Shane Larkin and PJ Dozier helped slow down and frustrate Kendrick Nunn in Game 2, as Anadolu Efes stole the win from the home of Panathinaikos BC.

Aggressive Efes defense knocked Kendrick Nunn off his stride

Reigning Turkish Airlines EuroLeague champs [Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/panathinaikos-aktor-athens/pan/) lost home-court advantage against [Anadolu Efes Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/anadolu-efes-istanbul/ist/) after [a 76-79 defeat in Game 2](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/anadolu-efes-beats-panathinaikos-76-79-to-even-the-series/) levelled their quarterfinal playoff series ahead of next week’s doubleheader in the Turkish capital.

Having come from behind to grind out [an 87-83 win in Game 1](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/panathinaikos-beats-efes-87-83-in-game-1/) in front of a raucous home crowd in Athens, Panathinaikos spilled a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter on Thursday night as Efes roared back to head home with a share of the spoils.

The visiting team’s pack leader [Shane Larkin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/shane-larkin/007200/) shined in Game 2, particularly in the fourth quarter when he sank eight of his game-high 20 points in the home straight to silence the Greens in a jam-packed OAKA Arena, handing Efes the upper hand as the series moves to Istanbul.

In contrast, the regular season’s top scorer and MVP [Kendrick Nunn](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/kendrick-nunn/012774/) had a torrid time as he struggled throughout the opening two games for Panathinaikos, shooting a combined 10 of 32 amid ironclad Efes defense on the former Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers guard.

Nunn, who led the Greek giant’s charge to last year’s EuroLeague title, was 4 of 16 from downtown over the two games as the visiting team’s guards gave him preciously little room to operate. In Game 1, big man [Juancho Hernangomez](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/juancho-hernangomez/012712/) stepped up with career highs of 20 points and 16 boards to lift Panathinaikos but there was no cavalry coming to the rescue in Game 2, as Larkin and [PJ Dozier](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/perry-dozier-jr/012742/) did the fourth-quarter damage for rampant Efes.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">If Anadolu Efes Istanbul wins this series, Game 2 could go down as its Masterpiece on the Mediterranean👀<br><br>Reminiscent of one of the most famous boxing matches ever, 1974&#39;s Rumble in the Jungle win by Muhammad Ali, Efes outlasted Panathinaikos 76-79 in a thriller on Thursday… <a href="https://t.co/f23oJCe7bx">pic.twitter.com/f23oJCe7bx</a></p>&mdash; Turkish Airlines EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague/status/1915716384308314562?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 25, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Moreover, the absence of injured center [Mathias Lessort](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mathias-lessort/003842/) exposed cracks in the paint as Panathinaikos struggled to contain Efes’s big men, with [Vincent Poirier](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/vincent-poirier/004887/) having a field day by racking up 16 points and 10 boards while [Dan Oturu](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/dan-oturu/012788/) chipped in with 11 points and 4 rebounds.

“They gave Nunn no open shots as they played good defense on the pick & roll while we played terrible defense on Larkin in the fourth quarter and gave him shots that he made,” the home team’s head coach Ergin Ataman told the postgame press conference.

“Efes deserved to win for their relentless hustle and the experience they put on the court in the last quarter. Nunn is a player who can score at any point in time. In the opening three quarters, he had 6 assists in the wake of aggressive defense on him, but in the last quarter he had none. At the other end, their bigs scored 27 points,” added the Turkish tactician, who lifted back-to-back titles with Efes in 2021 and 2022 before steering Panathinaikos to glory last year.

Larkin, who was instrumental in both Efes conquests under Ataman, acknowledged that the Turkish outfit needed to keep its feet on the ground and stay focused ahead of a rip-roaring pair of matchups in Istanbul, with home-court advantage shifting to his team’s favor.

“It was a challenging game but we stuck together as a team and showed character,” Larkin said. “We know that basketball is a game of runs but we were able to make some plays in the third quarter that got us back into it. Then we made some big plays in the end but we can’t be too happy about the win because we need to win two more in order to achieve our goal.”

