Group A, AEK Athens (6-7): Katsikaris’ squad would reach the 2^nd round winning at Belgrade against Partizan in the hell of Pionir, ending the regular season at the 4^th place. Losing in Serbia, AEK could qualify itself to the top-16, but Byzantines should watch at other courts; these are the possibilities:

1. Three-way tie, 6-8, for AEK, Partizan, Olimpija, but Partizan beats AEK by more than 17 points: Partizan 5^th, AEK 6^th (and virtually eliminated);
2. Three-way tie, 6-8, for AEK, Partizan, Olimpija, but Partizan doesn’t beat AEK by more than 17 points: AEK 5^th, qualified; 
3. Four-way tie, 6-8, for AEK, Partizan, Olimpija, PAU: in the tie AEK and Pau would be 3-3, but AEK is 1-1 with –2 in the particular. PAU 5^th, AEK 6^th and virtually eliminated;
4. Four-way tie, 6-8, for AEK, Partizan, Olimpija, PAU: the same of the case 3;
5. Two-way tie, 6-8, AEK, Partizan tied 6-8: AEK qualified, losing by less than 2 against Partizan the Athenian team is 4^th. Otherwise is 5^th; 
6. Three-way tie, 6-8, for PAU, Partizan, AEK all 6-8 record: AEK qualified (3-3 in the tie) and 5^th in the group;

 

Group B, Panathinaikos (6-7): The Greens lost a great occasion in Spain against Scariolo’s Unicaja to be already qualified: winning at Malaga, Panathinaikos would have been able to reach the 3^rd place, now the Obradovic’s squad must beat at home Krka Novo Mesto: Panathinaikos would be at least 5^th (and qualified) in the group. Losing against the Slovenians, Panathinaikos would be:

1. 5^th if CSKA Moscow will defeat Zalgiris at Kaunas
2. 6^th is Zalgiris Kaunas will defeat CSKA Moscow 

By beating Krka, Panathinaikos could be 3^rd in a three-way tie with Montepaschi and Skipper, 4^th in a two-way tie with Montepaschi Siena.

 

Group C: Olympiakos Piraeus (6-7): Olympiakos can be 5^th or 6^th. Winning at Berlin against Alba the Sakota’s team would finish the regular season at the 5^th place (1-1 and +4 in the tie against Slask Wroclaw); Losing in Germany, Olympiakos would be 5^th if Slask will be defeated at home by Benetton Treviso, 6^th if Slask will beat the Italian champs.

 

It's easy, yet difficult. Panathinaikos faces at the Sporting Arena the team with the worst record of the whole Euroleague (2-11, the same of ASVEL Villeurbanne): on paper an easy game, but the forward Alvertis and company will find the worst pressure. A team which has nothing to lose, a weakest team which won’t like to say farewell to the current Euroleague with another defeat. Krka on the road is 0-6 in the competition, the results don’t betray: 35-89 at Moscow, 75-98 at Kaunas, 58-98 at Tel Aviv, 55-82 at Siena. Panathinaikos can’t find any excuse, the Greens have to avoid Krka to trust in this game, keeping a large margin since the beginning. Without forgetting to play basketball, as happened one week ago at Malaga.

 

Olympiakos can’t miss this game. Olympiakos can’t watch at what will happen in Wroclaw: 6^th place couldn’t be enough for the Reds. Alba Berlin hasn’t anymore the possibilities to advance to the top-16, but like Krka Novo Mesto will try its best to leave a last gift to the German fans: the standing is unfair for Alba, which has recently destroyed the Group C leading team Efes Pilsen with a strong 77-61. The players are old foxes of the European basketball, the best scorer has a good acknowledge of the Greek league and Olympiakos having played for Aris Thessaloniki and KAO Drama (getting the Hellenic citizenship too, with the name “Stergiou”). No mistakes are allowed, Olympiakos is technically stronger than Alba Berlin: now it’s time to show the Legend is stronger in mentality too. For Coach Dragan Sakota’s band, it’s the moment of the truth.

 

AEK will live 40 minutes of passion at the hot Pionir of Belgrade: the Byzantines have in the last seven match-days a 5-2 record, one of the best in the whole Euroleague, but this is not enough: trusting in external results is too much ephemeral. Too many mistakes during the walk of AEK, the defeats at Lubijana, at Constantinople, at home against Cibona and Pau Orthez. All these games could have been won, AEK couldn’t win them: anyway, it’s not too late yet.

 

The strong character of AEK is well known. This is the best occasion to show it one more time…