Aiming for its third consecutive European victory, Panathinaikos faces Anadolu Efes at the Turkcell Basketball Development Center in Istanbul (Friday, Oct. 30, 7:30 p.m.), for the 9th round of the EuroLeague.
The “Greens,” with a 7-1 record, are looking for another important win following their victory over Armani in the first leg of “double-header week.”
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
In the Greek league, the “Clover’s” last game was a 78-64 win over Karditsa on Saturday (Oct. 24), which kept their perfect record at 4-0. Meanwhile, in the EuroLeague, Panathinaikos is coming off a hard-fought 80-75 victory over Armani Milan. The “Greens’” leading scorer and standout player was Kendrick Nunn, who scored 20 points, dished out 6 assists, and recorded 29 efficiency points, providing decisive plays down the stretch. Matías Lesor’s contribution was also invaluable, with 13 points and 11 rebounds.
Obradović, however, must now deal with two absences. Kostas Sloukas remained in Athens for management reasons following his recent return to action, while Nikos Rogavopoulos remains sidelined with an injury. At the same time, the Serbian coach warned that he expects a different, more aggressive Efes following its heavy defeat by Hapoel.
On the other hand, Pablo Laso’s Efes is coming off a crushing 118-88 loss to Hapoel Tel Aviv, a result that left them at 3-5 in the EuroLeague and highlighted their defensive weaknesses. In the Turkish league, they had previously secured a 93-77 victory over Korfez, on Sunday (10/25), which improved their record to 4-1, with Cameron Payne leading the scoring with 17 points.
The home team also has some significant absences, as Mike James, P.J. Dozier, and Isaiah Cordiniere remain sidelined. On the other hand, Giorgos Papagiannis is available again, having returned to action against the Israeli team.
*photo source: KYPE
