The versatile guard was hailed for his all-around performance against Real Madrid
Jerian Grant earned the glory as Panathinaikos powered on
Article
3 Mins read
Regular Season
Round 28 of 34
Group Regular Season
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There was much to admire in Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens’s performance as the reigning champion sent a message with a convincing 85-70 victory over Real Madrid in Thursday’s edition of the Rivalry Series.
But according to head coach Ergin Ataman and more than a few of the sell-out 20,000 fans who created another electric atmosphere in Athens, one factor was more deserving of praise than anything else: Jerian Grant.
The all-action guard did everything for his team, coming close to a double-double as he registered 11 points and 9 assists with only 1 turnover, also adding 3 rebounds and 2 steals in more than 33 minutes on the floor, compiling a game-high PIR of 21.
Ataman was eager to praise the 32-year-old as he enthused: “First of all, I’d like to congratulate Jerian Grant. In Panathinaikos, everybody is always talking about Kendrick Nunn, Sloukas, Hernangomez… But always Jerian Grant is great in that kind of game. Tonight also he was MVP of the game, so I’d like to congratulate him for his hustle, his game.”
There were no complaints in that assessment from Nunn, who led the scoring with 18 points but was happy to pile the praise on his backcourt teammate, highlighting Grant’s abilities that don’t necessarily show up on the stats sheet.
“The way he plays defense for us, it takes us to a whole 'nother level,” stated Nunn. “And then he can play one on one when it gets late in the shot clock. Jerian can do it all.”
Game Videos
- 02:27
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Kendrick Nunn: 'I'm all in'
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Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens-Real Madrid | RS Round 28 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:31
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Nunn posterizes Tavares! Motorola Magic Moment of the Night
- 00:24
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Hezonja’s magic! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:16
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Campazzo conjures, Hezonja finishes! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:12
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Hernangomez again! Magic Moment
- 00:16
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Nunn’s showtime slam! Motorola Magic Moment
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Leo Bolmaro stops by The Fantasy Challenge Podcast
- 00:52
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Kendrick Nunn: 'We've played well at home, we have to play the same on the road'
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/71865c87-b767-45f9-9c6a-c5710aa8ecad.jpg]()
LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne-Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens | RS Round 27 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:17
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Harrison hammers it home! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:15
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Osman with the sweet dish! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:17
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How did Mitoglou finish that! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:14
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/d682bcd2-2602-4bd4-a43d-b4da8ee8e7c6.jpg?crop=2063%3A1160%3Anowe%3A1937%3A246]()
Gabriel dunks in traffic! Motorola Magic Moment
- 01:05
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2025/02/27/2Vu6PklQkXD5Fp9Ahbx6wEYOvzCVsFZg-1740696510146.jpg]()
Alberto Abalde: 'We needed this win'
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/N9EhJhW5Zws/maxresdefault.jpg]()
Real Madrid-FC Barcelona | RS Round 27 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:47
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Kendrick Nunn: 'I'm playing with confidence'
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/2485a69a-ab2b-402c-a19f-ad441b4ba997.jpg]()
Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens-Anadolu Efes Istanbul | RS Round 26 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/0557d366-2fc9-4992-a7c2-cb168df7dd11.jpg]()
Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul-Real Madrid | RS Round 26 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:12
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Campazzo gives Fernando liftoff! Motorola Magic Moment
- 01:34
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2025/02/04/LltMbBxOH9ueNCVaAAFizvhp5AL9nlfl-1738705555545.jpg]()
Juancho Hernangomez: 'It was a crazy end of the game!'