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">🚨 GECEDEN SABAHA <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SOLDOUT?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SOLDOUT</a> 🚨<br><br>😤 İnanıyor ve bir hedefin peşinden gidiyoruz. Her anın, her topun ne kadar değerli olduğunu biliyoruz. Biz burada senin desteğin ile yeniden tarih yazmak istiyoruz! <br><br>👊 Siz hazırsınız, biz hazırız! Mavilerin evinde heyecan başlasın.… <a href="https://t.co/9XOPIJT7VE">pic.twitter.com/9XOPIJT7VE</a></p>&mdash; Anadolu Efes SK (@AnadoluEfesSK) <a href="https://twitter.com/AnadoluEfesSK/status/1915698753052291459?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 25, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

With a berth in the 2025 Final Four at stake, Efes head coach Luca Banchi was happy with the team’s reaction to the opening game’s loss as his men showed the mettle to bounce back in the face of adversity and force mighty Panathinaikos into submission. 

“It was an impressive fourth quarter comeback as the players stepped up on defense while on offense we gradually found our flow and shot quality that we had expected from the beginning,” the Italian tactician elaborated. <br>
“That’s easier said than done against such an aggressive and talent-packed team, though. I am proud of the way the team bounced back and we’ve achieved our primary goal of taking one win from the opening two games in Athens.”

Game News

The regular season’s top scorer and MVP endured a pair of torrid nights against the Turkish outfit 

Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens v Anadolu Efes Istanbul (2025-04-24T18:30:00.000Z)

Check out what the coaches and players are saying ahead of Game 2 of the 2025 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Playoffs.

Playoffs pregame quotes, Game 2

## Friday, April 25, 2025

### AS Monaco vs. FC Barcelona (19:00 CEST)

**Vassilis Spanoulis, AS Monaco head coach**

"We played a very good Game 1, especially defensively in the second half. That's the kind of defense I want to see against a team like Barcelona, which is very talented and among the best in Europe. We gave away some offensive rebounds, but we also managed to create shots in difficult situations. The series is still long; it's only 1-0. It's important to keep on playing good basketball."

**Elie Okobo, AS Monaco guard**

"It's the first time we've won a Game 1 after several playoff campaigns! We managed to protect our home-court advantage. Barcelona is a very good team, and we've prepared well for this series. They're going to make some adjustments, so we'll have to be ready for Game 2 and apply the same intensity. We had the right energy, on the court and on the bench, and we didn't get frustrated even when Barcelona was making runs. What about my game? I try to be very aggressive, create for myself and for others, read the game and make the right choices."

### Olympiacos Piraeus vs. Real Madrid (20:30 CEST)

**Georgios Bartzokas, Olympiacos Piraeus head coach**

"Real Madrid is able to show up in the second game way better. They are a very talented team. They can play with bigger egos and intensity. My team’s biggest enemy is complacency. And that’s something that you usually pay for after the second game. It has happened in the past. As far as the game is concerned, I do not have much to say. Our approach will be more or less the same. We want to play well on defense, which, despite the fact that we faced some problems on offense, gave us a lead of 18 points. We have the same motivation we had in the first game, and if possible, more."

**Shaq McKissic, Olympiacos Piraeus guard**

"We have to stay as focused as we were in Game 1. That will be in our favor, I believe. It’s been a long time since we were all together and there were no injured players, and that gives us extra confidence. The fact that we all, the starters and the guys that come from the bench, are able to make the difference for the team is the key factor that gives us confidence."

**Chus Mateo, Real Madrid head coach**

"We're very clear that we have to always trust this team, and we have a lot of faith in what can still happen in these playoffs. We have a second game left at Olympiacos with a chance to regain home-court advantage, and we can't lose faith. On Wednesday, we didn't have the best possible performance. We didn't start the game well and didn't play the way we wanted. There are certainly many things to fix, and we're going to try to correct them. We have to make some moves, and we're going to do so."

