In Greece, it will indeed be Olympiacos versus Panathinaikos playing for the championship for their sixth season in a row. Despite the disappointment Reds fans have suffered in recent history – as eight-time consecutive champs, the Greens have knocked off their rivals in the last seven Greek finals meetings going back to 1999 – Sport.gr reminds that longer-term history is firmly on Olympiacos’ side.
To wit: In 26 years of the EΣAKE playoff format, just three titles have been won by teams without home court advantage. On the other hand, Panathinaikos bagged two of those trophies, with the most recent slaying of the Reds in PAO’s triple-crown season of 2008-09.
In fact, nearly a decade passed before a Greek side come overcome the underdog’s disadvantage; on its part, Panathinaikos finally overcame in 1999 with a win still celebrated among Green backers today.
The sole other instance of the lower seed conquering a top dog (and the first in Greece) was accomplished by – you guessed it – Olympiacos back in 1993. In fact, that season representing the sole instance of an EΣAKE team winning back-to-back playoff series without the benefit of home court advantage.
Tags: ESAKE, Greece, Olympiacos, Panathinaikos, YouTube
Olympiakos is 36-0 in Greece competitions and 3-0 against PAO. I expect a 3-0 sweep for them against the Euroleague champs. This is the last year of PAO’s dynasty. That Euroleague title was the end of it.
Olympiakos will be the new dynasty in European basketball I think.
YOU think. Obviously.
I agree, Olympiakos will win and PAO’s European and Greek basketball dynasty is over.
Olympiakos all day baby. They gonna dominate ya feel me?
[...] Olympiacos vs. Panathinaikos: History on the Reds’ side? [...]
FAIL!
YES!!! BIG TIME FAIL !!!!
Hold fast to dreams
For if dreams die
Life is a broken-winged bird
That cannot fly.
Hold fast to dreams
For when dreams go
Life is a barren field
Frozen with snow.
I watched the game unlike these American NBA fan trolls. The only reason Panathinaikos won was because the refs gave them 80% of the calls. Olympiacos is clearly a much better team and they will win the series, despite the refs.
the refs had nothing to do with it…
The Duda made many mistakes.
Bourousis should be more time in, etc.
Oly can def win today.
Pao plays more with the mismatches. Oly plays trying to find ways to the basket.
The pick and roll of Pao is the best in Europe. But Teo is an amazing passer…
Let’s see!
Very good game between Aris-Paok for the 3d possition of A1 HEBA, and a chance to play at the Euroleage.
DOUBLE FAIL!
Greek basketball league is an incredible disgrace. Game 2 was reffed 90-10 in favor of Panathinaikos. That is the most disgraceful and shameful league in the world.
Even the rigged NBA has nothing on in in terms of corruption.
It’s all backfiring on them now. Bourousis quit the national team saying he would no longer play for Greece since the league is rigged every year.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJX2UMBigLs&feature=player_embedded
And from what I hear other Greek Olympiacos players (Mavrokefalidis, Spanoulis, Papaloukas, Papanikolaou, Printezis, Pelekanos, Katsivelis, Sloukas, Vasilopoulos, Glyniadakis) are also going to refuse to play for the Greek national team if the refs don’t stop rigging the games in the rest of the series.
Guess it was good for Panathinaikos while it lasted with all those years of rigging the league. They have now destroyed the Greek national team. Congrats.
dont such a foolish guyz Bourou made his decision.. ok! But he must kmow that playing for the Greek NT and any NT is pride and not a selfish game between rivals..i hope he is gonna make up his mind cuz i’m sure he did that statetment right after the game when he was definitely disappointed. as for the rest that i’m reading here there is no way for the rest players of Oly to deny play in NT. dont make the rivals in LIthuania feel happy and relief you guyz, this is just not gonna happen because of one player! we have players as good as Bourou and maybe better! 14 palyers for each team this year. King Vasileiadis at last in Greek NT!! Paixtoura mouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!!!!o bourousis an 8elei na klapsei as paei sto spiti tou kai as afhjsei tis dhlwseis typou apeiles, an den 8elei na paiksei sta pa@@ria mas! megalh h xarh tou!
lol PAO has now become a cancer to Greece’s national team:
“Bourousis Quits Greek NT As Protest Against Rigged Greek Finals”
Translation:
“I am no longer available to play for the Greek National Team. I have done everything for the team, even played with a broken hand. In exchange for that, all I get by the basketball organization here is disrespect, both as a human being and as a player. Under these circumstances, I quit the Greek National Team. It’s not a warning, it’s a decision”.
Hope PAO and their crazy fans are happy now that they ruined Greece’s national team………
[...] team, thanks to widespread corruption in the league. Bourousis’ frustrations mirrored those of BallinEurope reader Christopher, who, in the wee hours this morning commented that, “Greek basketball league is an incredible disgrace. Game 2 was reffed 90-10 in favor of [...]
This has been blown out of proportion and the rival no doubt reaches the next level. Hopefully, there is some reconciliation to this, especially with the Greek national team on the line.
Aaaahahahaaaa! Bourousis is the stupidest guy I’ve ever met! No wonder….
This article is a MASSIVE FAIL!! Panathinaikos reign will never end! The refs don’t have anything to do with that, everybody who knows a little bit of tactical basketball will agree!
Obradovic is the GOD of the game, even as underdogs and without Diamantidis, the best european player in the world, Olympiakos couldn’t beat us! If not this year, then when??? NEVER!
Everybody in Europe knows that Panathinaikos is the greatest team in the history of European basketball. Panathinaikos is the greatest team of greek and european basketball, and it is a joy and privilege to watch them play, no matter of which team you support!
Winning on the last game -without Diamantidis- belongs to the Hall Of Fame of the greatest basketball matches of the last 20 years! Along with Paris(1996), SEF(1999), Bologna(2002) and the road to (and wins against) Barcelona(2011)