Mikael Jantunen reflects on his journey from the Finnish second division to the EuroLeague, ranks Paris' two wins in Greece, evaluates Lauri Markkanen's chances of playing in the EuroBasket, and names the EuroLeague teams he thinks can go all the way this season.
Paris Basketball secured a massive 101-98 victory over Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens last Friday night, snapping the Greek side's 10-game home winning streak and keeping their own playoff hopes alive.
In a high-intensity battle at OAKA, Mikael Jantunen played a key role down the stretch, particularly with two clutch free throws in the final seconds that helped seal the win.
It was one of the most thrilling games of Paris' EuroLeague campaign, which has been full of chills and thrills.
The team started the season 11-3, recording eight straight wins in the process. The impressive start was followed by five consecutive defeats.
Even though the 2024 EuroCup champs managed to pick it up, their lack of consistency has become obvious. One could argue that those fluctuations are the trademark of a EuroLeague newcomer.
"Oh, it's hard to explain," Mikael Jantunen told BasketNews.
"We've learned a lot. It's a lot of guys' first experience with the EuroLeague. It's an extremely tough competition. Everything is in our own hands, so we got to figure it out," the Finnish forward added.
After suffering heartbreaking losses in Kaunas (Zalgiris) and Istanbul (Fenerbahce), games where they led but failed to finish strong, Paris held their nerve this time.
Despite a furious comeback attempt from Panathinaikos, who erased a 17-point deficit, the French club made the right plays when it mattered.
"Man, I'm tired," Jantunen admitted, capturing the exhaustion and effort required to leave OAKA with a win.
Asked whether this was Paris' biggest victory of the season, he acknowledged its significance but placed it in context.
"I feel like we have a lot of big wins, but of course, this one is huge for the playoff race and seeding. At the same time, if we hadn't beaten Olympiacos or won our first game against Panathinaikos, we wouldn't be in this position. So, it's definitely one of the biggest."
Paris led 85-68 early in the fourth quarter, but Panathinaikos stormed back behind Kendrick Nunn's all-around game, reflected in his 22 points, eight rebounds, and nine assists.
The Greens cut the deficit to 98-99 in the final seconds, putting Paris under intense pressure.
Then came Jantunen's moment. Fouled with just 3.8 seconds left, the Finnish forward calmly stepped to the line and knocked down two crucial free throws, extending Paris' lead to three.
A last-second three-point attempt by Juancho Hernangomez missed, securing a massive win for the visitors.
When asked to rank Paris' two victories in Greece this season (over Olympiacos at the Peace and Friendship Stadium and Panathinaikos at OAKA), Jantunen didn't hesitate.
