Recap
VEF Riga open their FIBA Europe Cup campaign at home against Lokomotiv Plovdiv, entering the competition in excellent form and with a squad that looks significantly stronger than their Bulgarian opponents.
VEF have completely dominated the LatvianāEstonian League so far, producing four highly convincing victories by margins of +27, +30, +19 and +38. Their performances have demonstrated both their offensive quality and their ability to maintain a high level of intensity throughout games, even when facing domestic opposition.
Lokomotiv Plovdiv rely heavily on foreign players, but the overall quality of their roster doesn’t appear to be comparable to VEF’s. Bulgarian clubs have also traditionally struggled to make a significant impact in European competitions, which further highlights the difference in experience and quality between these two sides. Also, their domestic league is not started and lost in a friendly by Rapid Bucuresti (101-73).
With home-court advantage, superior squad depth and a clear difference in quality, VEF Riga have an excellent opportunity to secure a comfortable victory of 15 points or more.