By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
Panathinaikos BC suffered one of the biggest collapses in recent EuroLeague playoff history, blowing a 2-0 series lead against Valencia Basket and missing out on the Final Four after a Game 5 loss at OAKA Arena.
After dropping both games in Athens following road wins in Valencia, Panathinaikos returned to Spain for the decisive fifth game, where Valencia completed the comeback and booked its Final Four ticket.
Following the defeat, Panathinaikos head coach Ergin Ataman congratulated Valencia, while also criticizing the officiating throughout the series.
“Congratulations to Valencia for the whole season. They played great basketball, and to change the series from 0-2 to 3-2 is very important. During the series, this is playoffs, sometimes we get nervous — my players, me, Valencia players, the coach… But finally, we must accept the loss, and for this I congratulate Valencia.”
The Turkish coach admitted his team played poorly in the opening half of Game 5.
“About the game, we played terrible in the first half. We missed everything. Even if we stopped Valencia and didn’t let them find regular fastbreak points, after the turnovers we made, we gave them chances to score in transition. In the second half, we had a chance to come back, but we missed two crucial layups under the basket, then we lost control and they won the game.”
Still, most of Ataman’s frustration centered around the free-throw disparity.
“When I checked the statistics, I saw that the two-point and three-point shots were similar. Valencia made nine three-pointers, we made 10. Valencia made 16 two-point shots, we made 14. There is a big balance there. But on the fouls, there is an incredible imbalance. Valencia shot 29 free throws and we only shot eight. The same happened in Game 4. No other comment for this, but this is very strange. Valencia played aggressive basketball and we only shot eight free throws.”
Ataman specifically pointed to Kendrick Nunn, who once again did not attempt a single free throw.
“This is the third game in a row that the second-best scorer in the EuroLeague, Kendrick Nunn, didn’t shoot any free throws. He didn’t have a chance to shoot any free throws.”
When asked whether Nunn’s foul trouble affected his aggressiveness offensively, Ataman answered:
“If he doesn’t receive the fouls he is waiting for during the game, players like Nunn get nervous during the game.”
The Panathinaikos coach then praised Valencia’s style of play, while again referencing the officiating standards.
“The first two games were one-point games, close games, until tonight when Valencia kept the difference for longer. But in the previous four games it was close. Valencia played very good basketball, team basketball, excellent defense, aggressive defense, and I think also the referees like this kind of basketball. If the officiating criteria will be the same in the Final Four, Valencia will be the champions of the EuroLeague. If it’s the same, Valencia can win the EuroLeague easily.”
At the end of the press conference, Ataman was asked about his earlier statement that he would leave the club if Panathinaikos failed to win either the EuroLeague or the Greek League, despite still having another year on his contract.
The veteran coach stood up and abruptly ended the media session.
“Thank you very much for the press conference. Goodbye.”