ABA League: Cibona vs Borac 16/10/2026

Cibona will be looking for a reaction in front of their home crowd after an unexpected defeat to Slovan. With a stronger roster and a more favorable opponent style, the Zagreb side have a good chance of controlling the game and coming away with the win.

Handicap (point spread) betting

Cibona marked their return to the ABA League with two defeats in the opening two rounds. The loss to Cedevita Olimpija in Ljubljana was somewhat expected, but it is hard to find an excuse for the home defeat to Slovan Bratislava, a newcomer to the competition. This is especially true since that loss came right after one of the club’s biggest wins in recent years, when Cibona beat Galatasaray 96:76 in the first round of the Champions League. Against Slovan, the hosts found no answer to the visitors’ excellent three-point shooting, as they made as many as 16 of 36 attempts. Cibona, on the other hand, was let down by that very part of the game, hitting only five threes on 18 attempts.

Borac, meanwhile, defied all expectations. After a home loss to Široki Brijeg, they managed a big win against Igokea in Laktaši. The victory carries extra weight considering that the Čačak side made only five three-pointers and shot a very modest 17/35 from the free-throw line. Excellent team play carried them to the win, with as many as 23 assists and an outstanding 72% shooting on two-pointers.

In this game, I expect a reaction from the Cibona players after last week’s loss to Slovan. In their comeback season in the ABA League, the Zagreb side have put together a fairly strong roster with the potential to compete with much more expensive teams, especially at home. Slovan caused them huge problems from beyond the 6.75-meter line in the previous round, but that is not Borac’s strongest weapon. I therefore believe Cibona will control the visitors’ offense far more easily than they did last week.

The hosts have quite solid offensive potential, and if they impose their preferred tempo from the start, they should have enough quality to control the game. Given the difference in individual talent and home-court advantage, anything other than a Cibona win would be a surprise to me.