Real is not played, it showed the weaknesses of Panathinaikos, which has a final against Villeurbanne

Really OAKA certified what it did with SEF. They are currently the top team in Europe and in a competition where anyone can beat anyone, they beat them…everyone. The 12 wins in 13 games clearly prove it. And also the extra time defeat against Fenerbahçe. He plays equally effectively in all styles of basketball, has the best defense and offense, grabs the most rebounds, gives the most assists and shoots the best (60% two-point shots).

On Tuesday, Olympiacos tried (and went) to play the game at their own pace and wanted to trap the Madrid players, but were unlucky because it was too far off target from distance. As we wrote, however, it was not just the failure of the “Red and Whites”, but also due to Real’s targeted defense, which knows how to hold its own at a slow pace with many hectic games.

As the first half progressed, Panathinaikos decided to play against the European basketball champions who love to play. Aggressive until the end, with lots of possession and even more shots. Yes, the amazing crescendo of the “Greens” in the second quarter roused OAKA, as they turned -9 into +5 with an impressive 14:0, three points from Nan and spikes from Lessor, but went into the game with a high score and with 45 They basically put butter on the queen’s bread.

For Real to lose such a game, Kendrick Nunn, the top player of the first half, would have to score another 20 points, and in the second half Lesor would have to continue to fly over Poirier and the rest would have to increase the tempo and momentum. To be fair, the third period started with strong defense from the “Greens” as Real missed the first five shots they attempted, Nan had two shots and Mitoglou a layup, which increased the score to +3 for PAO.

What followed was a rhapsody of the “Blancos”. Fabian Kosher became… a corset and very tight indeed, on Nan, who began to suffocate in the Frenchman’s overplay, Tavares took Poirier’s place and turned the painting into a minefield, Cabasso held the baton firmly in a leadership concert in the Hand, Dek came into the game strong, grabbing rebounds and threatening either long shots or drives, and three serious scorers showed their talent.

Only admiration for Real

Moussa shone in SEF, he also had a satisfactory third third in OAKA, Mario Hezonia in his general apotheosis before and after Jamball proved how much he was in Madrid compared to the… crazy boy who played in PAO and Sergio Yule reminded everyone who produces the best tangerines in Europe.

The three together were 9/15 out of three. That’s 60%! Not that the rest have gone back. Overall, Real achieved a shooting rate of 50% (13/26) from 6.75 m and even better (23/36) on two-point throws. With Panathinaikos in the lead, the Spanish signaled a general counterattack and achieved a partial 24-4 victory. The three points even came from Sluka at the end of the third period. Real cleaned up the game with summary proceedings. She started the quarter with five misses, then reached 10/12, ran away with +17 points and only had to keep the handicap and finally confidently take her twelfth victory.

How can you not admire this team? On the one hand, the maestro Cabasso and the giant Tavares in the racket, the veterans Yule, Rudy and Kosher (Rodriguez, stayed in Madrid) with the freshness of Musa, Dek and Hezonia. And from behind comes new blood, like 20-year-old Ediage. The youngster is getting time now that Yabuzele is out and Real are not forgetting about his future while they are by far the team only interested in titles.

Absences, but also weaknesses for PAO

Somehow Panathinaikos lost for the third time in a row. Pa,lepsi in Belgrade almost achieved a big double but couldn’t maintain its 10-point lead. In Istanbul against the Efes half he was surprised, started the chase and missed a very big chance. He had a great first half against Real. He definitely misses the wounded.

Papapetrou and Juancho cover “3” and “4”. A classic trio, apart from Grigonis, does not currently exist in the team, Mitoglou plays in red and seems tired as the only four, the rotation is low while the weaknesses remain, which may also come from the restructuring of the squad, due to the addition of Kendrick Nunn.

Kyle Guy is almost permanently out of contention, and now that Nav is gaining momentum, Slukas appears to be backing off. Of course, balance will come at some point, but until then Panathinaikos has to find a way to win some important games. Perhaps his biggest problem, as shown in three tough games in a row, was the lack of a reliable solution behind Lessor.

Ataman continues to give Balcherovski or Antetokounmpo options, but when Lessor is not on the field, Panathinaikos has a problem.

The many missed rebounds, both in Istanbul and in OAKA at Real, are of course not just a matter for the big players, but for the entire team.

Everything for everything in Lyon

With a record of 6-7, Panathinaikos has yet to lose the world but needs to get back to winning ways. An early final is imminent for the “Greens”, next Thursday in Lyon. Not in the Astroball, but in the brand new Villeurbanne Arena, filled with 12,000 spectators and waiting for two or three big ASVEL breakthroughs to break the deadlock of their poor start to the season.

However, if Panathinaikos really wants to change the situation and really get promoted, this game is one of the games they absolutely have to win (like they did against Alba in Berlin, for example). The victory will keep him within his goals and remain in the group of teams that will fight relentlessly to the end to get into the eight or even the play-offs.

Is it right to be burdened with stress from now on? But in the Euroleague, the teams that aim high live with it. Every game counts, don’t forget it…