Basketball: EuroLeague playoffs to start on Tuesday

By Fatih Erel

ISTANBUL (AA) - Turkish Airlines EuroLeague basketball playoffs will tip off on Tuesday.

Turkey's Fenerbahce Beko finished the regular basketball season at the top spot and will face Lithuania's Zalgiris Kaunas in the playoffs in four best-of-five quarter-final series.

Anadolu Efes, another Turkish team, maintained fourth place in the standings. Securing fifth place, Barcelona Lassa will face Anadolu Efes in the best-of-five playoffs.

The top eight teams from the regular season, including three Spanish and two Turkish teams and one team each from Russia, Lithuania and Greece, will compete in the playoffs from April 16 to 30.

Fenerbahce Beko, Anadolu Efes, Real Madrid, CSKA Moscow, Barcelona Lassa, Baskonia, Panathinaikos and Zalgiris have claimed the playoff spots.

Winners will advance to the Final Four to be held between May 17-19 at Fernando Buesa Arena in the Spanish city of Vitoria-Gasteiz in single elimination matchups.

The playoff matchups are as follows:

Fenerbahce Beko (Turkey) - Zalgiris (Lithuania)

CSKA Moskova (Russia) - Baskonia (Spain)

Real Madrid (Spain) - Panathinaikos (Greece)

Anadolu Efes (Turkey) - Barcelona Lassa (Spain)

Here are the first playoff matches:

Tuesday:

CSKA Moskova - Baskonia

Fenerbahce Beko - Zalgiris

Wednesday:

Anadolu Efes - Barcelona Lassa

Real Madrid - Panathinaikos