The Unicaja, after two consecutive defeats in the Endesa League, receives Saturday at Joventut (8:45 pm) in what may be one of his last options to finish in the top eight in the regular competition and then play in the title phase.
The Malaga team occupies the ninth position with 14 victories, one less than the Baxi Manresa (eighth), although behind they have possibilities of reaching that position the Herbalife Gran Canaria Y Casademont Zaragoza, matched with triumphs with the Andalusian formation.
The negative spiral of results, before the Lenovo Tenerife (79-61) and Casademont Zaragoza (78-101), have left the Unicaja touched and on the verge of failure with a complicated schedule until the end of the regular league.
To the team that coaches the Greek Fotis Katsikaris, in addition to the match against Joventut, you have another five to complete this phase –Baskonia, Real Madrid, UCAM Murcia, Morabanc Andorra Y Acunsa GBC– and the forecast in the club is that at least four must be won to be among the first eight who later dispute the title.
The Joventut, who is in seventh position with a loose balance of 18 wins, has been measured at Unicaja 86 times among all the competitions, of which 72 were in the Endesa League, with a completely balanced balance of 36 wins for each one.
In Malaga, of the 36 matches played, the Unicaja he only reaped ten defeats.
It will be the fourth time this season that they meet, since both teams coincided in the Top16 of the Eurocup, and for the moment Joventut won in the Endesa League in Badalona and in the continental competition in Malaga.
It was precisely in the Eurocopa the last confrontation between the two and ended with a victory away from Malaga by 77-90.
Unicaja will have the losses of the power forward Carlos Suárez, the israeli base Gal mekel and the Congolese pivot Yannick Nzosa, the three injured.