Cairo vs Beirut

Mahrooz can slice through the zone Beirut likes to play but Cairo needs to move the ball to shift them out of position. Teams have buckled down on Mahdy’s drives and Beirut could use more movement to get eyes off him and give better driving lanes. Kareem Ahmed's ball handling and finishing as a third option would give Cairo needed balance. Muhammed Saleh's paint presence would free Moe Rayyan from carrying the perimeter scoring alone.

Cairo's defense looked sharper last week and the matchup against Beirut's paint defense gives them room to break out offensively.

Cairo by 5

Granada vs Kabul

If Kabul plays zone, Granada can naturally swing the ball side to side where they look most dangerous with Shafic on the move. Kabul can win the paint and if shooters like Adam N and Hassan use that attention to generate open threes, they could break away fast. Shahaan's shooting and ability to attack closeouts for Granada could break a zone wide open. Elias has a good matchup to be more aggressive than he has been, which would open things up for everyone around him.

Kabul built on its Week 1 performance last week while Granada is still searching for a winning formula.

Kabul by 6

Gaza vs Istanbul

The matchups align perfectly with Ali Hassan drawing Towfeek and Ali Suiafan matching up against Nick. Whoever wins these individual battles on the ball will let the rest of their roster settle into roles. Gaza needs Omer Marachli to provide consistent scoring outside of Nick and Towfeek after going 4-6 from three last week. Istanbul will need Omar Qasem's ball handling to survive Gaza's perimeter pressure, which has generated steals all season.

Both offenses look unbalanced right now but Gaza's defense has been sharper on the perimeter.

Gaza by 5

Jerusalem vs Damascus - GAME OF THE WEEK

Damascus could reach another level if Jay hits more of those midrange shots that counter his drives. Omar’s shotmaking will also be put to the test as he faces the most defensive pressure he has seen this season and tries to match the incredible scoring output he’s had in the first two weeks. As both teams’ strengths lie on the perimeter, the paint battle will be a big X-factors in this game. Moe Raj for Damascus and Ghazi for Jerusalem will battle it out down low.

This is strength on strength in the perimeter battle and Jerusalem's fluidity and scoring balance give them the edge in a very close call.

Jerusalem by 3