Ergin Ataman and Jerian Grant spoke to reporters prior to Panathinaikos AKTOR's departure for Belgrade, ahead of their away game against Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade.
Ataman's Comments: "Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade is a great team with an excellent coach and an incredible atmosphere in their arena. It will be a very challenging away game. I believe that in such environments, we have the experience to play aggressively.
Perhaps we will play more aggressively than we do at home, as sometimes we tend to feel more confident and assume we will win regardless. Now we understand that from the very first minute, we must fight for every possession to secure the victory.
I believe Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade does not push the pace much but instead controls the tempo. I do not expect the score to be very high. Offensively, it will be more important to attack properly and intelligently, avoiding mistakes. The worst thing in such games is to give away easy points on fast breaks due to turnovers.
For me, since I began coaching, it has always been a pleasure to face Željko Obradović because he is a maestro. He is a legend of EuroLeague history. It is a great joy, but I always pay extra attention when I am up against him. Sometimes he wins, sometimes I win—that's how it goes in battles like these.
Tomorrow, we might see lineups with five guards against five guards on the court, with no big men, or the opposite. It will be interesting to see. We'll find out..."
Grant's Comments: "Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade is playing well, and we need to be ready. Their fans are among the best in the world. We need to improve defensively, especially considering that it will be more challenging to score.
At the end of the day, the important thing is to get the win—that’s what matters most. Everything else will come together gradually."
