Panathinaikos “suicided” with a fatal Sluka!

Ideal “self-made” o Panathinaikos in OAKA!

The “greens” overturned a double-digit difference in the second half, without Ataman who was sent off in the 24th minutebut one missed defensive rebound at the end of the regular term and a missed shot by Sluka just before the end of overtime, they cost them the loss 86-81from the Maccabi Tel Aviv!

The “clover” held the victory in its hands (72-70), at 5.8” before expirationwith Lessor sending Sorkin to the line, he goes 0/2 and a Nimbo follow to make it 72-72since in the last attack Vildosa missed a three-pointer.

Things went “wrong” for Panathinaikos in the extra five minutes as well, with Maccabi going to +5 (75-80), with the “greens” reducing by a point (79-80), but Slukas making 2/3 shots at 6” before expirationwhich turned out to be… damning.

Leader of Maccabi O Coulson with 21 points, while another 15p. had o DiBartolomeo. Double-double for Brown with 12 points. and 12 assists.

From the “clover”, he stood out Vildosa with 15 points.

Thus, the “greens” retreated to 1-3while on the other hand the “people’s team” went to 2-1.

The match

Panathinaikos started with Balcherovski, Hernangometh, Grigonis, Grant and Sluka. The match had a good pace early on, with both teams making the most of the second chances and finding scores mainly from the perimeter (9-7), in the first three minutes. Then, Panathinaikos unsuccessfully persisted from outside the box from 6.75m. with Maccabi finding an open field with Colson and DiBartolomeo and running an 8-0 run, for +6 (9-15), until 6′. With Lesor entering the court, the Israelis were “loaded” with fouls and the “greens” were temporarily reduced (11-15), but the nervousness in the attack gave the “people’s team” the opportunity to react for +8 (12-20 ), at 8′. In the remaining time, the “clover” tightened defensively and reduced Vildosa to -5 (15-20), at the end of the first period.

Blatt’s three-pointer sent Maccabi back to +8 (15-23) at the start of the second period. However, thanks to Antetokounmpo, who is terrible on both sides of the floor – with great defenses and baskets – Panathinaikos did not allow the difference to increase further (20-26), until the 16th minute. Then the guests took advantage of the mistakes of the “green” and with a mini 5-0 from DiBartolomeo and Brown, they went to +11 (20-31). In the last three minutes, the Israelis picked up the pace, with Ergin Ataman’s players having bad returns and Colson and Blatt sending Maccabi to the locker room with +15 (24-39).

Panathinaikos started better offensively in the second half, with the three-pointers of Grant and Grigonis, but did not have a comparable performance in defense and thus Maccabi maintained its distance (33-44), in the first four minutes. With Mitoglou’s entrance to the court, the “greens” became more… lively, while the stadium caught fire with the expulsion of Ergin Ataman with a second technical penalty. Nevertheless, the guests went with Brown, at +12 (35-47), 26′. However, then the “clover” took… thanks to Mitoglou, who with his own baskets reduced the difference to -5 (42-47), in the 28th minute. In the final minutes, the pace of the match had … shot up with the hosts being close, but Brown’s three-pointer at the end sent the Israelis to +8 (49-57), at the end of the third period.

DiBartolomeo was still a problem for the Panathinaikos defense at the start of the fourth quarter as well, with Maccabi pulling away again at +10 (52-62). The “greens” came back with Antetokounmpo and Vildosa, bringing the match to the basket (62-64), in the 34th minute, even missing several opportunities to overtake. The visitors “unstuck” with two shots by Nimbo, but Grigonis and Mitoglou gave the lead (67-66) to the “clover”, in the 36th minute. With the Argentinian’s three-pointer, Panathinaikos went to +2 (70-68), with Colson equalizing (70-70), in the 38th minute. It was followed by a mistake by Lessor and a good defense by Vildosa, with the French high from the line making it 71-70, 43” before the end. Then, the “greens” took out the defense and Mitoglou made 1/2 shots (72-70), at 7.3”. At 5.8”, Sorkin went to the line on a Lesor foul, with Maccabi’s tall 0/2, but with Nimbo’s follow-up, the score became 72-72, at 4.8”. In the last attack Vildosa missed a three-pointer and the match went to overtime.

At the beginning of the extra five minutes, Panathinaikos paid for its mistake and Maccabi with baskets in the open court escaped to +5 (75-80), in the 43′. The match was “stuck” in the next period, with Lessor and Grigonis reducing the point (79-80) and Blatt going to the line, making 2/2 shots (79-82), at 14.1” for the expiry. With 6” left, Slukas won three shots and made 2/3 for 82-83. Brown then went 2/2 from the line, with Wildosa fouling out and Cleveland making the final 81-86.

The quarters: 15-20, 24-39, 49-57, 72-72 ff., 81-86 par.

See here the match statistics

Watch the film of the match here