Panathinaikos (-4.5 & -161.5 pts) - Red Star Return to euroleague 4,5 months after the 19 May final where the CSK lifted the eighth cup in its history. Much has changed since then ... 2 more teams (4 extra racing, 3 extra week) and several changes to regulations to make the game faster and more spectacular.
One of the games that open the curtain is that of the Panathinaikos receiving the Red Star at the OAKA.
Several player changes for the Panathinaikos team which however held the basic trunk of the Greeks and added strangers with speed, power and offensive talent. Question for me is the management of the players by coach Pedoulakis who has a different philosophy than the majority of transfers. In the first samples I saw Panathinaikos a little confused between last year and this year but it's still early and with Kalathis clearly showing that he has not yet had to be pressured. The premiere game is one of those that you have to win in any way if you want to hop on 8ada. There are no injury problems, and the full KBAA always gives the necessary impetus.
The Red Star, on the other hand, looks more crowded than ever before with some important transfers (Jenkins, D. Brown, Fayette, and former Green Gist) and if he doesn't he'll do a lot of damage to the competition. His coach is Milan Tomic, who is well-versed in the OAKA squads as he has visited the Olympiacos team dozens of times.
Summing up I think Panathinaikos is better as a team and with the aura of a stadium full of victory. I will take both the Under and the Premiere together with the premier who wants the two teams to be judged low.
The point I choose is ...Panathinaikos (-4.5 & Under 161.5 pts) in performance 2.21 at stoiximan.
