Ataman Says Panathinaikos Must Sharpen Attack for Game 2 — Valencia Basket Vs Panathinaikos

Ergin Ataman said Panathinaikos must improve before valencia basket vs panathinaikos reaches Game 2, even after taking control early in Game 1. The Panathinaikos coach pointed to offensive mistakes later in the game and said the team has already reviewed them with staff as it tries to move closer to the Final Four at OAKA.

Ataman on Game 1

"Yesterday we started the game very well, taking control from the first quarter. However, in the remaining quarters, we made many mistakes on offense and gave Valencia easy points from quick shots. We risked losing the game. We analyzed our mistakes and reviewed the game with the rest of the staff."

He added that Panathinaikos handled the defensive side better than the box score suggested. "We saw that defensively we were very good; we didn’t allow Valencia to score on the fast break except after our own mistakes. We didn’t attack well, only occasionally when we shared the ball. But defensively, we played one of our best games this year. Tomorrow is a different game; yesterday neither team played well on offense, but defensively we were both good."

OAKA and the Final Four race

The series carries a direct reward: Panathinaikos will reach the Final Four if it wins its three remaining games. Ataman said the team is focused only on the players available, but he framed the margin for error plainly. "Panathinaikos will play in the Final Four if we win these three games, otherwise, we will be out."

That is why the details from Game 1 matter so much. Panathinaikos led by 8-10 points through much of the first half, then missed a shot in the final 30 seconds before Valencia cut the gap to 7 points. Ataman said the team had a chance to finish with more than 10 points of advantage, a cushion that would have changed the feel of the series before Game 2.

Sloukas and Giannakopoulos

Ataman also said Panathinaikos missed Kostas Sloukas, calling him the team captain and the player who normally settles the offense late. "Sloukas is the team captain, and we missed him a lot yesterday. In such games, especially in the last period, you give the ball to Sloukas, and he can organize everything. He always finds the right option for a shot. Yesterday, especially in the last quarter, we had trouble organizing the offense and finding our rhythm."

The coach’s comments on Dimitris Giannakopoulos were just as direct. After Kendrick Nunn drew a foul in the final timeout sequence, Ataman said the plan was to make the first free throw and miss the second with 1.9 seconds left, but the sequence flipped. He said the team shared emotions with Giannakopoulos after the win and hoped to feel the same way in the EuroLeague final as well.

Panathinaikos now enters Game 2 with a clear task: keep the defensive edge from Game 1, clean up the offensive mistakes, and replace the late-game slippage that let Valencia back in. Ataman’s message leaves little room for interpretation; the standard has risen, and the next step is to prove the first win was not built on just one quarter.