Easy start for Panathinaikos in playoffs
Panathinaikos’s first game in its playoff quarterfinal series with Peristeri was little more than a good training session ahead of the Euroleague Final Four, as the Greens won 88-60 to take a 1-0 lead on April 28.
The host team at the Olympic Sports Hall was dominant for most of the game and asserted its superiority from the second period onward, led by Antonis Fotsis, who scored 15 points.
The fixture was brought forward from April 30 to give the Greens more time to prepare for the Euroleague Final Four in Barcelona, Spain, on May 6-8.
“We are in a good condition and that is also how we want to be when we get to Barcelona,» said Fotsis.
Game 2 of the best-of-three series is scheduled for April 30 at Peristeri.
“For us it is really important to spare ourselves a third game against Peristeri,» said Panathinaikos forward Costas Tsartsaris.
If Peristeri beats Panathinaikos on Saturday, Game 3 will take place on May 2, just four days before the Euroleague semifinal between Panathinaikos and Siena.
