Three games, three different kinds of mismatch. In Turkey a home volleyball side with real attacking volume meets a visitor that cannot receive serve. In Utah a thin frontcourt faces a visitor with the better shot-making. In Charlotte a depleted guard line meets a steadier, better-shooting road team.
Galatasaray beat Sungurlu 3-1 away by out-scoring them 68-42 on attack points, and swept Onikisubat at home. Sultanbeyli have lost four straight, won only three sets in those games, and lost 0-3 at Gebze after conceding nine aces and watching one receiver fail on three of four serves aimed at him. Their sets have ended 17-25, 18-25, 22-25 and 15-25. Galatasaray can drop a close set, as they did at Halkbank, so I expect a win by two or more sets rather than a sweep. That's why I'm on Galatasaray to take the match comfortably.
Utah are 1-4 and have been outscored by about eight a game. Nurkic and Jackson are out, and Markkanen left the 10-27 game hurt and was listed out on the latest feed I read, so the rim protection and rebounding are thin. Portland are outscoring opponents by about nine a game, scored 136 at the Lakers and 128 at Sacramento despite their own guard absences, and won at the Lakers where Utah lost at home. The Memphis blowout shows Portland can fall flat, but the frontcourt gap is the bigger factor. I'm siding with Portland.
Charlotte have been without Coby White and Kon Knueppel since late October, and the games since went 79-95 and 89-97 losses. Their wins came at home by a handful of points, and their fourth quarter leaks, conceding 28 on average against 22 scored. Philadelphia shoot better from the field, hold a clearly better point margin, and both teams are on the second night of a back-to-back, so rest does not separate them. It is a thin edge, but I'm siding with Philadelphia.
