Real Madrid far too strong for the Greens
Panathinaikos tried to match Real Madrid in Spain on Monday but its host was a class apart and won easily 96-78 in the end, at a game played four days earlier for the Euroleague’s 26th round.
With its usual defense problems, Panathinaikos stayed in the game over the first half thanks to its excellent rate in triples that at one point got to 8/11 before ending at 10/24 that allowed it to trim the deficit of 14 points down to just three (58-55).
Real Madrid however has got such a deep roster and superb quality in its shooting guards and forwards that it was never really threatened by a team that lives and dies by its three-pointers.
Panathinaikos will need some key players such as Nick Calathes and Dinos Mitoglou to revert to the condition they were earlier in the season if it is to hold on to the sixth spot on the table and harbor some hopes for a place in the Final Four.
In this 12th defeat in 26 games for the Greens, Calathes made 13 points, while DeShaun Thomas, Ioanis Papapetrou and Jimmer Fredette had 11 points apiece.
On Thursday Olympiakos visits Maccabi Tel Aviv.
