Panathinaikos AKTOR – Maccabi: The rhapsody of Sloukas, the +19 of the five that brought ups and downs and the key role of Papapetros

THE Panathinaikos AKTOR performed dominantly in Game 2 of the series with Maccabi, won 95-79 and tied the serieswhich is now being transferred to Belgrade.

The SPORT24 analyzes with the help of Hudl Instat the victory of the “greens”.

Sluka’s recital in Pick and Roll mode

Panathinaikos AKTOR started the game sluggishly, let Maccabi feel comfortable, take the lead. But all this was true until Kostas Slukas stepped onto the floor. The leader of the “greens” made a magical appearance (29 points and 6 assists, which gave another 13 points to his team), giving the signal early on.

*The correct shots are marked with a circle, the missed shots with an “x”.

Slukas immediately adapted to Maccabi’s defense. He intended to perform and he did. It didn’t matter how the Israelis branded him. If Slukas saw that Maccabi marked him Flat (giving him the shot), he shot. If he saw that he was going to Hedge Out (dynamic marking of the tall) he went backwards off the screen (did it three times). If Maccabi played him “ICE” at 45 degrees (sending him to the right) he would either take the shot or go for the drive. Here’s an example:

Slukas plays Pick and Roll with Antetokounmpo, with Blatt tagging him with “ICE” blocking the center lane to send him to the right.

Slukas takes the screen and sees that Rivero is a little behind, playing Flat

Slukas hits a three-pointer.

Sloukas looked over the moon. He read everything the opposing defense gave him. In a corresponding way, he has fed his teammates, controlling the tempo of the match.

The dynamite five, the pivotal Papapetrou and the +29 of the trio that sealed the match

Panathinaikos AKTOR’s legendary second quarter – where he ran individual scores of 31-11, including a 14-0 run – set the stage for the “green” victory. It was the period in which Ergin Ataman entrusted a size five (which he also started in the 3rd period), which shook Maccabi’s distances in the air in defense and exposed them in attack, thanks to the estrus of Sluka.

Ioannis Papapetrou was pivotal in this period (15 points with 4/7 three-pointers), mainly for his role in defense. With Maccabi opting to lower the formation – switching to the tall positions of Colson and Rivero, as in Game 1 when he took the game – Ergin Ataman chose to do a little trick:

He threw Papapetrou on Colson to keep him from posting up (as he does on shorter players) or attacking him one-on-one (as he did on Mitoglou in Game 1) and Mitoglou on – poor shooter – Cleveland, commanding him to close in on the racket, ignoring the American. This was to shut down the Macabre offense for a long time. Here’s an example:

Brown plays Pick and Roll with Rivero, with Mitoglou already at the painter’s height, ready to lend a hand.

Brown passes to Rivero, with Papapetrou and Mitoglou closing in on him, conspicuously ignoring Cleveland.

Cleveland misses a 3-pointer.

The five of the “greens” who increased the difference between the second and third periods made the difference. But in reality it was the trio of Sloukas, Papapetrou and Lessor who dominated. According to Hudl Instat, the four different fives that Panathinaikos AKTOR lined up with these three on the floor produced a total of +29! And Papapetrou was a member of all six quintets of the “greens” who had a positive sign in the +/- system.

He did the right thing, now he needs to get home advantage back

Panathinaikos AKTOR had no room to lose in Game 2. So he made sure to do what was needed to get the victory and bring the series to an even level. But now is the time for him to go to Belgrade and make at least one break. It won’t be easy, Maccabi are a tough team. But it is something he can do.

The personality of Sloukas, the rise of Papapetros at the right time and the intensity that Panathinaikos AKTOR brought out again in the defense were the encouraging elements of the match. Even more encouraging is that the “clover” closed his main wound: The points he gave from offensive rebounds, after he only conceded 2 in the entire match, and those on… fouls, in the last minute of the match, when everything was decided.

The series still has a way to go between the two teams. But Panathinaikos AKTOR has now found psychology. But he has to confirm this in Belgrade as well. He is two steps away from the Final Four.