**Gabriel Deck, Real Madrid forward**

"I think we have to improve the intensity with which we entered the Game 1. They gave it their all from the first minute, and after that, we had no chance of getting back into the game. By passing the ball better, always looking for the best attacking options, and defending with everything we have, we'll be able to compete better and fight for the win. We have to rest well and prepare for Friday's game based on the mistakes we made in Game 1, so we don't repeat them. We have to be a team for the full 40 minutes because that way we'll have a chance of leveling the series. Nothing is decided yet, we have to keep fighting."

## Thursday, April 24, 2025

### Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul vs. Paris Basketball (19:45 CEST)

**Sarunas Jasikevicius, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul head coach**

"We're very happy to win in Game 1. We have to understand that Paris will come out with even more energy and with more desperation. We need to understand the things that we did well, the things that we didn't do so well. The keys to everything will be the same; try to match their energy on the rebounding and on the fast break, to hopefully continue improving as the series are going."

**Tarık Biberovic, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul forward**

"Second game of the playoff series. We know that our opponent is a very strong team, and they proved that yesterday. We know it’s going to be a tough series. We’ve only won one game; we want to reach our goal step by step. We’ll try to keep doing the things we did well yesterday and correct our mistakes."

### Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens vs. Anadolu Efes Istanbul (20:30 CEST)

**Luca Banchi, Anadolu Efes Istanbul head coach**

"We will approach to the second game with great determination. We are conscious to have a team with an incredible potential in front of us. But on the other hand, we already proved to have the ability to compete. Our job is to take care of details we can control, we can improve, and to use all the opportunities the court will offer to have a high level performance and try to get a win that would tie the series."

**Vincent Poirier, Anadolu Efes Istanbul center**

"In the second game of the series we have to be involved in the game as we did in the previous one. We have to make sure that we keep their transition game low and close up the offensive rebounds. It will be another game of 40 minutes. We showed we are able to compete against them. It’s on us to close the game when we have the possibility to do it.

Check out what the coaches and players are saying ahead of Game 2 of the 2025 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Playoffs

Playoffs pregame quotes, Game 2: 'Nothing is decided yet, we have to keep fighting'

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul v Paris Basketball (2025-04-24T17:45:00.000Z)

AS Monaco v FC Barcelona (2025-04-25T17:00:00.000Z)

Olympiacos Piraeus v Real Madrid (2025-04-25T18:30:00.000Z)

Tarik Biberovic scored a career-high 20 points as Fenerbahçe Beko beat Paris Basketball 89-72 in Game 2 to go 2-0 up in their EuroLeague Playoffs series.

Fenerbahce's Tarik Biberovic came of age in Game 2

[Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fenerbahce-beko-istanbul/ulk/) is one win away from reaching the 2025 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four following [its 89-72 triumph over Paris Basketball in Game 2](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/fenerbahce-downs-paris-89-72-to-take-2-0-lead-in-series/) on Thursday night. Fenerbahce has a solid 2-0 lead in the series after [a record-breaking first-half performance](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/fenerbahce-set-modern-playoff-record-in-blowout-game-2-win/) which allowed coach Sarunas Jasikevicius's team to control the game until the final buzzer.

Small forward [Tarik Biberovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/tarik-biberovic/006961/) was at the center of it all, being unstoppable in the opening three quarters in what was arguably his best game in seven EuroLeague seasons.

Biberovic paced Fenerbahce since the very beginning of the game, hitting an early three-pointer and adding a jumper to help his team get a 29-20 lead after 10 minutes. He kept hitting everything he took before the break, reaching halftime with 12 points on 3-of-3 two-pointers and 2-of-2 three-pointers.

Tarik Biberovic had a career-high 20 points to lead Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul to a second playoff win over Paris Basketball.

Biberovic led Fenerbahce in Game 2

"We played well as a team. We were sharing the ball and there were a lot of opportunities for me," Biberovic told EuroLeague TV after the game. "From three, from mid-range, in the paint, from the free-throw line... It doesn't actually matter: as long as we play this team game, offensively and defensively, each and every one of us can shine."

