Olympiacos vs Panathinaikos: Analysis and Prediction – Olympiacos will host Panathinaikos in the Greek Basket League play-off final Game 4.
Olympiacos vs Panathinaikos Odds
Olympiacos Team News
Olympiacos did most of the work in the first game when they made a breakthrough in Athens, and then confirmed it in Piraeus. They didn’t capitalize on the first match point away from home, but they still lead 2-1, so they are in a good situation.
The least consistent aspect of Olympiacos’ game is undoubtedly their three-point shooting. Sometimes they seem capable of shooting at high percentages throughout the entire game, but in the next game, it’s as if a different team took the court. It’s noteworthy that in the Game 2, head coach Georgios Bartzokas had a heated discussion with captain Kostas Papanikolaou, while in the Game 3, Nigel Williams-Goss confronted his coach, a confrontation prevented by teammates. Despite being up 2-0 at that point, it seems that a significant amount of nervousness crept into the Olympiacos ranks, which ultimately led to their loss in the third game. It should be mentioned that Nikola Milutinov has stepped up his game when it’s most needed and is holding his own quite well against Mathias Lessort in the paint. Alec Peters and Thomas Walkup showed dismal shooting percentages (3/10 and 4/9) in the previous game, and it’s necessary for them to perform better at home. One standout player in this final series is Isaiah Canaan.
Olympiacos shouldn’t engage in a shootout with Panathinaikos, as their inconsistency in shooting could cost them dearly. It’s crucial for Thomas Walkup to try to control the pace of the game, close off lanes to the basket, and with much better ball movement, find open shots, as that’s precisely the system coach Bartzokas aims for.
Panathinaikos Team News
Panathinaikos showed two rather poor performances in the first two games, putting them on the brink of defeat in the Greek League final. However, they managed to regroup and rise to the occasion, winning 83-76 in the third game and reducing the deficit to 2-1.
The most crucial aspect of Panathinaikos’ game is undoubtedly the trio of Kendrick Nunn, Mathias Lessort, and Kostas Sloukas. When these three perform at their best, few teams can match coach Ergin Ataman’s squad. Moreover, Kostas Sloukas is visibly motivated, especially given the fact that he left Olympiacos last season, engaging in a little verbal warfare with both fans and former teammates. Tensions between him and Canaan are particularly noticeable. Ataman, with his experience, once again took the pressure off his players, stating in the press conference that this was the first game in which his team had a fair refereeing against Olympiacos. Nunn delivered with 21 points, while Mathias Lessort scored 17 points with seven rebounds without missing a shot from the field (7/7). Kostas Sloukas was held to 13 points, but he managed to control the game’s rhythm, which was the most significant factor in this matchup.
Panathinaikos must control the pace of the game once again and notably improve their three-point shooting percentages. Additionally, they will seek to exploit the absence of Moustapha Fall to dominate the paint. Furthermore, the first prerequisite for bringing the series back to OAKA is Kendrick Nunn and his strong performance.
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Olympiacos vs Panathinaikos H2H
Absences and Injuries
Olympiacos vs Panathinaikos Prediction
Tip-off Time: Wednesday, 12.06.2024, 20:15 CET
Prediction: Panathinaikos to win
Odds: 2.38
Sportsbook: 22Bet
*Odds are active at the time the article is published
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