Round 29 opens with a bang, with all eyes on the most pivotal Greek Derby of recent years.
Reds vs. Greens: 'A game you always want to play'
One of basketball's most passionate derbies – Olympiacos Piraeus vs. Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens – tips off for the 21st time this century in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague on Thursday.
This time, the game has strong playoff implications, as visiting Panathinaikos will try to snap a five-game losing streak against its archrival in EuroLeague games since December of 2021. As always, the buzz is strong in the Greek capital.
"It's a game you always want to play when you are a coach or a player," Olympiacos coach Georgios Bartzokas says.
Panathinaikos guard Ioannis Papapetrou, who has played on both sides of this rivalry, concurs.
"These games are unique," Papapetrou said. "Whoever has been to the arena and felt it knows what I am talking about."
One of the draws of this single edition of the derby will be the return of Panathinaikos star Kostas Sloukas to Peace and Friendship Stadium, where he played for eight seasons with Olympiacos and won his fair share of derbies against the Greens. Now, he is on the other side.
"If you do not play these games, you cannot describe the emotions." Sloukas says.
Panathinaikos is currently tie for third place with an 18-10 record and Olympiacos is tied for fifth at 17-11. As we approach the final stretch of the regular season, there's more at stake than in any recent EuroLeague meeting between the teams, so expect the anticipation to be through the roof.
"As a Greek, I know the importance of winning for our fans," Olympiacos veteran Kostas Papanikolaou says. "We always want to beat Pana and they always want to beat us. And it counts a lot for our fans, so we want to give them the best pleasure."
Fasten your seatbelts and get ready for one of the highlights of the season.