Andrea Trinchieri, the Italian head coach of Zalgiris, spoke about the highly anticipated match against the reigning European champions, Panathinaikos.

Trinchieri had nothing but praise for Panathinaikos, describing them as a team with no weaknesses. He emphasized that the absence of Ergin Ataman from the sidelines would not impact the game, stating that Panathinaikos has the best perimeter line in the EuroLeague.

“We are playing against – not probably, but definitely – one of the best teams. They are champions, with no weaknesses, and they have the best defense in the competition,” said Trinchieri on the morning of November 21.

Reflecting on Zalgiris’ recent struggles, he added: “We are coming off three consecutive losses. We fought hard, but our efforts weren’t enough. Of course, we want to play well, win, and improve our ranking, but we’re facing one of the best teams, so we must focus on what we can change in our game.

We will give our best effort, and at the end, we’ll look at the scoreboard to see the result.”

When asked about Ataman’s absence from the Panathinaikos bench, Trinchieri replied, “No, it doesn’t matter. Players play, coaches coach.”

On Panathinaikos’ Strengths

Regarding Panathinaikos’ 41.3% effectiveness from beyond the 3-point line, where they rank first, Trinchieri stated: “If they’re first, it means no one has figured out how to stop them. It’s extremely difficult because they have the best perimeter players.

Sloukas, Nan, Brown, and Grant are pivotal in Panathinaikos’ offense. I also like Lessort for his toughness, energy, and athleticism. He can attract two defenders in the paint, creating open shots from a distance. Either you double-team and leave open shots, or you defend Lessort individually, who has an 80% success rate.

It’s a nightmare scenario for any defense.”