This Zenit cannot eliminate FC Barcelona

Zenit Sankt-Petersburg is the surprise of the playoffs. They tied the series with the best team of the regular season and are looking as able to advance to the Final 4. But the Russians won’t do that because they already overcame their level. In my opinion, FC Barcelona will advance to the Final 4 because:

• In spite of the weird basketball played in the last rounds, Barca is a powerhouse. Their roster is amazing and I am sure that rebuilding the chemistry and the new rotation after including Pau Gasol was the only problem. But time is solving everything and there is no doubt that Barca has all the necessary resources to destroy Zenit.
• The visitors are without 2 important starters, Gudaitis and Ponitka. Even in this situation they showed character and won against Barca the last game but I don’t think this could be repeated in a do-or-die game 5 in Spain.
• Zenit roster is brave but not for a Final 4 presence. It will be too much to watch Billy Baron, Will Thomas, Kevin Pangos Alex Poythress, Vitali Fridzon and so on instead of Nikola Mirotic, Pau Gasol, Cory Higgins, Nick Calathes, Brandon Davies in the semifinals of the Euroleague. Simply too much! 

My prediction is that Barca will win easily with a comfortable margin of at least 4-6 points against the Russians. But as well they can smash Zenit with double-digit. 

Image: EuroLeague