After enjoying a 61-38 lead at halftime, Fenerbahce struggled in the third quarter, right after [Devon Hall](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/devon-hall/011205/) gave his team its biggest lead of the night, 64-39. Fenerbahce was limited to just 8 points in the next six minutes but Biberovic had 7 of those: an off-balance shot, a pair of free throws, and a bomb from downtown. All that allowed Fenerbahce to hold a 76-57 lead after 30 minutes, enough to keep a safe margin for good.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Clark Kent? 🤔<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/YellowLegacy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#YellowLegacy</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EuroLeague?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EuroLeague</a> <a href="https://t.co/Rb6O4etoaQ">pic.twitter.com/Rb6O4etoaQ</a></p>&mdash; Fenerbahçe Beko (@FBBasketbol) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBBasketbol/status/1915504198982291710?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 24, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Biberovic finished the game with 20 points, a new career high, in his 114th game in the competition, beating his previous best of 18. He added 4 rebounds to amass a PIR of 21, matching his personal-best effort. 

On a night that saw three of Fenerbahce's big men ([Khem Birch](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/khem-birch/007182/), [Sertac Sanli](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/sertac-sanli/002968/) and [Jilson Bango](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/jilson-bango/013696/)) go scoreless despite combining for 27 minutes, Fenerbahce got solid contributions from all perimeters players and two of its most experienced stars: [Nicolo Melli](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nicolo-melli/002849/) had 7 points and 4 rebounds. [Nigel Hayes-Davis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nigel-hayes-davis/008962/) finished the game with 16 points, 7 rebounds and a game-high PIR of 26.

"It's easy. I mean, it's 20 points! It's a shame I didn't score 20 points \[in a EuroLeague game\] until now," Biberovic joked after the game. "To be honest, it's only 2-0 and nothing is finished yet. We are going to Paris and know how they play over there. They are actually a very, very fast team and never gives up. We need to finish the job, that's our mentality, and each and every one of us is thinking the same way. We have to finish the job."

Fenerbahce has its first chance to advance to the 2025 Final Four in Game 3, played at Adidas Arena in the French capital on Tuesday, April 29.

The 24-year-old had a career-defining performance that should boost his confidence to new limits 


Anadolu Efes Istanbul bounced back superbly from a tough loss to Turkish Airlines EuroLeague holder Panathinaikos AKTOT Athens in Game 1, leveling the quarterfinal playoff series after a comeback 76-79 victory in Game 2

Larkin got one over former mentor Ataman as Efes ran riot 

[Anadolu Efes Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/anadolu-efes-istanbul/ist/?season=2024-25) bounced back superbly from a tough loss to Turkish Airlines EuroLeague holder [Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/panathinaikos-aktor-athens/pan/?season=2024-25) in Game 1, leveling the quarterfinal playoff series after a comeback [76-79 victory in Game 2](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/anadolu-efes-beats-panathinaikos-76-79-to-even-the-series/).

The fascinating matchup now moves to Istanbul, where Efes will head into another doubleheader brimming with confidence after defying the odds to get back on an even keel following an [87-83 reverse in Game 1](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/panathinaikos-beats-efes-87-83-in-game-1/).

Having trailed by as many as 15 points on Thursday night, Efes turned the tide largely thanks to a majestic performance from stalwart [Shane Larkin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/shane-larkin/007200/), who shined in the fourth quarter as the visitors roared back to silence the fervent home crowd in the OAKA Arena.

A Masterpiece on the Mediterranean

Larkin showed the makings of a champion who guided Efes to successive titles in 2021 and 2022 under present Panathinaikos coach Ergin Ataman, handing his former boss a painful defeat, which threatens to derail the Greek club’s title defense.

Larkin was lethal when the chips were down, nailing a lay-up, a clutch spot-up three and finally a pair of free throws to seal Efes’s epic comeback in a raucous atmosphere, with [P.J. Dozier](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/perry-dozier-jr/012742/) also excelling down the stretch.

Humble as ever, Larkin played down the significance of his fourth-quarter heroics while crediting his teammates for a selfless and concerted effort, which forced the Greens into submission.

“We just had to stay together against this team of great players and coaches,” Larkin said in his postgame comments. “We have a young team but we had to stay poised as these fans here will try to get under your skin. When we are able to run our game we have a chance of beating anybody.”

