PAOK will host Maroussi on Saturday, April 25, 2026, at 18:15 at the PAOK Sports Arena in the final regular-season Stoiximan GBL game, a match that could decide who finishes third in the standings.
Pantelis Boutskos framed the fixture plainly: the team faces a very important league game with fatigue in the legs and a large objective ahead, but he said the squad has learned to put priorities in order and manage a demanding schedule. He warned that Maroussi are a tough opponent with a talented roster and strong motivation, and he stressed that PAOK remain highly motivated to finish the regular season with another win to secure the best possible postseason position.
Coach Boutskos and his players completed preparation on April 24 with a practice at the PAOK Sports Arena that combined video analysis of Maroussi with tactical work designed to sharpen late-season execution. The training session, the coach said, was meant to rehearse the specific scenarios they expect to meet in a winner-take-advantage night.
The stakes are straightforward: Round 26 results will determine the final standings and first-round playoff pairings. PAOK enter with the opportunity to finish third, a position that would shape their first-round opponent and offer a clearer path in the postseason. Sportsgambler’s betting preview makes PAOK strong favorites — listing them at 1.28 with Maroussi at 3.55 — and sets the spread at 9 with a total points line around 172.
Recent results sharpen the contrast between the teams. Sportsgambler notes PAOK beat Iraklis 76-72 in their last outing, while Maroussi arrive off a high-scoring 108-93 win over Kolossos Rhodes. The head-to-head record tilts toward PAOK: they won the last meeting 97-87, have beaten Maroussi in the past four meetings and have five wins in the past six head-to-head encounters.
The line on the scoreboard is not the only mismatch. There is a minor but real scheduling discrepancy: PAOK list the game at 18:15 at the PAOK Sports Arena while Sportsgambler’s preview pins tip-off at 17:15. For supporters planning travel, ticketing and television windows, that gap matters even if it does not affect what happens on the court. It underlines the small frictions that can complicate a high-pressure finish to a season.
The deeper tension is competitive. PAOK are favored and carry recent dominance over Maroussi, yet the opponent’s 108-point outing and its own postseason motivation mean this cannot be treated as a formality. Boutskos has spoken repeatedly of fatigue and target-setting; the question is whether his rotation and the team’s tactical adjustments from the video work will overcome Maroussi’s momentum on Saturday.
PAOK have the ingredients most teams want going into a decisive home game: coaching focus, preparation tailored to the opponent and a favorable historical edge. If they execute as Boutskos expects, they will likely secure the win and the best possible position heading into the postseason. If not, Round 26 will reshuffle the playoff map and hand Maroussi a signature victory to carry into the playoffs.
