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Hapoel Jerusalem vs Bayern Munchen Preview

It has been 13 years since Hapoel Jerusalem won the EuroCup, but the Israeli league champions, who lifted their second domestic crown in June, fancied their chances of progressing in this competition this season. They have ambitions to join the EuroLeague now, having opened their 11,600-seater Jerusalem Arena three years ago.

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However, their EuroCup campaign has yet to catch fire. Hapoel Jerusalem lost their opening two games in this competition, going down 86-72 on the road to Lietkabelis and 86-81 at home to Buducnost. Domestically, Hapoel Jerusalem are in great shape, having won their opening three games and they sit at the top of the table. In EuroCup Group B, they are holding up the other five teams, and face the leaders as an underdog. The departure of Point Guard Curtis Jerrells, who had a solid campaign last year, is not going to be much of an issue, as that position is a strength, with Yogev Ohayon is one of the most effective Point Guards in the league. Power Forward Richard Howell has also looked sharp thus far.

Bayern Munchen sit fourth in the Bundesliga, having clinched their fifth win of the season against the Bremerhaven Polar Bears on Sunday. They struggled to pull away from their Bremen hosts, but Devin Booker’s last-second shot gave them an 85-83 win. They have lost just once this season and they have won both EuroCup outings, beating Galatasaray 86-69 on the road and downing Leitkabelis 93-57.

The latest EuroCup betting odds see the visitors as slight favourites, as we state in our Hapoel Jerusalem vs Bayern Munchen prediction.

Hapoel Jerusalem vs Bayern Munchen Prediction

With just two rounds completed in the EuroCup, it is not easy to get a handle on some teams, particularly Bayern Munchen. They missed Vladimir Lucic though illness in Sunday’s win in Bremen, and while Reggie Redding stepped up to score a team-high 16 points, the whole performance was flat.

Bayern gave away too many free throws in a game that should have been put to bed much earlier and, more worryingly, they tired late, conceding 32 points in the final quarter. Anton Gavel, who had also been struggling earlier in the week, scored just nine points and defensively, there appears plenty left to work upon.

With a home crowd behind them and a visiting team that may not be as good as results have suggested, backing the home side with the points appears among the best EuroCup betting tips. The visitors have been a little sloppy defensively of late and while Hapoel Jerusalem have committed too many fouls in recent weeks, if they can keep this close, they have a great chance of taking advantage of some fourth-quarter collapses by the Germans.

Hapoel Jerusalem vs Bayern Munchen Betting Tips

The visitors may have got over the line in Bremen, yet they looked far from convincing and with illness perhaps playing a part in the fatigue they showed, especially in defence, this trip to Jerusalem will not be an easy one. They are worthy favourites as table-toppers in the EuroCup, yet the odds should perhaps be a little tighter than they are. For this reason, we look to the hosts to keep it close, as it will not be easy to clean up the defensive errors, inside three days, that have plagued Bayern in the last couple of weeks. Hapoel Jerusalem have the ability to win this, so the points on offer with Bwin on the handicap are a bonus.

Bayern Munchen’s propensity for allowing more points in the fourth quarter than they score is starting to trouble coach Sasa Djordjevic. They were outscored in the final period 23-26 in their EuroCup clash with Leitkabelis Panevezys and allowed 32 points in the fourth quarter, including 13 three-pointers, in the win at Bremen on Sunday. Given their penchant for wilting in the closing stages (or is it simply taking their foot off the gas?), the points total line looks a fair one to take advantage of and we see more points in this than the line-makers are anticipating. StanJames.com are out on a limb with their mark, so let’s take advantage.