Game Videos

Reflecting on the crunch triple that gave Efes a decisive 73-76 lead, Larkin said the contribution of each and every Efes player who stepped out on the court should be in the spotlight.

“It was a big play and a big shot and that’s what everybody is going to point to but it’s not what won the game,” he said. “All the energy plays that [Vince (Poirier)](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/vincent-poirier/004887/) and [Derek Willis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/derek-willis/009664/) made, guys like [Erkan Ylimaz](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/erkan-yilmaz/006372/) coming off the bench and giving us great minutes, those are the kinds of things that win games.  Now we have to refocus as they will try to get us in Istanbul.”

Poirier added: “In the second half, we shared the ball and played great defense, we were aggressive and unlike in Game 1, we had a strong finish. That’s the mentality we’ve got to bring to the next two games at home.”

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="tr" dir="ltr">📢 <a href="https://twitter.com/Migros_Turkiye?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Migros_Turkiye</a> ile Panathinaikos Aktor karşılaşmamızın en iyisi Shane Larkin!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Larkinile%C4%B0yisin?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Larkinileİyisin</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BenimYerimBuras%C4%B1?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BenimYerimBurası</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MigrosHepimize%C4%B0yiGelecek?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MigrosHepimizeİyiGelecek</a> <a href="https://t.co/uzgBgq5rqv">pic.twitter.com/uzgBgq5rqv</a></p>&mdash; Anadolu Efes SK (@AnadoluEfesSK) <a href="https://twitter.com/AnadoluEfesSK/status/1915522431013572643?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 24, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Efes head coach Luca Banchi acknowledged that his team looked sharper and more determined to come out on top than it did in the opening game, when Panathinaikos prevailed on the back of a fourth-quarter onslaught.

“We just tried to make our basketball simple and draw energy from our defense,” the Italian tactician said. “Both teams have players with the potential to win the game and in the end, we were pretty sharp and took the win to extend the series. We’re going to Istanbul in a good mood and with a good level of confidence,” he added.

Ataman was understandably unhappy with his team’s failure to seal the game in the fourth quarter, as victory would have given Panathinaikos a massive 2-0 lead ahead of the trip to Istanbul. His team now faces the daunting task of winning at least once in the Turkish capital to avoid elimination, but a stone-faced Ataman graciously praised his former protégé Larkin while criticizing his own outfit.

“We missed open shots and didn’t play good defense on Larkin in the fourth quarter while they hit some really tough shots,” he said. “Dozier and Larkin played great offense in the final period and it’s 1-1 now.”

The Turkish team’s playmaker showed the credentials of a double EuroLeague winner against the reigning champs 

Anadolu Efes Istanbul levelled its Turkish Airlines EuroLeague playoff series against reigning champion Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens after an impressive 76-79 road win in Game 2, having wiped out a 15-point deficit after trailing for the vast majority of the matchup.

Anadolu Efes beats Panathinaikos, 76-79, to even the series 

Anadolu Efes Istanbul levelled its Turkish Airlines EuroLeague playoff series against reigning champion Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens after an impressive 76-79 road win in Game 2, having wiped out a 15-point deficit after trailing for the vast majority of the matchup.

Player of the game Shane Larkin paced Efes with a game-high 20 points, including 8 in a dramatic finish when Efes turned the game on its head and boosted its hopes of reaching the 2025 Final Four after missing out on the postseason twice in a row.

Big man Vincent Poirier racked up 16 points and 10 boards for the visitors, Perry Dozier chipped in with 14 points while Dan Oturu posted 11 points and 4 boards.

At the other end, former Efes prodigy Cedi Osman led Panathinaikos on 16 points while the regular season’s MVP Kendrick Nunn added 14 after enduring another tough night, having shot 6 of 17 from the floor and just 1 of 6 from downtown. Jerian Grant scored 11 points for the home team and Omer Yurtseven added 10, with the Greens committing 14 turnovers against just 17 assists.

