Panathinaikos is preparing for one of the most important games in the season. Tomorrow (21:45, ΟΑΚΑ) it faces in the fifth game of the playoffs series Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv; it is the game that will decide qualification to the Euroleague Final Four. Zeljko Obradovic referred to tomorrow’s game and its importance, without omitting to speak about his players once again.
“It is the fifth game in the playoffs series and it is a game without tomorrow, an elimination game. We have already played against Maccabi four times with the series now returning to the OAKA. What I want to convey to my players is that it is a great privilege to play in front of so many fans and that we must do everything to win in front of these fans. We may say that every time, but it is indeed important to play with concentration, avoid making mistakes and it would this time be good to win the rebounding fight. In the previous games they tried to add some new elements; I believe they are going to do the same tomorrow too. This means that we at the coaching staff must be prepared for anything new they might attempt. This is our job. I will, however, repeat that the key is for us to play calmly, with concentration, and avoid making mistakes. The good thing is that all the players are OK. This is the best news!”
Obradovic was categorical inasmuch as the surprises that Maccabi may have in store to present on the court tomorrow night: “It is not just tomorrow’s game. In every game they tried to do something new, especially in offense. Whatever they may try to do in defense I believe is now easier for us to recognize after four games. Again, let me say that this is something that we will see on the court. It is always the game, on the court, that provides the answers. As far as offense is concerned, we will try to prepare the game based on the defensive skills of their individual players. Besides, they did something similar when they tried to change a few things. To be honest, I do not think there will be such big surprises. A big surprise will be if Sofoklis (Schortsanitis) plays pick n’ pop and gets the ball in, or if Hendrix succeeds in a difficult shot from 9 meters away, as he did against Barcelona. In that case there is not much you can do, so you just play defense and if the shot goes in… it went in! Whatever they try to do in offense they do it with the important players they have. It is very difficult to change some things this much. As difficult as it is to us, it is just as difficult to them. What you can change is the quality of an offense…that, yes, is doable…”
Panathinaikos’ coach was asked as to whether the way that Maccabi Electra plays has changed through these games: “You watch every game, you analyze it, you watch the statistics; you see the players that the opponent coach bases his game on according to the participation time. Maybe the only surprise was the way that Ohayon performed, but otherwise Maccabi has been competing the same way throughout the entire season. And these are tactical elements that you see at the moment the game is played, such as for example when Ohayon did not compete in the last minutes in the fourth game and Mallet was put in to play and scored a three-pointer. It is a matter that the coach decides at that particular moment. It is easy to say where Maccabi’s game is based on, but it is just as easy for them to speak about us. I will repeat that this game is different because it takes place seven days after the previous ones and from a psychological point of view it is different for the players.”
Upon a question regarding Panathinaikos’ defense against Maccabi, Obradovic replied: “The most important thing is to see the way our opponents play. They have a lot of situations where they isolate a player to play one-against-one, so in this case we are talking about each individual player’s defensive ability. They must all be ready to play one-on-one defense. It is the most important part of defense and every coach’s dream is to have players who can play this kind of defense. If in offense you have someone that an opponent cannot stop, you just pass him the ball and then the game becomes a chess match. As everything else in life, the simplest things are the best.”
His punch-line that he is ready to die for his players came back to the “discussion”, his players having in turn said the previous days that they would do the same for him, so he underlined: “I meant what I said and this is something that always holds true for my players.”
When asked as to whether tomorrow is the day for the big leaders that decide the games to shine, he replied: “In every big game there is always a player who will do something extra and decide the outcome. Do you remember last year’s final against Olympiakos when Fotsis had 6/6 three-pointers? That was his night; he was the player who decided the championship title and everyone knows it. It is not right, though, to speak about a single player, because there are also other elements in a game.”
The players had discussions between them the night before the fourth game and Zeljko Obradovic confirmed it: “This is true. There were such discussions. We watched all 40 minutes of the third game, talked together with all the players, but it was also necessary to talk to some of them separately too. I said that there must be no anxiety. I will say the same in the practice session, but also at the hotel later on. I do, however, need to correct something that is not true. No-one went to the coach’s room at four o’clock in the morning. We talked with players, but earlier and in a separate area reserved for us to have meetings.”
Before the end of the press conference, Obradovic sent his own message to his players: “I am very proud of my players. I repeat that, no matter what happens now, later in the championship, or this summer. People change. Some of them have a family of their own now, but they still have the same passion for basketball. All the players will remember this period as the best time of their lives, since they were playing basketball. In the last practice session Tracy Murray was here. He was with us for only a brief period of time but do you know what his opinion is about everything he lived here? That is was one of the best times he had as a player. I will repeat once again that I am very proud of my players and I am certain that the most experienced ones will lead… the way. We need that as simple humans too; we need having someone to set the example. Finally, I would like to ask the fans to support Panathinaikos, but showing their best behavior as they did in the previous two games against Maccabi Electra here at the OAKA.”
Pavlos and Thanassis Giannakopoulos attended
Both Pavlos and Thanassis Giannakopoulos showed once again in practice that they stand by the team. They both attended the OAKA indoors arena just a little before the beginning of the practice session.
