The home team’s big man posted impressive figures and his effort was complemented by Kendrick Nunn
Birthday boy Richaun Holmes catches fire to help Panathinaikos squeeze past ASVEL
Ανάλυση αγώνα
3 Χρόνος Ανάγνωσης
Regular Season
Round 4 of 38
Regular Season
Panathinaikos AKTOR AthensPAO
9185
LDLC ASVEL VilleurbanneASV
Overview
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Richaun Holmes struggled somewhat in his first three games at Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens after a summer move from the Washington Wizards, but the towering center – who celebrated his 32nd birthday on Wednesday night – came up big in Round 4 as he racked up 24 points and 10 boards in a 91-85 home win over LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne.
Holmes displayed the potential to be a more than worthy fill-in for the injured Mathias Lessort, who is still feeling the collateral effects of last December’s horrific ankle injury which had sidelined him for months and forced him into a stuttering and premature comeback.
Holmes, who produced some good performances in the NBA, especially at the Sacramento Kings, only averaged 5.3 points and 2.7 rebounds in his opening three games for Panathinaikos, but he came unleashed with a monstrous input which drove the Greens to a hard-fought victory.
It was a perfect self-served birthday present for Holmes, who acknowledged in his post-game comments that he was still finding his feet at Panathinaikos.
“I am a competitive man so when I’m not playing up to my standards I try to raise my game and help us win,” he said in a flash courtside interview. “I am glad that I was able to do that tonight. The guards did a great job finding me and I am still learning how to play with them. They made my job to catch and finish a lot easier.”
Holmes was a menace at both ends of the court, especially in ASVEL’s paint, as he shot 11 of 12 from the floor and collected 7 offensive boards, giving his markers a roasting all night.
Kendrick Nunn, who stood out in the previous round’s 84-86 win at Baskonia Vitoria Gasteiz with 30 points including a game-winning shot at the buzzer, delivered again as he netted 18 of his game-high 26 points in a rampant first half.
The reigning EuroLeague MVP mixed layups with mid-range jumpers to devastating effect, adding 5 rebounds and 6 assists to his overall tally. He was stifled out for much of the second half but sank some clutch free throws late in the game, when ASVEL threatened to stage an upset.
The visitors kept chipping away at Panathinaikos, sinking 15 of 32 from downtown as they slashed the deficit to three points several times when the chips were down. At one stage, Panathinaikos responded with a pair of successive alley-oops from Nunn and Holmes, who combined to devastating effect as they showcased their NBA heritage.
Coach Ergin Ataman was happy to take the win although he felt the performance left something to be desired, having singled out Holmes after the big man’s dominant display.
“The positive thing about tonight is that Holmes showed his ability and I expect him to gain confidence from that performance,” the Turkish tactician said. “We made some defensive mistakes but we found a way to win and that’s the most important thing in these double-round weeks.”
“We made some good offensive plays but we also let ASVEL make 15 three-pointers, which is too much. We now shift our focus to the next game at Anadolu Efes Istanbul on Friday.”
ASVEL produced a fine team effort as five visiting players finished in double figures, led by veteran Nando De Colo, who poured 18 points, but they fell short of forcing a final twist as they lost the battle of the boards 38-24, having collected a mere 4 offensive rebounds against the home side’s 13.
Still, coach Pierric Poupet was pleased with his team’s effort. “We played a great team in a vibrant atmosphere, we left it all out there on the court and I am proud of how my team fought,” he said.
