Ergin Ataman explains poor Panathinaikos free throw shooting / News - Basketnews.com

Panathinaikos secured a second consecutive EuroLeague win by defeating Zalgiris 73-71, overcoming free throw struggles attributed to player pressure, according to coach Ergin Ataman.

Credit: Vangelis Stolis Credit Vangelis Stolis

Panathinaikos Athens showcased the potential for a promising turnaround after their convincing victory in Berlin last week, as they faced off against struggling Zalgiris Kaunas at OAKA.

Player of the Game EFF 23 Konstantinos Mitoglou Points 19 Accuracy 7-10 Rebounds 6 Assists 2

The home team secured their second consecutive win, defeating the visitors 73-71, although the triumph was not without its challenges.

Despite the positive outcome, PAO struggled with free throws throughout the game, finishing with a subpar 58.1% success rate (18/31). They even had a better two-point percentage, making 17 twos in 29 attempts (58.6%).

Coach Ergin Ataman addressed the odd statistics after the game, attributing the free throw struggles to the pressure felt by the players.

"I think so. Because last week in Berlin, we shot 90% [82.4%, 14/17] on free throws. This is our court. Every day we practice here, we do free-throw practice, but it's a new team, and many players play their first season in the OAKA Arena in this great atmosphere, and maybe they have this pressure," Ataman said.

"Also, when you miss these [first] free throws, your morale goes down, and this is also critical," he added. "Okay, tonight we scored 73 points and missed 13 free throws. If you miss just 5 free throws, you can make it 80 points."

With this victory over Zalgiris, Panathinaikos improved their EuroLeague record to 4-4. Looking ahead, they are set to host Virtus Segafredo Bologna on Friday at 20:15 CET.

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