Adam Williams presents his prediction for the EuroLeague match.
Both southern clubs suffered defeats in the previous EuroLeague round, yet they differ significantly in other respects. Although a win is unlikely to propel the Israelis into playoff contention, it's still worth the effort.
Panathinaikos
Panathinaikos indeed suffered a setback in the eighth round of the EuroLeague. It was particularly painful as they lost at home to their arch-rivals Olympiacos (89:94). This was less than two weeks after they had outplayed Olympiacos (78:71) in the national championship. Panathinaikos is hard to stop: they are second in the EuroLeague in scoring with 86.3 points per game. In the match against the Texas Legends, Kendrick Nunn lived up to his role as the leader, scoring 20 points against an average of 16.8.
A positive piece of news before the encounter was shared by the head coach of Panathinaikos Ergin Ataman mentioned that he will rejoin the team on Tuesday after being hospitalised due to health issues during the latest Greek championship game against Peristeri (104:68).
Maccabi Tel Aviv
Currently, the only advantage Maccabi Tel Aviv have is offensive rebounding (12.5 per game, ranking 4th). However, they struggle to control their defensive glass—almost the worst in the league (16th) with 22.1 rebounds per game. After losing to Virtus in the EuroLeague (77:84), Maccabi also fell in the Israeli championship, for the first time this season, losing to Bnei Herzliya in overtime. This slip dropped them from the top spot to third.
Panathinaikos vs Maccabi Tel Aviv Prediction
Recollections naturally arise of their quarter-final series in last year's playoffs when eventual champions Panathinaikos overcame the Israelis 3:2. At home, they had both a resounding win (+16) and a loss (-4). However, that was playoff basketball, and Maccabi's current form is not impressive. The hosts are poised for a decisive win.
