Maccabi seduced Panathinaikos AKTOR, Ataman reads the reasons

Not that he didn’t know, Panathinaikos AKTOR did. And yet. He saw Maccabi get 15 offensive rebounds from him, take the game to 91 points and – obviously – win it. The “greens” trapped themselves by the 11/11 two-pointers and 8/16 three-pointers, written by their (terrible) statistics in the first half, they went to win only from the attack, while it was clear that when… they played (and) defense they had the first say.

But without pressure, with Maccabi finishing the match with only 6 mistakes, the Israeli double looked logical in the end, with the audience freezing, the team leaving numb, but the streak not yet over. Ataman has outdone himself by now trumpeting the counter-attack for Thursday’s match, however, he risks getting disoriented first of all if he doesn’t read – along with his partners – how his team lost the match.

Of course, it wasn’t the two or three whistles he invoked, or the misfires – which Panathinaikos AKTOR generally has anyway, with Maccabi even following it. Nor is it the matter of forwards failing, as he said in one of his aversions.

Obviously, all these details counted for the Israelis to make it 0-1, however, if one studies the match calmly, one will agree that:

• From the beginning, Maccabi took the match to its pace and pace (with the exception of the second quarter), increasing the number of attacks, that is, playing the (attacking) game it likes. Panathinaikos followed and in a moment, thanks to his great accuracy in the first half, fell into the visitors’ trap. Still, even when the “greens” shot 19/27 shots in the first half, the score was only at +8, proof that Maccabi when things would be balanced, the match would change…protagonist.
• Panathinaikos was not consistent in the defensive attitude it showed in the second period when it pushed Maccabi into two or three mistakes that gave it balls and the comfort to open the scoring. He had, of course, found two important solutions from the bench, with Hernangomet solving the problem of rebounds and Vildosa shooting three accurate three-pointers. In the third period, it was Kalaitzakis and Antetokounmpo who tried with two blocks to trouble Maccabi, they did, but for a very short time.
• It was Maccabi who pressed the ball and not Panathinaikos AKTOR. The Israelis got 19 points from the mistakes of their opponents, with the corresponding figure for PAO being just eight.
• Ataman aimed correctly in the second half, feeding the ball to Lessor, knowing the problem of the Israeli defense in the post-up. Panathinaikos, however, lacked the alternative plan because all attacks outside of the paint found iron. In the last phase, where Slukas made his only mistake, there wasn’t even a shot because the ball went into the hands of Lorenzo Brown.
• What coach Turkos did not do was to pressure the two guards who move the strings in Maccabi’s perimeter (Brown and Baldwin). But in order to do something like this, Lessor would have to participate as well, who thus risked extra wear and tear. Don’t forget the Frenchman played 34 minutes again and should be fresh for the second battle ahead…
• Maccabi’s bench players along with Colson, who remains a very difficult problem for the Panathinaikos defense (in the first half he posted the short ones, in the second half he dragged the tall ones to shoot three-pointers) made the difference in the case of toughness as well. With Cleveland, Webb and Rivero, Maccabi played and … wood, but did not lose its touch with the score. On the contrary.

In short, Maccabi – even when they were behind in the score – knew that they were essentially playing their game. At the end of the match, Katas read the numbers and knew why he had won: 14 more attacks, 15 offensive rebounds and only 6 mistakes.

Tougher, more determined

The series continues in OAKA, with the second match coming in less than 48 hours. That’s how the playoffs are, you can’t rest, you do an analysis, you note the mistakes and get into the jam for the next match. The personalities of each team also play a role, Panathinaikos AKTOR has a bunch of them, who must come forward to lead their team, first of all, to the draw.

The “greens” must become tougher and much more decisive. You would have expected two or three big shots yesterday. It was narrowly missed by Grant who headed home from the corner. Perhaps because with the exception of the first quarter, Kendrick Nunn was trapped either in Maccabi’s defenses, or in his own excessive desire to score. Among other things, the American top scorer quickly got confused with the fouls he committed and essentially went out of rhythm and out of the game…

But that’s how the playoffs are. The regular season is one thing and now, when the teams are giving their all, is another. Yes, 0-1 gives a comfort to Maccabi, let’s say to Baldwin’s management – if the American’s injury turns out to be serious – nothing has been decided, however. Panathinaikos AKTOR can respond immediately, return to victories and travel to Belgrade to make the break there, in empty stands.

Ataman promised to qualify for sure, otherwise he will …. leave. After all, out of everyone in the PAO camp, the Turkish coach knows the specifics of the playoffs and the Final Four best. Mind games are his specialty, but we said that if he doesn’t read how his team was defeated, he’ll only be left with words.

And Maccabi, as it showed inside the packed OAKA, is not kidding. Between us, anyway, the coach of Panathinaikos has already started the reading…