups, seeing how these sides respond to their performances in a domestic sprint should be interesting.
2 March 2017
Maccabi Tel Aviv vs Olympiacos – 20.05
We’re hitting the final stretch at this stage and we’re going to want to see how Oly’s veteran heavy line-up holds up.
3 March 2017
FC Barcelona vs CSKA Moscow – 21.00
This game saved the season for the Blaugrana last year, it might be the case again this spring.
9 March 2017
CSKA Moscow vs Galatasaray – 18.00
There’s a solid shot Gala will need to pull off an improbable W at this point of the season to stay in the hunt for the final playoff slots.
10 March 2017
Olympiacos vs Darussafaka Dogus – 20.45
Of the games listed, at this ludicrously early date this one looks the most likely to affect the playoffs.
16 March 2017
Brose Bamberg vs Fenerbahce – 20.45
Our glaze finally returns to Freak City where the visit of one of the powers of European hoops could hold huge importance for the home side’s season.
17 March 2017
Olympiacos vs Galatasaray – 20.00
This one is just tasty.
21 March 2017
Brose Bamberg vs Baskonia – 20.00
The final double round week of the season begins with a game that should have massive playoff implications.
22 March 2017
Real Madrid vs FC Barcelona – 21.00
It’s El Clasico, of course it makes the list.
23 March 2017
Maccabi Tel Aviv vs Zalgiris Kaunas – 20.05
This is the only way to avoid a repeat and I must admit that it’s hard to call a Zalgiris game that isn’t in the LKL in March ‘must-watch’.
24 March 2017
Darussafaka Dogus vs Galatasaray – 19.15
One team has a bunch of fans, one team has a bunch of cash, it’s all in one city. This could be fun.
30 March 2017
Brose Bamberg vs Darussafaka Dogus – 20.45
It’s the only way to avoid a repeat and it’s potentially going to have playoff implications.
31 March 2017
Crvena Zvezda vs Unics Kazan – 19.00
There’s a 50:50 chance this is either irrelevant or has huge playoff implications.
6 April 2017
Maccabi Tel Aviv vs Panathinaikos – 20.05
Even if it isn’t a live game, this is a reliable clash of traditional powers.
7 April 2017
CSKA Moscow vs Olympiacos
CSKA’s suffered so much at the hands of Spanoulis. On the final night of the regular season, they could lock him out of the playoffs.
Leave a Reply