Zalgiris Kaunas vs ASVEL Lyon Villeurbanne 23 October 2026 Prediction

Zalgiris and ASVEL enter their EuroLeague Round 7 matchup with identical 2-4 records, but expectations for the two teams differ. Zalgiris is considered a playoff contender, while ASVEL was widely viewed as one of the league’s weakest teams. Can the visitors keep the game close?

Zalgiris Struggled in October

Manager Tomas Masiulis’s team has dropped from the top 10 into the lower half of the standings in just a couple of weeks. Last week was particularly difficult: Zalgiris lost 99-80 to Fenerbahce and 85-70 to Anadolu Efes. There are concerns at both ends of the court, especially on offense, where Zalgiris averages just 81.7 points per game.

Edwards and Valanciunas have put up strong individual numbers. Edwards is fourth in the league in scoring at 17.2 points per game, while the Lithuanian center leads the league with 7.7 rebounds per game. Still, Edwards has struggled with his shooting, and Valanciunas has not contributed enough points. Valanciunas remains active in the paint, but he scored only 13 points across last week’s two games.

Zalgiris Predicted Lineup: Brown, Edwards, Tubelis, Butkevicius, Valanciunas

Out: No reported absences

Manager: Tomas Masiulis

ASVEL’s Offense Has Been Effective

ASVEL has shown it can win games, but its defense remains a problem. As it did last season, the team allows the most points in the EuroLeague, at 95.3 per game. ASVEL is 2-4 after two losses last week: an 84-82 home defeat to Crvena Zvezda and a 111-92 road loss to Real Madrid.

The visitors are particularly dangerous from three-point range. They lead the competition in three-point shooting at 42.4% and also average a league-high 22.3 assists per game. Those offensive strengths have not fully offset their defensive issues, but ASVEL has been more competitive than it was last season.

ASVEL Predicted Lineup: Dada Fodjo, Mills, Gat, Crowder, Bolomboy

Out: Dossou-Yovo (injury)

Manager: Tony Parker

Zalgiris Won Both Meetings Last Season

Zalgiris beat ASVEL 96-59 at home and 96-77 on the road last season.

Zalgiris vs ASVEL Prediction: ASVEL Handicap +12.5

Main prediction: ASVEL has looked more competitive this season. Winning in Kaunas will be difficult, but the visitors can keep the margin manageable. They have suffered three heavy defeats against top teams through six rounds, yet they pushed Crvena Zvezda in an 84-82 loss and beat Paris 98-96. Zalgiris, meanwhile, has yet to find an adequate replacement for Francisco. Edwards averages 17.2 points but misses too many shots and commits too many turnovers. Zalgiris also has a lower overall field-goal percentage than ASVEL. The pick is ASVEL +12.5 at 1.73.

Totals prediction: Zalgiris will likely try to slow the pace at home rather than play an open game against ASVEL. The hosts average just 73.6 possessions per game, one of the lowest figures in the league. ASVEL averages 87.8 points overall, but that drops to 84.3 against teams in the top eight for defensive rating, a group that includes Zalgiris. None of the last five meetings between these teams has exceeded 173 total points. The additional pick is under 176.5 total points at 1.76.