The Final: Real Madrid - Panathinaikos

[Levenspiel]

Well, the title game. Who do you pick?

[turk-jugoslav]

Real at different level.

But one-game finals are open to any surprise.

[paspalj]

I hope that we'll be able to be way more physical than Oly because if Real starts the game like today, then there is no coming back.

I'm not sure that Sloukas will be able to contribute. I really hope he does but I believe that with a calf strain and traditionally longer times to get back to form after injuries it's not going to be the case.

Real has many bodies and the team chemistry to contain Nunn, he needs to keep the defense busy while being a good facilitator. He needs to understand (I mean, I bet he does, he's a professional) that it's not just an assist that can pick apart the defense, but the correct pass that will lead to a correct second pass that can make all the difference in breaking down a defensive tactic. I've seen him having issues against Fall so I want to see him being more decisive against a premier shot blocker like Tavares.

Speaking of decisiveness, there were times in today's game against Fener that were very reserved. Oly was the same against Real. I hope we can be confident and attack, attack, attack.

There are a lot of stuff that I have question marks about. How will Grigonis match up with Musa if needed? Will Grant/Nunn be able to slow down Campazzo? I wonder if we'll see any attempts to post him up to maybe try to pick up a couple of fouls. Does Mitoglou/Juancho match with Yabusele?

My first instinct is to say that Lessort won't be able to have a good game against Tavares. I expect him to have issues on both sides of the floor. BUT this man has proved me wrong many times this year so I won't make any bets on it.

All in all it's very exciting that we're playing for the cup again. Like a friend of mine told me before some college tournament final where we played last year's champs: "If you want to be the king in the jungle, you have to kill the lion".

[janketa]

I like Pao roster very much, without a single clown in the team. But opponent is Real, not (wilbe)clown team like fener. Maybe Musa is closest to be called clown but he doesn't have such freedom like Saras gave to our clowns

Sloukas is always bad in F4 , he wasn't great tonight too and I think that Pao will need crazy night from Nunn 1st of all

Still 55:45 for Real imo, just because guy from my historic top10 Chacho will take clutch control But, my personal wish is Pao's win, because Victorius, Evergreen and Paspalj.
I hope you well give me back wish in 2 years from now

[paspalj]

But, my personal wish is Pao's win, because Victorius, Evergreen and Paspalj.

<3

Speaking of Chacho, I wonder what happened to the Chacho user here. He was a nice dude.

[janketa]

<3

Speaking of Chacho, I wonder what happened to the Chacho user here. He was a nice dude.

Yes he was always correct in comments, I hope he is ok somewhere

It's sad there is no Real fans here anymore

[saras]

it will not be as easy as against fener, but we will win this too. sloukas and nunn wont be that bad as they were today and PANATHINAIKOS in general played great defence but we wont be that bad offensively. for sure the game will be played above 80 points. we need to be prepared and react to real's theatrical plays if we found ourselves in front and the game looking to go our way. we have to be concentrated and play our usual game and we will end up winning the trophy. the arena will have much more fans in the final as well

[Killer Bob]

I don't know how Pao plays, but I know their roster. If they win, we're talking about similar upset like in 2012 Final, Oly:Cska.

Pao would need to have great shooting night and Real bad one. Maybe putting Tavares in foul troubles early could help. Oly was crushing boards in second half and was pretty successful. I believe Pao should play as aggressive as possible, especially against grandpapas.
Real plays important games always the same, they clogged the paint and dare you to beat them from 3. so you better hope that your worst shooter has a good game.

Real wins by 10.

[paspalj]

I don't know how Pao plays, but I know their roster. If they win, we're talking about similar upset like in 2012 Final, Oly:Cska.

Pao would need to have great shooting night and Real bad one. Maybe putting Tavares in foul troubles early could help. Oly was crushing boards in second half and was pretty successful. I believe Pao should play as aggressive as possible, especially against grandpapas.

Real wins by 10.

