By Alex Molina / info@eurohoops.net
Barça and Panathinaikos faced off in one of those games that feel almost like a final, but the clash at the Palau Blaugrana had a very clear dominant side.
A Greek victory over the Blaugrana by 79-93 leaves Ataman’s team with a 21–15 record. Barça, meanwhile, drops to 20–16, far from the positions that would allow them to avoid the play-in.
Cedi Osman (21 points) was the game’s top scorer, well supported by Juancho Hernangómez (12 pts) and the duo of Nigel Hayes-Davis and Kendrick Nunn, with 14 points each. Miles Norris delivered one of his best performances to lead Barça in scoring with 15 points.
Despite the big-game atmosphere at the Palau Blaugrana, with Barça fans aware of the importance of the occasion, the home side never had control of the game.
The absence of Tomas Satoransky proved too heavy a blow for Barça, who saw the first quarter end at 23–27 scoreline that was actually flattering given how the opening ten minutes unfolded.
With a spectacular Cedi Osman and contributions from Mathias Lessort and Juancho Hernangómez, the visitors’ lead reached double digits in the second quarter, heading into halftime at 38–55, a score that spoke for itself.
Nothing changed after the break: the game was played entirely on Panathinaikos’ terms. Despite a good start from the home side, the visitors’ lead kept growing, and only a strong showing from Miles Norris and occasional scoring from Kevin Punter prevented an even heavier defeat. Even so, some Barça fans began leaving their seats as early as the third quarter (46–77).
Starting the final quarter at 49–80 was all Panathinaikos needed to approach the last ten minutes with complete calm—an unexpected scenario that the Greeks took full advantage of to seal the win in the most comfortable way possible.