The Euroleague Play Offs are just around the corner and four of Panathinaikos' players were present at the press conference at OAKA today, speaking about the series of games against CSKA Moscow: Dimitris Diamantidis, Loukas Mavrokefalidis, Jonas Maciulis and Roko Leni Ukic were there to speak to the media.
Dimitris Diamantidis the captain of the team was the first to speak: "We are now in the play offs. We are facing a really good team, which is on Euroleague's central stage for many years and with a series of qualifications in the Final Four. They have a full roster, with a very good coach, strong line at the perimeter, but also really strong front line. If we want to qualify we have to improve in all parts of the game. I believe that we play better in this last period. I wish for good games to take place and at the end we'll see what we managed to do. It's a series of games and we need three wins. But still, you have to look at each game separately in order to get the answers we want. In every game the important thing is to improve the things you want. The important for us is to play better. All the statistics' categories which are maybe not so important for you, play a big part in the game. Categories such as rebounds and turnovers. We have to have good numbers in these two categories".
When asked in which part of the game he sees improvement in the way Panathinaikos is playing, he noted: "We kept the defensive part, which was our corner stone the past two years. And lately we have put some speed in our game. We have managed to run a little bit more and it's a positive thing, which I believe it will help us".
Ukic: "One step further"
Roko Leni Ukic pointed that "Panathinaikos gets to the Euroleague Final Four for the second time in a row, without having the home advantage", only to add: "We are not the favorites in this series. We have to do our best though, as we did last year, proving that we could do it. We want to take it one step further this time. CSKA is a great team and we have to play better, our best basketball of the season in order to qualify".
Asked about his situation and the fact that the whole team is trying to play faster, Ukic said: "I try to play faster than the beginning of the season, because I am better. Speed can be useful against CSKA, in order to get some easy points. I hope that I will find some other choices in my game in this series".
Maciulis: "It's important to be healthy"
Jonas Maciulis noted that the first goal of the team was achieved: "We are in the play offs and this was one of our goals in the beginning of the season. We are facing a really good and disciplined team with an exceptional coach. Lately, we play very good, but in this phase everything counts. Every possession, every defense. The most important thing is to be healthy throughout this series".
Asked to compare CSKA with Panathinaikos not only basketballwise, Maciulis replied: "It's tough question, because I have never played there, so I don't know how they operate. From what I have heard and see, it's one of the best and wealthiest clubs in Euroleague. But it's not a matter of organization when it comes to basketball. Wherever you go there are different people, with different approach to certain things, but everywhere you have to play basketball. We can compare a lot of things, but in the end what counts is to get the ball through the net".
Mavrokefalidis: "The pressure is on them"
"Play offs begin, a phase which is made for the tough and strong teams and we are one of them", stated Loukas Mavrokefalidis, adding: "We have to be really concentrated and ready. They are the favorites and we are the outsider. But, they have the pressure too. If we are focused and we prepare ourselves in the right way, we 'll try for the best. Our opponents have a strong front line. What we have to do is spot their weaknesses. For sure they are not unbeatable. We have to be focused though in order to find this weakness and take advantage of it".
Asked what have changed in the last games and he appears to play better, he answered: "From what I know and recall I am the same Loukas. For sure, the change of coach and coach Alvertis personally have helped the whole team psychologically. It's something that we can say something about".
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