Panathinaikos Secure Euroleague Playoff Home Court Advantage
EUROLEAGUE - REGULAR SEASON (ROUND 30)
| Maccabi Tel-Aviv | 61 - 81 | Panathinaikos |
|---|---|---|
| (26 - 20) (42 - 32) (54 - 63) (61 - 81) |
Panathinaikos secured home court advantage for the Euroleague playoffs after a second half push led them to a 61-81 victory over Maccabi Tel-Aviv.
Panathinaikos traveled to Israel to face off against Maccabi Tel-Aviv for the final matchday of the Euroleague regular season, knowing that a win would secure them home court advantage in the playoffs. On the other hand, Maccabi Tel-Aviv were only playing for pride as they did not qualify for the playoffs.
Panathinaikos got off to a rough start in the opening half, going 1/15 from behind the arch, while committing mistakes on both ends of the court. The first half saw Maccabi Tel-Aviv take a 10-point lead into the break, 42-32.
The Trifylli were a completely different team in the second half and quickly turned the game around from a 10-point deficit to a nine point lead (51-60). The six time Euroleague champions played exceptional defense, made big shots, and outscored their opponents 19-49 in the second half to come away with a victory over the Israeli side.
James was Panathinaikos’ leading scorer with 17 points and 7 assists while Calathes added 12 points. Singleton had a great all-round game with 13 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 steals.
The win secures Panathinaikos home court advantage in the Euroleague playoffs for the first time since 2012 and they will face Turkish giants Fenerbahce. Panathinaikos, who came away with big wins in the final stretch of the season, finished the regular season with a 19-11 record.