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/BAy8MdpPjCg/maxresdefault.jpg]()
Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens-Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul | RS Round 25 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/4b11e94f-3dea-4e67-a3d1-a3d1c493619a.jpg]()
Anadolu Efes Istanbul-Real Madrid | RS Round 25 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:10
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/d682bcd2-2602-4bd4-a43d-b4da8ee8e7c6.jpg?crop=3904%3A2196%3Anowe%3A0%3A183]()
Nunn and Gabriel make it happen! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:10
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Gonzalez beats the show clock! Motorola Magic Moment
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/v8gyzx0tn1I/maxresdefault.jpg]()
AS Monaco-Real Madrid | RS Round 24 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:17
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Hezonja feeds Fernando! Motorola Magic Moment
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/scVciMFqw5M/maxresdefault.jpg]()
EA7 Emporio Armani Milan-Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens | RS Round 24 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:13
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Big dunk from Mitoglou! Motorola Magic Moment
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/3f736973-4994-47c0-9797-858f6e0a2b0c.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A38%3A9]()
Round 24 video preview: Everything you need to know about this week's key games
- 01:11
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2025/01/23/y4fEjVhtVpKeOYdkbQGHKMUQS42ZEVEj-1737671451445.jpg]()
Facu Campazzo: 'We got lucky a little bit'
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/29c1c972-dd9e-422e-9635-546573a46fb3.jpg]()
Real Madrid-Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz | RS Round 23 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 01:10
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Wenyen Gabriel: 'Coach challenged me to step up'
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/iwIr28zeA8Q/maxresdefault.jpg]()
Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens-Zalgiris Kaunas | RS Round 23 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:41
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2025/01/23/UjHPmVprPxIK0MTVyNywidUbb120SoO0-1737670554587.jpg]()
HEZONJA WINS IT! Motorola Magic Moment of the Night
- 00:22
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Gabriel’s huge rejection! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:31
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Nunn beats the buzzer! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:22
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Hezonja stops Diop! Motorola Magic Moment
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/f2lSCiFqFIY/maxresdefault.jpg]()
Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz-Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens | RS Round 22 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:19
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Sloukas to Yurtseven alley-oop! Motorola Magic Moment
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/d04c973d-88d5-4617-bba4-01463dbfe9f8.jpg]()
Real Madrid-Olympiacos Piraeus | RS Round 22 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/f41f4055-3c9f-4312-a8c5-c121a554bfa0.jpg]()
FC Barcelona-Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens | RS Round 21 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:13
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/eeaf9f03-e094-440f-8f92-2c9b65e6ff47.jpg?crop=1263%3A711%3Anowe%3A87%3A146]()
Yurtseven's put-back slam! Motorola Magic Moment
- 01:00
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2025/01/14/LrwhxqwIDSHLHyz6e2DT9dSdXYwRQahx-1736892490241.jpg]()
Facu Campazzo: 'For the fans, it was a great game'
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/RH7whSocPV8/maxresdefault.jpg]()
Real Madrid-Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv | RS Round 21 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 01:10
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2025/01/10/nNWiE7P5HTOrNMPAo2nlLSVQSBEEalsM-1736541549656.jpg]()
Mario Hezonja: 'This was the most important game of the year for us'
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/W6VLMl5LSsc/maxresdefault.jpg]()
Zalgiris Kaunas-Real Madrid | RS Round 20 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:10
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/cb9b50e8-90b0-420e-9f85-e0b31f8a25d2.jpg?crop=1215%3A684%3Anowe%3A0%3A108]()
Hezonja somehow scores! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:10
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/2641e0d3-b60f-4db6-91f4-1447e9165d36.jpg?crop=1080%3A608%3Anowe%3A270%3A22]()
Campazzo's acrobatic layup! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:59
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2025/01/09/23obAQSJt6GZD3VH0iZyuAGmdaI3KLjm-1736459857134.jpg]()
Jerian Grant: 'Guys were hurt, we had to step up'
Jerian certainly did it all on Thursday, playing a central role in a convincing win. Indeed, Panathinaikos trailed only once: after the opening basket of the night, netted by Mario Hezonja. From that moment onwards, it was one-way traffic with the Greens dominating all over the floor and Real scrambling just to keep it vaguely close.
After racing into a double-digit lead with an 8-0 run towards the end of the first quarter, Panathinaikos was ahead the rest of the way. Even Real’s occasional runs weren’t enough to really make the home team nervous, with the deficit never lower than 4 points – which was immediately pushed back up to 7 thanks to a three-point play by Grant.
The eventual 15-point margin was not at all flattering to Panathinaikos, which has now won nine consecutive games in Athens and is starting to look like a strong favorite to seal a top-four finish.
Ataman was delighted with the performance, saying: “As a team we played perfect basketball. We made great defense, offensively we moved the ball well and everything was fantastic because of course, Real Madrid is a great capacity team, but we didn’t let them play their basketball, so it was a very good night for us.”
Man of the hour Grant did most of his talking on the court, restricting his post-game observations to a few short lines. But his satisfaction was evident as he concluded: “It was great. Coach talked about needing to win these home games. The fans really came through, they helped us push through and we got the win.”
And he won’t be concerned if his step into the limelight is short-lived, explaining that he gives more importance to the views of his locker room than the outside world as he said: “My teammates know what I bring to the team, and it really makes me happy that they know that I can help.”
‘Help’ is a major understatement. Thursday night again showed that Grant is one of Panathinaikos’s most important players, and that he will be a central figure in the Greens’ push for consecutive titles.