Yeah 100% agree with this. Like I wrote above, we can't afford to hesitate. We need to be determined and physical at both ends of the floor.

[Killer Bob]

Yeah 100% agree with this. Like I wrote above, we can't afford to hesitate. We need to be determined and physical at both ends of the floor.

Problem with playing against Real is they can beat you by multiple ways and with multiple players and they can be beaten only by shooting and hitting a lot of 3s. Looking at Pao roster, they have at least on paper solid shooters, so I guess there's a chance.

[paspalj]

Problem with playing against Real is they can beat you by multiple ways and with multiple players and they can be beaten only by shooting and hitting a lot of 3s.

That part I kinda disagree with. I don't think it's the only way. I for sure agree that they are a better team and they have multiple ways to score but living (and dying) by the 3 is a crapshoot that I don't want to see my team taking.

I analyzed above some potential points that could turn the game towards our favor, you seem to not agree, that's ok. I think that if Pao is having a slightly good day, they have the talent to match Real if they are having a slightly off day.

[Killer Bob]

That part I kinda disagree with. I don't think it's the only way. I for sure agree that they are a better team and they have multiple ways to score but living (and dying) by the 3 is a crapshoot that I don't want to see my team taking.

I analyzed above some potential points that could turn the game towards our favor, you seem to not agree, that's ok. I think that if Pao is having a slightly good day, they have the talent to match Real if they are having a slightly off day.

Real will be camping Tavares in the paint no matter what and they will be closing in with others too. Did you see how they defended some of Oly players yesterday? They just left them open. I don't know, if Pao has midrange shooters or not. If you have there's an option, but I would bet that Pao shoots a lot of 3s.

[saras]

PANATHINAIKOS has the best mid range shooter in euroleague (nunn) and some of the best as well (grant,grigonis,sloukas). and ataman has many plays for mid range shots (mitoglou also shoots from 5 meters often). the key is to keep low mussa and hezonja. if that happens, then real cant go above 85 points, which will be the key. PANATHINAIKOS is probably the only team that has the talent to follow real in high scores. tavares will stay in the paint, but
1. nunn showed in both games that he doesnt even care, he will attack the basket anyway
2. sloukas is not walkup to let him unguarded 4 meters. tavares will have to go to the perimeter when lessort plays pick n roll with lessort. or sloukas will shoot unguarded shots. lessort is the best screener in the league
3. mitoglou playing as a center is what ataman does with fall and milutinov when playing against loserbiakos and in those games mitoglou is the best player of PANATHINAIKOS. If he scores the 3 pointers he will take, then tavares will have to follow far away from the basket
4. roster is full of players with mid range shooting ability, especially the ball handlers, so tavares will have to come out or let mid range shots


so tavares is obviously a cheat, but PANATHINAIKOS has all the tools needed to take him out. and if poirier comes in, then its party time for lessort. PANATHINAIKOS has the firepower in the backcourt to play real, something loserbiakos doesnt have. walkup is just an overrated facilator and non factor offensively and their centers are just mediocre even if they said that they have the best duo in the league (fall cant even rebound or post even though he is 2.20, milutinov is only good at rebounding and pick n roll but you cant play pick n roll if they let your guard unguarded for 4 meters)


so 60-40 for PANATHINAIKOS

[janketa]

I voted for real, but on 2nd thought, if there is a team close to beat Real in Big game that is Pao. I mean all puzzles are there, all positions well covered, coach who won already this type of games, practically homecourt for Pao and last but not unimportant in close game it's hard to expect Real winning the same way twice in a row

On the other side Pao never lost final game and that will end some day but I am not sure it will be this time.

[Victorious]

I voted for real, but on 2nd thought, if there is a team close to beat Real in Big game that is Pao. I mean all puzzles are there, all positions well covered, coach who won already this type of games, practically homecourt for Pao and last but not unimportant in close game it's hard to expect Real winning the same way twice in a row

On the other side Pao never lost final game and that will end some day but I am not sure it will be this time.

Pao lost a final to Maccabi in 2001