Grant, who hit a clutch three in Game 1 which propelled Panathinaikos to an 87-83 win, carried on right where he left off as he made a pair of deep shots helping the Greens to an early 8-0 lead. Efes responded with a 1-10 run but Osman then hit top gear to rack up 11 points in the first quarter as the hosts romped away to 29-17 at the end of the opening period. Efes looked in trouble after Yurtseven hit a triple in the opening play of the second quarter to give the home team its biggest lead of the game but the visitors then ramped up their defense, slashing the deficit to 42-36 at halftime.

Panathinaikos still looked in cruise control in the third, with Efes going ice-cold from the floor as the Turkish outfit made its first field goal six minutes into the period, with the Greens leading 53-39 midway through. With Efes closing in to 55-50, the home faithful were in raptures at the end of the third as Kostas Sloukas hit an audacious three on the buzzer, giving Panathinaikos a substantial 60-50 advantage ahead of the final 10 minutes of the absorbing clash.

With Nunn subdued by airtight perimeter defense and aggressive half-court hustle from the visitors, Efes kept chipping at the home side as PJ Dozier caught fire and scored nine points in the fourth quarter to instigate the epic comeback completed by Larkin.

The livewire guard made it 73-73 with a breathtaking reverse layup before he buried a tough spot-up three with a defender in his face, giving Efes its first lead since early in the first quarter. Poirier then made one of two free throws as Efes edged ahead 73-77 before Nunn sank his only triple of the night to give Panathinaikos a glimmer of hope.

However, it was not to be as Larkin was ice cool from the foul line before Nunn missed heavily with a pair of tough shots from downtown in the home team’s final possession of an enthralling night in the Greek capital.  

The Turkish side turned a rip-roaring contest on its head after trailing by as many as 15 points against the reigning champs 

Efes beats Panathinaikos, 76-79, to even the series 

Fenerbahce Beko absolutely dominated as it beat Paris Basketball in Game 2 to take a 2-0 series lead, with a stunning first half sending the team towards the win.

Fenerbahce set modern playoff record in blowout Game 2 win 

It was a perfect night for [Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fenerbahce-beko-istanbul/ulk/) as it defended its home-court advantage with [an 89-72 victory in Game 2](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/fenerbahce-downs-paris-89-72-to-take-2-0-lead-in-series/) of its best-of-five playoff series against [Paris Basketball](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/paris-basketball/prs/). Coach Sarunas Jasikevicius's team has a 2-0 lead and needs just one more win to punch its ticket to Abu Dhabi. This time, it also made sure to please its fans with a truly historical performance.

Fenerbahce scored 61 first-half points, the most by any team since the playoffs came back in 2005, and the most by any team in a quarterfinals game. Kinder Bologna had 65 first-half points against Adeeco Estudiantes in Game 1 of the 2001 eighthfinals, back in the competition's original season. It was its first postseason step to become the first-ever EuroLeague champion.

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul scored 61 first-half points, the most in a quarterfinals playoff game ever, in Game 2 of its series against Paris Basketball.

Fenerbahce's historical first half

The hosts' offense was close to perfection, pushed by an incredible crowd that fed off Fenerbahce's energy. Fenerbahce hit 15-of-17 two-pointers (88.2% 2FG), 8-of-13 three-pointers (61.5% 3FG) and 7-of-8 free throws (87.5% FT), getting 11 first-half assists and outrebounding Paris 16-12. Fenerbahce had a first-half PIR of 79, 50 of more than Paris (29).

As many as eight different players had 100% two-point shooting before the break. Four players were also 100% from beyond the arc. [Tarik Biberovic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/tarik-biberovic/006961/) led the way with 12 points on 3-of-3 two-pointers and 2-of-2 three-pointers. He finished the game with 20 points, a new career high. [Nigel Hayes-Davis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nigel-hayes-davis/008962/) had 12 of his 16 points before the break.

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It all started for Fenerbahce with a solid first quarter, something that had not happened against Paris before. In three previous games against coach Tiago Splitter's team, Paris always led at the end of the first quarter: 26-16 in Round 17, 17-24 in Round 31 and 18-22 in Game 1 of this series. Not this time, as Fenerbahce was locked in since the opening tip.

