By Dionysis Aravantinos / info@eurohoops.net
One of the most significant games of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague this season will take place tonight in Athens between Panathinaikos Superfoods and Olympiacos Piraeus. On one hand, this is a very important game for both teams, the mentality, and psychology of the players. On the other hand, however, this contest will decide to a large extent Panathinaikos‘ chances for the top-4 and the home court advantage.
Eurohoops, remembers the three games the two teams have played in EuroLeague’s modern regular season.
2016-2017 (Round 8): Panathinaikos Superfoods – Olympiacos Piraeus
Final Score: 77-79
Date: November 18, 2016
Back in November of 2016, Olympiacos got the close 77-79 victory over Panathinaikos in a packed OAKA. The home side was up by one point (77-76) but Vasilis Spanoulis assisted Georgios Printezis who scored an ‘and one’ lay-up and Olympiacos went up ahead by two points (77-79). On the final possession, Antonis Fotsis had a chance to win the game but eventually fell short as Kostas Papanikolaou played tough defense.
It was all about the Spanoulis-Printezis connection. Spanoulis had a great game as he finished with 22 points, 8 assists and the most crucial pass of the night to Printezis. ‘Pri’ added 16 points (6/8 2FG). From the Greens, Nick Calathes led the way with his 16 points and 9 assists, while Singleton (14p./9r.), Fotsis (13p./8r.) added scoring and rebounding.
Panathinaikos was playing without James Gist and Mike James.
Sit back and enjoy the highlight plays of the best Greek derby in EuroLeague’s regular season.
2016-2017 (Round 16) Olympiacos Piraeus – Panathinaikos Superfoods
Final Score: 77-69
Date: January 6, 2017
After winning in OAKA, with Printezis’ game-winner for EuroLeague’s 2016-2017 season, Olympiacos defeated Panathinaikos at home in a high tense game. In what was a well-played team game, that involved almost every player, Sfairopoulos’ team improved to 11-5 in the season while Panathinaikos slipped to 9-7. The story of this game was Ioannis Papapetrou and his great fourth quarter. Olympiacos‘ small forward scored two three-pointers in the fourth period to put Olympiacos up by nine points (73-64). He finished the game with 13 points, while ‘Kill Bill’ added 12 points and 7 assists.
On the other hand, Mike James (24 pts) and KC Rivers (23 pts) combined for 40 of Panathinaikos’s 50 points through three quarters.
Enjoy the best highlight plays of Olympiacos’ triumph.
2017-2018 (Round 6): Olympiacos Piraeus – Panathinaikos Superfoods
Final Score: 62-70
Date: November 10, 2017
Earlier this season, Panathinaikos defeated Olympiacos on the road, in Piraeus in what was a great defensive night for coach Pascual. Olympiacos had a tough shooting night, shooting just 6/23 from behind the arc. Led by James Gist (15p, 6r.), KC Rivers (12 pts) who loves playing against Panathinaikos’ rival and Lukas Lekavicius (14 pts), the six-time EuroLeague champs improved to a 4-2 record at the time.
The game was competitive in the first half but in the beginning of the fourth quarter, Kenny Gabriel and Rivers scored some important shots to put PAO up by seven points (51-58). Ioannis Papapetrou tried to spark a red and white comeback but Lojeski’s and Lekavicius’ shots increased this lead to 12 points (54-66) with three minutes on the clock. The game was eventually over.
Remember Lukas Lekavicius’ memorable night in Piraeus and Kenny Gabriel’s dunk of the night.
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