Euroleague
Valencia Basket hosts Panathinaikos in the decisive fifth game of their playoff series (9:00 PM local time) as they seek their first-ever Euroleague Final Four berth.
The monumental Roig Arena will stage the most crucial game of its short existence tonight as Valencia Basket aims to secure a historic spot in the Euroleague Final Four. The fifth and deciding matchup against Panathinaikos caps what has been the most tightly contested playoff series in league history.
This is not an exaggeration. Since the best-of-five format was adopted in the 2008-09 season, none of the previous 67 series had reached a fifth game with a total scoring difference of just 10 points across the four previous matchups.
The Greek side won the first two games in Valencia by scores of 67-68 (1-point margin) and 105-107 (2-point margin) after overtime. Valencia then claimed both games in Athens with 87-91 (4-point margin) and 86-89 (3-point margin) victories. Every contest remained in doubt until the final possessions.
A playoff as competitive as it is intense
The series has been as fiercely competitive as it is bitter, marked by the suspension of PAO’s eccentric owner Dimitris Giannakopoulos after he confronted the referees courtside during Game 2. The tension continued in Game 3 when both head coaches—Ergin Ataman and Pedro Martínez—were ejected after clashing on the floor.
“It’s a 50/50 game. Home-court advantage isn’t very important, and if you look at the series, they are the favorites,” said Valencia coach Pedro Martínez, trying to downplay the drama surrounding what is arguably the biggest game in the club’s history. “In the end, it will come down to details—tactics, personality, inspiration, luck. We need to stay calm and get through the tough moments that will come.”
A game of pressure and excitement
Martínez expects his players to blend pressure with excitement. “It will be a game of pressure and also excitement. We’ll have all the excitement, but just because we desperately want to win doesn’t mean we will—because they want it just as badly. We need to stay focused and stay true to what we’ve been practicing. We’re excited about winning, but we know we could lose.”
“We have had a very good Euroleague season, and in the future we’ll remember this edition fondly. If we qualify for the Final Four, we’ll be overjoyed, and if not, it will be a disappointment—because when you get this far, you want to win,” added Martínez.