Baskonia Fights for Second Place in ACB: Home Match Against Granada After Visitors' Relegation. Baskonia hosts Granada, who have already lost their chances of staying in the league. The hosts are competing for second place and a seeded spot in the playoffs. The match could impact the final standings at the top of the table.
In Vitoria today, Baskonia takes the court against Granada, who have already officially been relegated from the league at the end of the season. For the hosts, this match is an opportunity to strengthen their position in the race for second place in the ACB regular season and keep pace with UCAM Murcia and Barcelona in terms of victories. Baskonia comes into the game on a three-game winning streak and is aiming for a fourth straight win to stay ahead of their rivals in the standings.
The opponent, Covirán Granada, lost their chances of staying in the league in the previous round. Now the team is finishing the season without tournament motivation, focusing on ending their run in the top flight with dignity. Against this contrast in motivation, Baskonia is considered the clear favorite, highlighted by both the difference in class and the respective tournament objectives.
At the top of the table, the battle remains tight: Baskonia, UCAM Murcia, and Barcelona each have 22 wins, while Valencia Basket trails by one but has a game in hand due to participation in the EuroLeague final. The remaining rounds are complicated by rescheduled games related to European tournaments, adding intrigue to the playoff seeding. Notably, a possible tie in wins with Murcia and Barcelona is disadvantageous for Baskonia—as the team would lose out on tiebreakers.
Today's match takes place amid anticipation of crucial games involving direct rivals: Barcelona is away at MoraBanc Andorra, while UCAM Murcia hosts Unicaja, who also need a win to keep their playoff hopes alive. Baskonia cannot afford a slip-up if they want to maintain their edge in the battle for second place and a seeded playoff spot.
The hosts are once again expected to rely on their foreign players: Trent Forrest and Kobi Simmons have secured rotation spots, while Markus Howard is often left out of the league roster. Special attention will be on Luka Božić — Granada's leader and one of the top contenders for the MVP title in the ACB this season. According to RUSSPAIN, Baskonia themselves are interested in Božić, considering him as a possible reinforcement for next year.
After this game, Baskonia will have a nine-day break: their next match against Real Madrid is postponed due to the Madrid team's participation in the EuroLeague final. Such a pause could impact the team’s game rhythm, just as they were gaining momentum following wins over Valencia Basket and UCAM Murcia. In both games, the leaders — Forrest, Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot, and Simmons — played key roles, allowing Baskonia to stay among the contenders for top positions.
The struggle for survival and the fight for positions in Spanish basketball remains relevant not only in the ACB. A recent article on russpain.com analyzed in detail the situation in La Liga Hypermotion, where the fate of the teams is also decided in the final rounds — details on key matches and the battle for survival can be found in our review.
For reference: Baskonia is one of Spain's most consistent clubs, regularly competing in the ACB and EuroLeague playoffs. Granada recently returned to the top division but has been unable to establish themselves among the elite. This season’s race for second place is particularly fierce: having a seeded status grants home-court advantage in the opening playoff rounds, which is traditionally seen as a key factor for success.
