Wobbly Panathinaikos doing battle with time and intimidating Olympiacos' defense / News - Basketnews.com

As Panathinaikos and Olympiacos lock horns for the second time this season, BasketNews explores both teams' strengths and weaknesses. How can the Greens counterbalance the Reds' long-standing superiority?

Credit: Vangelis Stolis Credit Vangelis Stolis

When Giannoulis Larentzakis hit his third straight 3-point shot in the Greek Super Cup final in Rhodes last Saturday, Panagiotis Angelopoulos was flabbergasted.

The co-owner of Olympiacos Piraeus couldn't quite realize how his team was leading the first derby of the season against Panathinaikos Athens by a margin of 28 points and almost three minutes to play in the first half.

Turning to his brother Giorgos, who was absolutely serene in a striking contrast, he made a grimace of sheer disbelief as if trying to process what was transpiring before his eyes.

He then took out his cell phone and made a picture of the scoreboard that read 32-4. Luckily for everyone, those reactions were captured on camera by Greece's national broadcaster (ERT), which had the rights to the tournament.

What we witnessed in Rhodes was the ultimate display of power from last year's EuroLeague finalists. The crowd wasn't as nearly as big or loud as it would have been if the outing had taken place at the Peace and Friendship Stadium, but fans were experiencing something they couldn't imagine in their wildest dreams.

It was an unprecedented defensive clinic by Olympiacos, who left their main rivals scoreless for 14 minutes and 20 seconds while forcing them to an all-time low 11 points in the first half.

Overall, Panathinaikos spent 17 minutes without scoring a single field goal, suffering a 0-27 run, the biggest ever recorded in games between the two powerhouses.

Τhe Greens closed the first 20 minutes going 3/25 from the field and 0/13 from distance, dishing out 0 assists and making 10 turnovers. They wasted 25 possessions (17 missed shots and eight turnovers) while Olympiacos were on a scoring spree.

The score at half-time was 37-11. Game over. No matter how much Panathinaikos improved offensively in the second half, there was no way that contest could have had a different outcome.

The final score was 75-51, and Olympiacos celebrated their seventh straight domestic title since February 2022. They also prolonged an incredible record of 17 wins and only one loss in the last 18 derbies.

Even though a title was at stake, that was not the end of the season, but just the beginning of it. The two squads will face off this Friday at the slightly renovated OAKA arena and again on October 30 in Piraeus for the Greek league regular season.

On the eve of the EuroLeague opener, Dimitris Giannakopoulos went to OAKA, where he attended part of the Panathinaikos training session, spoke with Ergin Ataman, and addressed the team.

"I'm not capable of talking about basketball-related issues," PAO's owner said.

"What I can say is that when a new team like us has no chemistry and its players can't find each other on the court with their eyes closed, the only way to present the image that people want is to fight. We didn't fight as hard as we should have fought on Saturday," Giannakopoulos pointed out to the players.

"Whether we lose or win, what I want to see is us fighting for every ball and every possession. If fans see that we are fighting, they will be there for us all year."

Giannakopoulos seems to be right on that one. Panathinaikos didn't react when their rivals were dominating the game. But the question of whether the Greens have the tools to neutralize a well-oiled offensive machine and wreak havoc by using their star players remains.

Panathinaikos started the Super Cup Final very badly, with Ataman's team finding no way to break through Olympiacos' defense.

In a clash between two naturally aggressive teams who like to run in the open court, Olympiacos imposed their own rule, holding down Peristeri to 64 points in the semis and PAO to 51 in the title game.

In both games of the tournament, the defense determined not only the pace but also the game as a whole. Olympiacos did not let their opponents run in the open court, find situations in the transition game, and speed up the tempo.

Olympiacos showed their intentions early on, sending Thomas Walkup over Kostas Sloukas. Giorgos Bartzokas usually assigns Isaiah Canaan to a defensive-stopper role, with Walkup taking over the player who moves in off-ball situations because of his ability to break screens.

In Rhodes, the Texan guard tried to force Sloukas to go right. Every time the Greek international went the other way, Walkup stayed behind the screen, allowing either Nikola Milutinov or Moustapha Fall to stay in front of their opponent.

Bartzokas and his players know well what Sloukas likes to do on the court, as well as his way of thinking.

Olympiacos may have lost two important pieces in Sloukas and EuroLeague MVP Sasha Vezenkov, but the additions of Nigel Williams-Goss and Nikola Milutinov have added size and strength.

Mous Fall will be absent from the EuroLeague derby, however, his intimidating stature will always be a factor to be reckoned with. The only question mark for the Reds is hanging over newcomer Giorgos Tanoulis, who will inevitably take minutes in EuroLeague games as the Reds' fifth big man.

