Barcelona vs Panathinaikos: Analysis and Prediction – Barcelona and Panathinaikos will play a game in the EuroLeague sixth round.
Barcelona vs Panathinaikos Odds
Barcelona Team News
Barcelona isn’t entering this EuroLeague game against Panathinaikos in the best form. They have been defeated in their last two matches. First, they were outplayed by Real Madrid for the third time this season, and then Valencia added insult to injury in the Liga Endesa.
What is noticeable at the start of this season is that Roger Grimau has allowed Barcelona more freedom in their play compared to when Sarunas Jasikevicius was in charge. Nicolas Laprovittola, Tomas Satoransky, and Rokas Jokubaitis are orchestrating the team’s backcourt, and when needed, Alex Abrines takes charge of organizing the attack. The injury to the Argentine has taken a toll, as much depends on him. Inside the team, Willy Hernangomez and Jan Vesely cover the high level, and Jabari Parker provides a significant contribution, particularly in offensive rebounds. Nikola Kalinićcis perhaps the biggest link between the backcourt and the frontcourt, and despite those two losses, Barcelona is looking good so far.
The game against Panathinaikos comes at a time when Barcelona is facing their first dip in performance. However, what works in Barcelona’s favor is their home court advantage and their history in head-to-head matches. In the last nine encounters, Barcelona has won every time. They hope for a similar scenario now to get back on the winning track.
Panathinaikos Team News
Panathinaikos has managed to return to the winning track after a certain rough patch. They’ve strung together three consecutive wins, defeating Lavrio, Baskonia, and perhaps the most significant win of the season, Olympiacos.
Despite the team’s three-game winning streak, coach Ergin Ataman remains dissatisfied with their performance and has announced further reinforcements. The latest addition is Kendrick Nunn, who is set to strengthen their backcourt, addressing the need for additional scoring, particularly due to the injury of Luka Vildoza and the fact that Kyle Guy has not been performing at the expected level. Among all the players who arrived this summer, over 10 in total, Mathias Lessort has lived up to expectations. He makes a significant impact on both ends of the court and is one of the top centers in the EuroLeague this year. It will be intriguing to watch the brotherly showdown, with Juancho on one side and Willy Hernangomez on the other, so motivation won’t be lacking.
Historically, Panathinaikos hasn’t had the best experiences in Barcelona. Despite their current three-game winning streak, their desire and added motivation stem from those nine consecutive losses against the Spanish team. If they want to win, they’ll need to excel defensively, and much will depend on their three-point shooting percentage, which could be the key to this game.
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Barcelona vs Panathinaikos H2H
In their last ten games, Barcelona and Panathinaikos, the Greek team has only managed to win once. That was back in 2018 at the OAKA Arena. Since then, they haven’t found a way to compete with the Catalan giants.
Absences and Injuries
In Barcelona’s team, the decision on whether Jan Vesely and Nicolas Laprovittola will play will be made on the day of the game. Michael Caicedo is definitely “out.” Panathinaikos will be without the assistance of Ioannis Papapetrou, Luca Vildoza and Kostas Sloukas while the status of Lefteris Mantzoukas will also be known on the day of the game.
Barcelona vs Panathinaikos Prediction
There are several factors underlying our betting recommendation. Besides Barcelona being the favorite and playing at home, it’s a fact that they haven’t been performing at their best recently. On the other hand, Panathinaikos is arriving in Spain with significant confidence following their away win against Olympiacos. They are sure to respond to Barcelona with good energy, and we don’t expect a decisive outcome. We believe the game will be decided in the final minutes, and Panathinaikos is likely to cover the offered handicap.
Tip-off Time: Friday, 03.11.2023, 20:30 CET
Prediction: Panathinaikos +7.5
Odds: 1.85
Sportsbook: 22Bet
*Odds are active at the time the article is published
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