Friday Frappé: Roles Reversed for Panathinaikos, Olympiacos
In this week’s edition of the Friday Frappé, AGONAsport’s Peter Katsiris takes a look at Panathinaikos’ struggles down the stretch and Olympiacos’ push to make the EuroLeague playoffs.
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With just about seven rounds of action left in the regular season, the push for the EuroLeague playoffs features five teams on 12 wins trying to chase down Khimki Moscow Region for the final playoff spot.
One of those teams is Olympiacos despite the club’s turbulent season that started with the sacking of David Blatt after an opening-round loss on the road against LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne. The Erythrolefki own a 12-15 record heading into Friday’s clash with league leaders Anadolu Efes and even with defeat will still have a strong chance of making the playoffs despite starting the season with a dismal 2-5 record.
Three wins out of four, including defeats of CSKA Moscow and archrivals and Panathinaikos, have seen Olympiacos propel back into the playoff conversation as Georgios Bartzokas has more than steadied the ship in Piraeus after a rocky start to the season and a boatload of injuries throughout the campaign.
Bartzokas’ return to Piraeus is all too reminiscent of what Rick Pitino managed after he was appointed Panathinaikos bench boss last season after he guided the Trifylli into the playoffs after a dreadful start to the season.
Of course, one of the reasons Panathinaikos did make the playoffs was because Olympiacos lost their grip on a playoff spot thanks to a disastrous run of form down the stretch.
It’s a stretch similar to the one Panathinaikos is experiencing at the moment after the Trifylli picked up their fourth-straight loss against CSKA Moscow on Thursday night. The Athenians are at risk of falling out of the playoffs altogether a la Olympiacos last season if things don’t turn around quickly at the OAKA Olympic Indoor Hall.
A crucial clash against Fenerbahce, one of the several sides on Panathinaikos’ heels, could go a long way in determining Panathinaikos’ fate as the EuroLeague season nears its climax.
