Panathinaikos Athens is 6th in the standings (9-6) after 15 games. Meanwhile, Real Madrid, with 12 wins and 3 losses, shares first place with Barcelona and Anadolu Efes. Panathinaikos has indeed started to play better with the return of Pitino at the helm, but the game still doesn't look so confident to take the team seriously. It was a struggle at home against Olympiacos, followed by a hard-fought defeat against Fenerbahce Ulker, who had absolutely no game, and finally a 9-point defeat against Tel Aviv Maccabi. In that game, Panathinaikos led by as many as 18 points at one point and had a 6-point lead in the 4th quarter, but let it all go.
Real Madrid are playing much more stable and their streak of 9 wins in a row speaks for itself. The last 5 games have been won by at least 9 points, and the last game was a 22-point away win over Baskonia. Real's streak of 9 consecutive wins includes 97-81 against CSKA Moscow, 104-76 against Khimki Moscow, 93-77 against Olympiacos etc.
Panathinaikos Athens
Panathinaikos Athens is one of the best home teams in the Euroleague, ranking 5th with 6 wins and 2 losses at home. The Athenians are much worse away from home, winning just 3 of the 7 meetings they have played.Just a few years ago, Greek teams were known for their slippery play and long, positional attacks. This season, both Olympiacos and Panathinaikos Athens have started to adapt more and more to modern basketball trends and have significantly increased the number of three-pointers they shoot and the pace of the game. The high pace of the game and the high number of three-pointers made are the main reasons why Athens Panathinaikos scored at least 78 points at home in all the meetings played this season and lost the game against Emporio Armani by 78-79. Panathinaikos has extended its bench considerably this season, where we can see T. Rice, G. Papagianis, W. Johnson, etc. It's a pity, but it seems that Jimmer Fredette, who has been in good form lately, won't be able to help the team in this match.
Leaders of Athens Panathinaikos:
Nick Calathes - 13.5 pts, 8.7 res. passes and 5.1 rebounds Calathes is one of the most versatile defenders in Europe, earning his name as both a great floor general and a team leader. The Greek, who has been pushing Panathinaikos forward for a number of years, has not slowed down this season. However, even though the stats look very good, Calathes' shooting is still stagnant: three-pointers are made with 31% accuracy and free throws are made with 51% accuracy.
Deshaun Thomas - 14.6 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.2 assists Thomas has become a somewhat unexpected X-factor in a strong Panathinaikos team this season. The strong midfielder who was a forward before this season has shown his brightest colours and is now one of the team's leaders, with a great long-range attacking ability and the ability to take the initiative at the right moment.
Jimmer Fredette - 14 points, 1.9 rebounds 2.3 res. pass. These are the stats that the former NBA player was collecting before this game. In fact, the American, who has been in great form in recent weeks, was one of the key players who led Panathinaikos to victory, but he will not be able to help the team in this game due to injury.
TOP Bookmakers for Euroleague betting
Real Madrid
Real Madrid, after a dismal start to the season, is now on a 9-game winning streak and is looking very solid indeed after keeping the core of the team. Like Panathinaikos, Real Madrid is playing worse away than at home. However, after the first 3 away defeats, Real have improved a lot and their current winning streak has been boosted by 3 consecutive away victories by solid margins. In general, Real Madrid's core is one of the longest in Europe, so it's no wonder that the team is able to find a way to get out of tricky situations and dominate the match like no other. In the match against Panathinaikos Real, one of the team's key players, S. Lull, will be unavailable, while N. Laprovitola and J. Caroll will try to compensate for the loss by getting more minutes.
Real Madrid leaders:
Facundo Campazzo - 11.3 rpg, 6.6 rpg and 2.1 apg These are the stats of the Argentine, who was named one of the best players of the FIBA World Championship this season. And indeed, we can add to the solid stats he is collecting with some great show elements. In almost every game, Campazzo manages to impress with spectacular passes, shots or other memorable episodes, making him a favourite among basketball fans.
Anthony Randolph - 12.4 points, 4.2 rebounds The American, who won the European title with Slovenia, is one of the most important players on the team this year, just like last year. The high scorer, who has had injury problems for some time, is now able to play at full strength and contributes significantly to Real's success.
Walter Tavares - 5.7 points, 6.3 rebounds 6.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2 blocked shots per game. The point guard is not the most stable player on the team, but he can play well and dominate on the court against his opponents. Tavares' stats are not impressive, but the value he brings to the team is difficult to measure, as things like taking opponents out of the penalty box, etc. are not included in the statistical categories.
Forecast
This match will undoubtedly be one of the most intense encounters of this phase. Panathinaikos Athens is playing well at home, but Real Madrid's form and composure is second to none. With Jimmer Fredette, one of the team's most important players, out of action in this match, Real will gain even more advantages. It is likely to be a tough battle, but with the current odds of 1.95 for Real Madrid, which is far too high for a potentially strong and impressive team, regardless of the field on which the teams play.
Real Madrid to win, 1,95 kof. betsafe
More sport analyses click here.
EN 
LT 
DE 
FR 
SV 
ES 
IT 
FI 
LV 
SK 
SL 
TR