Ataman: “We have the experience of managing Lesor’s condition – I don’t care if it will be a Greek final”

Clear that no one will risk Lesor in everything that has to do with his return to the action was Ergkin Ataman. Panathinaikos coach equally assured that there is experience in the team to manage the Lesor situation, adding that he is involved in the possibility of being a Greek final in the event.

In detail his statements to Nova:

For the opportunity of back to back:

“If you want to talk honestly, I never think about back to back. I’m just focusing on the season we play and I want to win with my players once again. I believe we have the potential and experience. Then there may be two, three, four consecutive, for you it may be important, but for me it is important to reach the Final Four first of all, because it is something you do after 39 games. Then win the semifinals and finally the title. ”

If it is dangerous for Lesor to play:



“Of course it’s dangerous. If you put it after 2-3 workouts, it is dangerous. That is why I asked the medical staff after the Greek championship semifinals to make a week of preparation with the team. At 5 against 5 in training the tension like that of the race. I will see what it is. No one is playing for Matthias, it is the same to play at 5 against 5 or in the Final Four. I think we have the experience to manage his situation. ”

For the semifinal with Fenerbahce:



“Fenerbahce is a good team. Especially in the second part of the season, after McColum went to the team they started playing much better, with more organization. They lost a lot of tall during the season, changed many players in the center, but I think Nigel Hays is definitely one of the best in Euroleague. They have players with extensive experiences such as Baldwin, Guduric, Meli, Suni. It’s a good team. Saras is a coach with extensive experience now and Fener ended the regular season with a win of us in second place. We won them twice in the regular duration. It will be a very difficult game. ”

For the counter on the bench with Saras:



“I don’t think so much. Saras can control things more, but he has said in the past that “I handed over control and we have won the game”. Why when he has players like McColum, Haze, Baldwin in your team, how can you control everything? For my part, yes, I give my players freedom, but I put the strategy and the system. If my players do not properly use the freedom I give them, they will come to sit next to me on the bench. It’s a balance. Ultimately the performance of the players will determine the result. ”

For a possible Greek final:



“First of all we have to enjoy that we are in the Final Four. They are two games, one semifinal and one final. Honestly, maybe because I’m not Greek, I don’t care if I play a final against a Greek team or a French team. ”

On how he would feel if he was the final Fenerbahce-Galatasaray:



“Yes, but I’m a stranger. This may be more difficult spiritually for Barzokas. But it is right, if it was a final Fenerbahce-Galatasaray and I was a coach of Galatasaray and I hope that in the future he will come to Euroleague and play semifinal with it, not only with Fener. But honestly for me is a game. Last year we played with Real who was 100% the favorite and it was more difficult than this year to play with Olympiacos. Yes we may have lost twice in Euroleague, but we won them twice in the Greek league and in the Cup final. “