Olympiacos returns to the Top 16 with its the only ambition to win one more game than last season, when the Reds reached the Euroleague title game before losing to Regal FC Barcelona. Olympiacos's inside-outside balance is seen in the fact that it was second in the league in both assists (16.1 apg.) and rebounds (38.1 rpg.) Success in both areas paved the way to the Reds having the best average team performance index in the regular season with 90.8 per game. Reigning Euroleague MVP Milos Teodosic (13.8 ppg., 4.6 apg.), former Final Four MVP Vassilis Spanoulis (15.4 ppg., 4.9 apg.) and one-time All-Euroleague big man Ioannis Bourousis (11.5 ppg., 7.1 rpg., 1.3 bpg.) are its reference players, leading a deep team of youth and veterans. Olympiacos is still undefeated at the Peace and Friendship Stadium and needs to stay strong in front of its fans to survive a very competitive Top 16.

An emerging power in European basketball, Fenerbahce Ulker has put a solid team together and is breaking its own attendance records since it moved to Sinan Erdem Arena. Fenerbahce features nine players averaging better than 6 points a night. In other words, it is a totally unpredictable team that always finds the way to beat its opponent. Fenerbahce registered prestigious road wins in Barcelona and Vilnius and sealed its Top 16 ticket long before the end of the first phase. The addition of legendary playmaker Sarunas Jasikevicius, who took Lietuvos Rytas to the Top 16, only makes the team more reliable in crunch time. Until now, its floor general has been Roko Ukic (13.9 ppg., 53.8% 3FG, 3.6 apg.), who has stepped up to become of the best players in the competition. With bounds of talent at all spots and veteran rebounder Mirsad Turkcan (6.8 ppg., 6.7 rpg.) offering a critical role off the bench, only the sky is Fener's limit.

A solid core of players and high intensity at both ends have allowed Zalgiris to return to the Top 16 ready to keep making noise in the 2010-11 Turkish Airlines Euroleague season. With many of the players from last season and one more year of experience playing together, Zalgiris's team chemistry has been a difference maker. Recently-signed Boban Marjanovic adds size and power in the middle, even though regular season rebounding leader Paulius Jankunas (10.2 ppg., 7.8 rpg.) and former rebounding king Travis Watson (7.1 ppg., 4.8 rpg.) are likely to see most of the minutes under the baskets. Zalgiris ranked second - behind Panathinaikos - in fouls drawn in the regular season, which shows how aggressive the team has played so far. Zalgiris, however, leads the 2010-11 Euroleague in turnovers, which isn't the best sign. Expect Zalgiris to play physical defense and try to run as much as possible - its fun-to-watch basketball brand is well known all around the continent.

One of the hottest teams coming into the Turkish Airlines Euroleague Top 16 is reigning Eurocup champion Power Electronics Valencia, which stormed into this stage by finishing the regular season with four wins in five games. With everyone embracing his role and the victories mounting, Valencia is a team that could make a great impact on the Top 16. The key number for Power Electronics this season is 70. When the team scores at least 70 points, it has been 4-0. But when it allowed more than 70, it went 1-5. Valencia has room for improvement, as it is last in two-point shooting percentage (46.7%) and next-to-last in assists (11.9 apg.). Valencia, in its first Euroleague season since 2004, relies on an aggressive, experienced frontline to make the difference under the baskets and has depth at all spots. Playmaker Nando De Colo (10.9 ppg.), off-guard Rafa Martinez (10.5 ppg.) and power forward Dusko Savanovic (10.1 ppg.) are its main references in crunch time.