Panathinaikos vs. Maccabi: Buckle up for the most exciting EuroLeague playoff series / News - Basketnews.com

As Panathinaikos and Maccabi prepare for battle, BasketNews presents some interesting aspects to look out for in the playoff matchup.

Credit: IMAGO/MN Press Photo Credit IMAGO/MN Press Photo

As early as next Tuesday,Panathinaikos AKTOR AthensandMaccabi Playtika Tel Avivwill engage in a playoff series that might turn out to be the most exciting this season has to offer.

After losing to Real Madrid and Monaco in the previous two years, the Yellows finally want to take the next step forward and return to the Final Four ten years after the previous time.

On the other hand, the Greens' last Final Four appearance came in 2012, when Zeljko Obradovic was still calling the plays.

Maccabi qualified for the Euroleague playoffs for the third time in a row after ahuge 113-85 victory over Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteizat Stark Arena in the battle for seventh place through the Play-in.

In contrast to their quarterfinal playoff opponent, Maccabi slightly slowed down in the second part of the regular campaign and ultimately fell short of 20 wins for a direct playoff spot. Fenerbahce took the sixth place from the Israelis due to the head-to-head matches.

By comparison, the Greek club underwent an extensive makeover last summer and finished the regular season with a 13-11 record, jumping 15 places from last season.

For several years, Panathinaikos had been performing sub-par, considering the expectations and tradition surrounding the 6-time continental champs. The Greens from Athens had failed to reach the playoffs since the 2018-19 season, where they lost 3-0 to Real Madrid.

BasketNewspresents some interesting aspects to look out for in the PAO-Maccabi series.

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