Fenerbahce led 29-20 at the end of the first quarter, hitting 5-of-6 two-pointers and 5-of-8 three-pointers, grabbing 8 defensive rebounds in 10 minutes and amassing a PIR of 39.

"The numbers don't really matter; in the playoffs, it's all about taking wins," Jasikevicius told EuroLeague TV after Game 2. "It's all about protecting your home court. In this case, I thought you said we were great in the first half. We need to build on that. And first of all, it is important to be smart and not think that the series is over."

Jasikevicius also had some kind words for the Fenerbahce supporters.

"They were fantastic, really. In general, Game 1 was very difficult moments and today, we controlled the game after the second quarter. But the crowd is special, this Fenerbahce crowd in the playoffs."

The Turkish side's near-perfect first half earned its place in the EuroLeague's record books


Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul took another step forward to reach the 2025 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four in Abu Dhabi by thrashing Paris Basketball 89-72 in Game 2 of their best-of-five series on Thursday. 

Fenerbahce downs Paris, 89-72, to take 2-0 lead in series

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul took another step forward towards reaching the 2025 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four in Abu Dhabi after thrashing Paris Basketball 89-72 in Game 2 of their best-of-five series on Thursday. Saras Jasikevicius's men now have a 2-0 lead against Paris and need just one more win to qualify to the next round. Paris is in a do-or-die situation and hosts Game 3 on Tuesday.

Tarik Biberovic led the winners with a career-high 20 points. Nigel Hayes-Davis added 16, Marko Guduric had 13 while Wade Baldwin got 11 for Fenerbahce. TJ Shorts led Paris with 18 points. Nadir Hifi added 15 and Tyson Ward 10 for the guests.

Shorts needed just 19 seconds to find his first points before feeding Kevarrius Hayes for a backdoor layup. Guduric answered from downtown, then Bonzie Colson erased Shorts's driving layup with a big basket in transition for a 5-6 Fenerbahce deficit. Colson took over with a four-point play and Hayes-Davis scored in penetration to cap a 10-0 run that gave Fenerbahe a 12-6 edge. Hayes-Davis kept pacing Fenerbahce, Hifi followed a layup with a jumper and Bandja Sy's tip-in kept Paris within 16-12. Hayes-Davis and Yakuba Ouattara each struck from beyond the arc, as did Biberovic for a 22-15 score. Ward scored off a steal that Hall improved with a corner triple. Ward got help from Shorts to bring Paris closer, 25-20. Biberovic hit a mid-range jumper which Hall followed with a driving layup for a 29-20 Fenerbahce lead after 10 minutes.

Hayes hit a jump hook early in the second quarter, then Ward bettered Dyshawn Pierre's layup with a step-back triple for a 31-25 Paris deficit. Biberovic and a red-hot Ward traded baskets before Shorts's driving layup made it a four-point game, 33-29. Baldwin scored off a spin move and banked in a three-pointer to restore a 38-29 Fenerbahce lead. Mikael Jantunen stepped up with a tip-in that Hayes-Davis matched with a layup. Shorts rescued Paris, but Biberovic hit an off-balance shot and followed Nicolo Melli's dunk with a bomb from downtown that made it a double-digit game, 47-36. Guduric and Jantunen exchanged layups before Melli's triple boosted the hosts' lead to 52-38. Melli hit a jumper, then Guduric's layup broke the game open 56-38. Errick McCollum downed a jumper before Hayes-Davis made it a 23-point game, 61-38, at halftime.

 

Hall struck from downtown soon after the break, capping a 15-1 Fenerbahce run. Shorts took over with an up-and-under layup and soon brought Paris a bit closer, 64-43. Biberovic scored in penetration and Shorts banked in a close shot. Biberovic kept pacing Fenerbahce but didn't find much help. Meanwhile, Hifi and Ouattara kept Paris within 68-49. Biberovic ignited he crowd with a big three-pointer, Collin Malcolm scored at the other end and Hifi's triple gave the guests hope at 72-54. Jantunen hit one from beyond the arc, Baldwin answered with a baseline jumper and beat the third-quarter buzzer with a turnaround shot that restored a 76-57 Fenerbahce lead.

