Panathinaikos AKTOR secured a crucial away victory against AS Monaco (88-76), clinching home-court advantage in the EuroLeague playoffs for the second consecutive season.
The Greek side started the game with great intensity and, after the fourth minute, quickly took control. The +2 lead (13-15 at 6') was only a prelude to what followed, as the Greens displayed excellent offensive execution. Their strong shot selection, combined with high accuracy in both two-pointers and three-pointers, helped them extend their lead to +11 (21-32) by the end of the first quarter.
At the start of the second quarter, Panathinaikos AKTOR continued to dominate on both ends of the floor, further increasing its advantage. The +17 lead (32-49) at the 17th minute reflected the team’s dominance and control over the game.
However, as the first half drew to a close, AS Monaco responded with a strong scoring run, cutting the deficit in half (41-49) by halftime.
The home team's momentum carried into the third quarter, as they continued their run, bringing the deficit down to just one point (48-49) at the 25th minute. Panathinaikos AKTOR, however, reacted swiftly. With consecutive well-executed perimeter shots and solid defensive plays, the Greens regained control and extended their lead back to +12 (53-65) by the end of the third quarter.
In the final period, Panathinaikos AKTOR maintained their advantage (62-71 at 34'). Despite intense defensive pressure from AS Monaco, the Greek team remained composed, made smart offensive decisions, and held onto the lead, entering the final stretch with a +7 cushion (71-78 at 38').
By the final buzzer, nothing had changed, with Panathinaikos AKTOR celebrating a significant road victory and securing home-court advantage in the EuroLeague playoffs.
QUARTERS: 21-32, 41-49, 53-65, 76-88.
AS MONACO (Spanoulis): Okobo 13 (3), Blossomgame 12 (2), Lloyd, Theis 18 (1), Diallo 16 (1), Cornelie, Jaiteh 8, Strazel 3 (1), Calathes, James 6 (1).
PANATHINAIKOS AKTOR (Ataman): Brown 2, Sloukas 3, Osman 7, Grant 14 (2), Pleiss, Nunn 37 (5), Gabriel 6, Hernangómez 4, Mitoglou 7 (1), Yurtseven 8.
Ataman: "Happy that we secured home-court advantage"
Ergin Ataman spoke after Panathinaikos AKTOR’s crucial victory over AS Monaco, highlighting the key factors that made the difference in the game, Kendrick Nunn’s outstanding performance, and the achievement of their first objective: securing home-court advantage in the playoffs.
His statements in detail:
On the game against AS Monaco: "I believe the first quarter was the key to the game. We played solid defense, made good offensive choices, and had high shooting percentages. We maintained our confidence throughout the game. We knew it would be a very tough match for both teams, but starting the way we did in the first quarter gave us a big confidence boost. From that point on, we controlled the tempo of the game, except for the start of the third quarter when we missed some open shots. AS Monaco is a team that punishes defensive mistakes, and that was the only moment we lost control.
Overall, I would say this was a team effort, but we also witnessed one of the best individual performances of the EuroLeague season from Kendrick Nunn. Delivering such a performance in an important away game, with those shooting percentages and his playmaking, was the key to our victory."
On Kendrick Nunn: "I think he was lucky because he got to rest for 45 seconds in this game. If he talks to Shane Larkin, he'll find out that in some games, Larkin played 40 or even 45 minutes. So, he's fortunate to have had that short break. Alpha Diallo is one of the best defenders in the competition, but he couldn’t stop him tonight. We saw multiple players switch onto him, yet he was simply in one of those zones where he was unstoppable. We also got a lot from Ömer Yurtseven tonight. He played significant minutes and contributed greatly on both ends of the floor."
On securing home-court advantage in the playoffs: "I am very happy because, at the start of the regular season, our first goal was to secure home-court advantage for the playoffs. Tonight, we achieved that. It’s a great satisfaction for me and my team, as well as for the performance we delivered in this game. It will give us a major confidence boost moving forward, into the playoffs and the Final Four."
On Mathias Lessort’s return: "I am not sure about his return. If we make it to the Final Four, I believe there’s a 90% chance we will have him back. As for the playoffs, I don’t know yet. We have about 20 days ahead of us. We’ll see..."
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