Panathinaikos and Barcelona share a rich history that has seen them meet at three Final Fours – including the 1996 title game, the first in the Greens' history – and more recently at the 2011 and 2013 Euroleague playoffs. Barcelona has won its last seven games against Panathinaikos and 21 of the 33 meetings between the clubs, though the Greens took their first Euroleague title at Barcelona’s expense.
The teams enter the game tied for third place in Group E and the losing team will find itself only one result from falling to fifth place. The hosts’ first order of business must be slowing down Barcelona’s in-form frontcourt led by All-Euroleague center Ante Tomic and power forward Justin Doellman.
Esteban Batista and newcomer Gani Lawal will have the challenge of guarding Tomic, while James Gist and Antonis Fotsis will target Doellman. Marcelinho Huertas and Tomas Satoransky will run the visitors attack against Panathinaikos star Dimitris Diamantidis.
On the wings the Greens will send A.J. Slaughter, Vlado Giankovits and Nikos Pappas against a deep Barcelona rotation headed by Juan Carlos Navarro, Brad Oleson and De Shaun Thomas. When these teams meet, the outcome is always equal to the elevated anticipation.
Coach Dusko Ivanovic has used 11 different starters and 16 different players in Euroleague games this season. No player has started every game and only Janis Blums and James Gist have appeared in every game.
Ivanovic coached FC Barcelona for two and a half seasons from 2005 through February 2008. He led the team to the 2006 Euroleague Final Four and the 2007 Cope del Rey. Only current Barcelona head coach Xavi Pascual, who was Ivanovic’s assistant, and Juan Carlos Navarro remain from Ivanovic’s time there.
Panathinaikos head coach Dusko Ivanovic said: "It is going to be a big game. We are facing a great team, in my opinion one of the favorites to qualify to the Final Four. We will play against them for the fourth time this season and unfortunately we have lost the previous three. So, we have to take lessons from the previous games, to play better and win. I think that we can beat them, considering that our fans will support us."
Barcelona head coach Xavi Pasqual acknowledged the game's hardships for his side: "Panathinaikos is a very difficult opponent, with experience and quality. At home they only lost once during all season and it was against us. But we must remain focused because this game is very important for our future in the competition."
The game starts at 9.45 pm and is transmitted live via state-owned NERIT TV in HD.
Source: Euroleague
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