M. Grigonis does not look into the favorable history of the Euroleague: “It is better not to think about it”

Panathinaikos of Athens beat Maccabi Tel Aviv 95-88 on Thursday night to level the three-game winning streak at 2-2.

The pair now head back to the OAKA Arena to find out their relationship in a decisive fifth match on Wednesday.

“The match was very physical,” M. Grigonis told the Eurohoops portal after the fourth match. – We were sometimes ahead, sometimes behind. We are happy, but the work is not done. I hope we win a ticket to Berlin at the OAKA Arena.”

When asked if he would have thought that his team could win by conceding 88 points, the Lithuanian praised the opponents.

“They’re a damn good team. They’re playing very well, they’re finding answers for our defense, they’re hitting tough shots, their bench is playing very well. This series is the best in the playoffs, with teams of very similar caliber and you never know what’s going to happen. Now we have one home game left. I believe that Athens will be excited and everyone will come to the match and create a crazy atmosphere”, said the Kaunian.

Adding drama to the Panathinaikos series is not only the flow of the match, but also the statements of PAO owner Dimitrios Giannakopoulos and coach Ergins Atamans.

“This series is tight both on and off the field. I would rather not be part of that drama and win 3-0, but there are two very good teams and the series is very close. It’s fun”, said M. Grigonis.

The Euroleague history is very favorable for his team. So far, there have been 18 decisive matches of the fifth series and they have never been won by the away team. However, M. Grigonis does not emphasize this.

“I never look at stats like that because you never know when the first time is going to happen. It’s better not to think about it, but just go and fight, as we did today,” said the Lithuanian.

And is he ready for what lies ahead for his team in the crazy OAKA stands?

“You should ask the Maccabi players if they are ready. For us, it’s just a burst of energy,” emphasized the Lithuanian.