Barcelona Dominates Panathinaikos (80-72) Despite Missing Key Players

JOS LUIS MARTNEZ

Updated 03/11/2023 – 22:23 CET

Bara Triumphs Over Panathinaikos with Convincing Victory

Baral put on a stellar performance against Panathinaikos (80-72), demonstrating their prowess despite the absence of two key players, Laprovittola and Jokubaitis. Oriol Paul (12+4) played a significant role in both directing and scoring, filling in for Satoransky, the team’s sole point guard. Additionally, Jabari Parker (17+4) showcased his offensive skills, delivering one of his best performances since joining the team.

Panathinaikos, who was also missing Sloukas, Papapetrou, Vildoza, and their recent signing Kendrick Nunn from the Miami Heat, displayed a deplorable performance. Their lack of defensive effort and individualistic play resulted in a disjointed team. Even Juancho Hernangmez (0 points) couldn’t escape the ghostly impression left by his team at the Palau.

Vesely and Satoransky led Bara to a strong start (15-9, min 6) against a struggling PAO team that struggled to score despite causing turnovers. However, Grant and the three-point shooting of Guy and Grigonis (21-20, min 10) kept PAO in the game. Oriol Paul replaced Satoransky and proved to be a successful substitution.

Oriol Paul Takes Control of the Game

The 2.01m tall guard from Girona surprised everyone by taking charge of the game from an unusual position for him. He scored eight points, and Parker followed suit with eight more. With 10 offensive rebounds, Bara dominated the first half (45-31, min 20). Meanwhile, Panathinaikos continued their disjointed play, further emphasizing the chaotic nature of their game.

The second half saw no change in the game dynamics. Barcelona, who struggled with three-pointers until then (2/12), found their rhythm and extended their lead with successful shots from Kalinic, Satoransky, and Brizuela (61-41, min 27). The advantage continued to grow, reaching 26 points (73-47, min 31), with Parker and Paul once again making significant contributions. Panathinaikos, on the other hand, surrendered miserably.

Strong Comeback Attempt by Panathinaikos

By this point, the rebounding difference was already staggering (31-14), clearly highlighting the lack of attitude and ambition from the Greek team. Even their coach, Ergin Ataman, seemed resigned to the team’s poor performance, showing no signs of anger. However, Panathinaikos managed to salvage the result in the final quarter with a 7-23 run (78-70) as Barcelona, with victory secured, eased off.