Credit Vangelis Stolis

On offense, Bartzokas has admitted that Olympiacos will be less pick-and-roll heavy this season, which means less dribbling and probably more low-post game and paint touches since Luke Sikma has stepped in.

Vezenkov's scoring prowess will be missed, and it remains to be seen what role Ignas Brazdeikis will be assigned in his new team.

With a few exceptions, Olympiacos have kept their core of players and showed in Rhodes that they have a way to take advantage of their opponents' mistakes. Whenever PAO attempted to attack without the minimum offensive balance, Olympiacos ran the court and scored with a layup or an open 3-pointer.

Olympiacos won the first title of the season, gained momentum, and boosted their morale ahead of the next derby in OAKA. The chemistry and consistency of the Reds can keep them at a high level for one more season.

It is clear that they're still a far cry from last year's team that made heads turn with their constant ball movement. But the main principles (passing game, cuts) are there, even though the squad seemingly lacks a go-to guy who will make the difference at crunch time.

On the other hand, Panathinaikos fans expected their team to flip the script early and make a statement. Ergin Ataman's flamboyant style and audacious quotes will keep the media busy all year long, but that's hardly what the Greens need at the moment.

Panathinaikos have several plays with off-ball screens, but the cornerstone of their game is the pick-and-roll set up by Sloukas and Luca Vildoza and with the aid of their big men (Mathias Lessort, Olek Balcerowski, Kostas Antetokounmpo).

Since the very beginning and PAO's friendly games, Sloukas has been both a starter and a closer. He's the best-paid player on the roster, and Ataman relies heavily on the veteran point guard.

Since Olympiacos managed to contain or take Sloukas out of the game, Panathinaikos had to find an alternative way of action or another point of reference. Against Olympiacos' post up big men, the six-time EuroLeague champs can deploy Lessort's grit and tenacity.

Credit Vangelis Stolis

However, Balcerowski has been a below-average rebounder for the better part of his career, and Antetokounmpo has only had a handful of good games without ever living up to the hype. Faced with Olympiacos' big bodies and their centers' imposing figures, Panathinaikos will need to find a way to match size with physicality.

In this respect, the long absence of Dinos Mitoglou can be a game-changer. The Greek forward has the size and ability to play in both big men positions.

He can also pose a reliable outside threat, albeit not being a consistent shooter. Ataman is a coach who likes players who can shoot the ball from every position, which has been one of his priorities when it comes to building a roster.

Credit Vangelis Stolis

Panathinaikos has some plays for Kyle Guy (the team's only pure shooter) and Juancho Hernangomez while relying on the ability of their guards to get their teammates involved through spot up shots.

On the rear end, Jerian Grant has been the most consistent defender and will balance out Ataman's schemes, especially against tough teams like Olympiacos.

Panathinaikos' many new entries render the Greens vulnerable at the start of the season against teams with greater levels of cohesion.

Even though this year's team was built to overcome setbacks like the injuries of Ioannis Papapetrou and Dinos Mitoglou, it's still tough to measure up against players who know well the ins and outs of the Greek derby games.

Kyle Guy made his European debut last year, Juancho had been barely active in his two last NBA seasons, while Balcerowski and Grant will need to prove that they belong in the top level after playing against each other in last year's EuroCup final.

The Super Cup final left everyone -- the Angelopoulos bros included -- with an aftertaste of Olympiacos' domination. It's very rare to see a derby game be decided in the first quarter. But no matter how absurd or unnatural that huge margin may seem, it reflects the two teams' level of readiness.

Some might recall how Ataman and Efes overcame a 40-point blowout to Fenerbahce in the Turkish playoffs to turn the series around and win the title. Nevertheless, Efes was a team that used to operate on certain principles for years, at least since 2018.

Now, Ataman needs to instill those principles and lay down the foundations in a different environment without having time on his side. Three derbies in less than one month are far more than any newly arrived coach can handle.

In their race against time, Panathinaikos can rely on the presence of experienced players like Sloukas and Vildoza, their fans' positive reaction right after the debacle in Rhodes, and the willingness of Giannakopoulos to support his big investment.

Last year, PAO didn't find a way to record wins in meaningful or deciding games against Olympiacos. They still lag far behind in rotations, overlaps, and switches, leaving many shots uncontested.

There has been an undue amount of pressure put on the team for the EuroLeague Final Four and the domestic trophies, even before all the players showed up on the court.

Panathinaikos' offense will work sooner or later, but the Greens might need to resort to more additions to take down an opponent as strong as Olympiacos.

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