“It will be a classic series of long-time opponents which promises us difficult games,” CSKA head coach Ettore Messina said. “Panathinaikos is one of the best defensive teams in Europe but at the same time we are good on defense as well. We will have to find our ways to attack them, though rebounding and defense will be the key as well. As usually in playoff series we will approach this one game by game. We will miss Milos Teodosic in the first two games at least but I don’t want to make any excuses out of it. We are a deep team, we have home-court advantage and we have to prepare well to win the next game.”
Teodosic continues his rehab in Tel-Aviv clinic and he will definitely miss first two games. PAO does not have injured players: Roko-Leni Ukic plays through Achilles problems, Stephan Lasme was ill last week but still participated in the last Top 16 game.
The opponents did not play in official games this season. But they met in the semifinal of the Gomelsky Cup where the Army Men won confidently – 72-49.
Alvertis’ new incarnation
This season cannot be considered ambiguous for Panathinaikos: the team overcame roster and coaching changes, injuries but continues to fight for the titles in all tournaments it participates. Greek journalist Giannis Stavroulakis resumed the year for Greens.
The injuries hurt Panathinaikos
The biggest problem during the season has to do with Roko Leni Ukic. The Croatian guard returned from Eurobasket with serious problem – Achilles tendon in both legs!
Panathinaikos stuff was very disappointed with the Croatian National Team staff which did not tell anything to Roko but used him until the end, trying to win a medal. “Roko can’t finish a complete practice! If you see him after the games, he can’t walk! He tries to get rhythm during the games,” said Pedoulakis before the game against Laboral Cutxa. Stephan Lasme also had injury problem during the first days of the season. In February, Pana lost Rummel Carry for a month (leg injury), while James Gist was injured (hip) during the Greek All Star Game.
End of Pedoulakis era
Panathinaikos lost to Laboral Cutxa in OAKA and president Dimitris Giannakopoulos took the decision to terminate the contract of Argiris Pedoulakis, thinking that Pana faced the danger of elimination in TOP-16! The announcement of the team: “The president Dimitris Giannakopoulos wants to thank mister Pedoulakis who took the team in a very difficult era and celebrated three titles (double last year, Cup this season). He will always be part of Panathinaikos family”. Many people say that the reason that Pedoulakis left was that he did not give the chances to all the players like Batiste, Mavrokefalidis and the young guys, Pappas and Jankovic. Also that Panathinaikos did not play good basketball with him this season.
New beginning with Alvertis
Fragiskos Alvertis is a symbol for Panathinaikos. He is part of the team from 16 years old (1990) and he had won everything! 5 Euroleagues, 11 Greek championships, 8 Greek Cups and 1 Intercontinental Cup (1996). In 2009 he retired and celebrated it in the friendly game against CSKA but he stayed in Panathinaikos as a team manager. Now is the coach of Pana until the end of the season. “I serve Panahinaikos the last 25 years! I know the pressure and the demands of this team. It’s the team that I have passed more of the half years of my life! I have a big challenge,” said during his presentation. Alvertis won his first game in Instabul against Efes Anadolu and for the sure the game against his mentor, Zeliko Obradovic, in OAKA!
“Mr. Assist” Diamantidis and the other guards
Dimitris Diamantidis remains the leader of Panathinaikos. The captain of the greek team is still a key player in Panathinaikos’ games. At the age of 34 years old, he leads the Euroleague this season with 6.5 assist per game, which is also the best mark of his career. Against Armani Milano in OAKA, he served 11 assists and matched his career high in a single Euroleague game, against Tau in 2010-11! Diamantidis has also next to him Roko Leni Ukic and Rummel Carry. The American guard came in Panahinaikos before last season finals against Olympiacos and proved that he deserves to be member of the team. He is an “economy” player, doing too much work in offence and defense. Last summer also Panahinaikos obtained young guys Nikos Pappas and Vladimiros Jankovic (son of Serbian legend Boban Jankovic) from Panionios, as “transfers” for the future, for the building of the team next years. In February Pana obtained also Zach Right from Bamberg, the American guard who helps also in scoring.
Returns, renewals and new ads
Bramos and Maciulis are the small forwards of the team. Mike Bramos plays very good defense and also has no fear to shoot 3 pointers. Maciulis proved last season that he deserves to remain in the team. Panathinaikos offered him a new contract for 2 more years. As for power forwards and centers, two old players returned last summer – Fotsis, probably the best Greek power forward, and Mike Batiste. Together with James Gist, Loukas Mavrokefalidis and Stephan Lasme, they create very strong frontline. Gist can play from 3 to 5. Loukas Mavrokefalidis is high quality player who takes more time now with new coach Alvertsi, Lasme is very impressive, good defender/shot blocker and Batiste knows what to do on the court.
From China with love
This season, Euroleague opened its gates to welcome Shang Ping, the Chinese center and ex-teammate of Tracy MacGrady who became the first player of the Asian country that participates in the competition! Shang Ping is one of the attractions this season, because his presence in Panathinaikos attracted the interest of one of the biggest markets in the world! The ex-coach of Panathinaikos, Argiris Pedoulakis, took Shang Ping with Panathinaikos’ squad against Lietuvos Rytas in OAKA instead of injured Stephan Lasme. That was his only presence in Panathinaikos’ squad for a Euroleague game but he did not play against the Lithuanians. “I know what I represent and what means my presence in Panathinaikos,” he said during his presentation.
The budget
It’s true that Panathinaikos tries to follow the general rule in Greece of crisis, by reducing the budget but lust summer the Greens spend more money regarding the last season. To begin with, Panathinaikos “lost” Schortsianitis (600.000 euros), Tsartsaris (220.000), Xanthopoulos (80.000) and Giannopoulos (40.000). So, Pana “saved” 940.000 euros. At the same time, Pana brought to OAKA Fotsis (1 milion), Mavrokefalidis (750.000), increased the salary of Lasme (950.000 from 400.000 that he took last season), and also has Curry (220.000), Gist (700.000), Shang Ping (200.000), Jankovic and Pappas (150.000 each one). Diamantidis has about 1.7-1.8, while Roko Leni Ukic increased the salary from 800.000 to 1 million euros. All the numbers are the estimates based on news from the media.
