In one of the great rivalries in world basketball, Olympiacos Piraeus (17-10) welcomes Panathinaikos (7-19) for a game in which the hosts have more at stake but the visitors can, as always in this Greek Derby, make their season sweeter with a victory.
Keys to victory: Olympiacos vs. Panathinaikos



Reds need to rebound in more ways than one
Olympiacos boasts the competition's stingiest defense on its home court, just 67.1 points per game, which is also the EuroLeague's best such figure in more than five seasons. However, the Reds come off a hard-fought road win while Panathinaikos is rested, and so will need to quickly rebound from two one-way trips already this week. Of course, the Reds have more than enough motivation to not only beat their archrivals but improve on their fourth-place standing. They lead Panathinaikos in almost all statistical categories, but the key one is rebounds, as more possessions at home usually equals victory, as Olympiacos has proven in going 11-1 so far at Peace and Friendship Stadium this season.
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Greens must leave it all on the court
Mired in 17th place, with none but a slight mathematical chance of reaching the playoffs, Panathinaikos will look upon this game as the biggest potential morale-booster left on the schedule. The Greens would do well to rely less on one-on-one play and set up better shots, especially on the perimeter, with more passes. That they rank third-to-last in the league in both assists (14.8) and three-point accuracy (33.1%) might not be a coincidence. Elsewhere, they can hold their own, but must take advantage of their extra rest at home as compared to Olympiacos, which means stomping on the gas pedal early to try to play with a lead and put the pressure on an opponent whose energy late in the game might not be enough for a comeback.