Ataman: “Very important games with Monaco and Barcelona, Giannakopoulos has done a lot for Greek basketball”

He spoke about his encounter with Monaco in OAKA (29/11, 21:15) for the 12th Euroleague race. Panathinaikos coach, Erkin Ataman, stood on the importance of the next two home games with Monaco and Barcelona, mentioned the return of Dimitris Giannakopoulos to the stadiums, but also the coming of Vassilis Spanoulis to the bench of Monegaskes. In detail his statements : For the game with Monaco : “We know Monaco is a very good team. Especially in the attack they have very bad players from the perimeter like us. It is near the roster Panathinaikos has. So it is obvious that we should play good defense, especially to regional players and stop scoring and creating for the tall.” To take on technical leadership from Spanoulis : “Spanoulis is a great coach and a great personality. I think he’ll give all his personality to Monaco. And of course for us it is very dangerous, because he knows Panathinaikos, the team and the players very well. I am sure that in his first year in Euroleague he will do well, having some of the best players in Euroleague history and I believe that in the future he will become one of the best coaches in Euroleague. I wish the best for him and hope he will make a very good season, but after the day after tomorrow.” On whether it is important for the team to get home games : “It is very important. Why win these streak teams is not easy. To get the advantage you have to play good basketball, have aggression and win them first of all at your headquarters. And we’ll have the world with us to support us. Because I told the players, we can’t think about Final Four in February and March. It’ll be late. Now is the time for us all to show aggression and create a terrible atmosphere on our pitch because it is very important to win the games at our headquarters. Everything is dangerous. We cannot talk about Final Four, unless we first see the playoffs. We must be ready to fight and win from tomorrow Monaco and then Barcelona, because these two games are very important to us.” For the return of Giannakopoulos to OAKA : “We missed Giannakopoulos. I think he deserves to be here. He has made a great and great investment for the stadium and for Greek basketball and I am happy that he will be back here with us on the field and will entertain this wonderful stadium and of course give us motivation. But above all I believe that for everything he has done for Greek basketball he deserves to be here and if he sees us in person. Be on the best stadium in Europe”.