The start of the EuroLeague season gives Panathinaikos a potentially decisive advantage: seven of its first eight games will be played at Telekom Center Athens. It is a major opportunity to build an early cushion in the standings, but it also creates a different kind of pressure. When the schedule offers that many home games, every defeat becomes considerably more expensive.
Panathinaikos opens against Paris Basketball before hosting ASVEL, Maccabi and Fenerbahce. Its only road game during the first eight rounds comes against Partizan in Belgrade, followed by three more home fixtures against Hapoel Tel Aviv, Baskonia and Milan. A 6-2 record should be considered the minimum realistic target. Finishing 5-3 would not represent a crisis, but it would feel like a missed opportunity for a team expected to challenge for home-court advantage in the playoffs.
The reason becomes clear when looking beyond October. From Round 9 through Round 15, Panathinaikos will play six of seven games away from Athens, with trips to face Anadolu Efes, Real Madrid, Virtus Bologna, Zalgiris, Valencia and Besiktas. The opening stretch is therefore more than a favourable sequence. It is the period in which Željko Obradović’s team must build the margin for error it may need later.
The challenge is that Panathinaikos will begin without two of its most important scorers. Kendrick Nunn and Nigel Hayes-Davis are expected to miss part of this opening run, while Kostas Sloukas is following a cautious recovery programme.
Replacing Nunn is not simply a question of finding someone to produce his points. Panathinaikos must also decide who will control the final possessions of close games. Sylvain Francisco can become the primary pick-and-roll creator, Jerian Grant offers stability and defensive balance, while Guerschon Yabusele can attack mismatches from different areas of the court.
The solution may not be a temporary imitation of Nunn. It could be a closing lineup in which responsibility is shared among several players, depending on the opponent and the type of shot required.
Seven early nights at home look like a gift. For a genuine title contender, however, they also represent an obligation.