Shorts stepped up with a driving layup early in the fourth quarter. Jantunen added a put-back basket for a 76-61 score with 8 minutes left. Fenerbahce kept struggling to score until Guduric took over with a wild reverse layup. Hayes-Davis dunked off a spin move and added a one-handed floater in the lane that sealed the outcome, 82-62, with less than 6 minutes remaining. Paris kept trying but it was already too little, too late for coach Tiago Splitter's team. Meanwhile, Fenerbahce fans had plenty of time to celebrate a crucial win in dominant fashion! 

Tarik Biberovic's career scoring night paced Fenerbahce to a Game 2 victory


A starring performance in series-opening victory has seen Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens forward Juancho Hernangomez secure Game 1 MVP honors with a career-high PIR of 40, the joint third highest PIR recorded by a player in modern playoff history.

Playoffs Game 1 MVP: Juancho Hernangomez, Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens

A starring performance in a series-opening victory has seen Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens forward [Juancho Hernangomez](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/juancho-hernangomez/012712/) secure Game 1 MVP honors with a career-high PIR of 40, the joint third highest PIR recorded by a player in modern playoff history.

In Panathinaikos’s 87-83 comeback win over Anadolu Efes Istanbul, Hernangomez had a career-high 20 points on 7-of-7 two-pointers and 2-of-5 threes, as well as a career-best 16 rebounds – the joint most in modern playoff history – 3 assists, a joint career-high 3 steals, a joint career-best 2 blocks, and 3 fouls drawn. This is the first time that Hernangomez has earned MVP of the Round honors, while his number of rebounds (16) and PIR (40) were both new club records in a playoff game.

The next-best index rating belonged to [Sasha Vezenkov](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/sasha-vezenkov/003469/), who posted a 31 PIR in Olympiacos Piraeus’s 84-72 triumph over Real Madrid. Vezenkov amassed 23 points on 5-of-7 twos, 3-of-4 threes and 4-of-6 free throws, 7 rebounds, 3 steals and 3 fouls drawn.

Efes’s [Vincent Poirier](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/vincent-poirier/004887/) finished with a 29 PIR – tying his season high – in his side’s loss at Panathinaikos, having recorded 17 points on 7-of-8 twos and 3-of-4 free throws, 8 rebounds, including 4 on the offensive end, 2 assists, 1 steal, and 5 blocks, which is a modern playoff record.

[Elie Okobo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/elie-okobo/011212/) of AS Monaco had a 26 PIR as his squad downed FC Barcelona 97-80. The guard posted 19 points on 5-of-7 twos, 2-of-3 threes and 3-of-4 free throws, 2 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals and 4 fouls drawn.

Rounding out the list of top performers is Barcelona’s [Youssoupha Fall](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/youssoupha-fall/006568/), who had a joint season-high 13 points on perfect shooting, going 5 of 5 on twos and 3 of 3 on free throws, a season-best 14 total rebounds and a joint season-high 5 on the offensive end, 1 steal and 2 fouls drawn.

### Individual highs: Juancho Hernangomez, Panathinaikos, 16 rebounds

Olympiacos’s Sasha Vezenkov led all players in Game 1 with 23 points. Panathinaikos’s [Kendrick Nunn](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/kendrick-nunn/012774/) is the EuroLeague’s leading scorer this season with 20.9 points per game.

Juancho Hernangomez of Panathinaikos tied a modern playoff record with 16 rebounds, more than anyone else in Game 1. He is the new rebounding leader this season with 7.0 rebounds per night.

Monaco’s Elie Okobo and Paris Basketball’s [TJ Shorts](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/tj-shorts/012608/) both dished 7 assists, the most of any player. Shorts is the season leader in assists with 7.5 dimes per contest.

Real Madrid’s [Andres Feliz](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/andres-feliz/011247/) made a career-high 4 steals, more than anyone else in Game 1. FC Bayern Munich’s [Nick Weiler-Babb](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nick-weiler-babb/010391/), whose team has been eliminated from the postseason, averaged a league-best 1.5 steals per game.

Vincent Poirier of Efes blocked 5 shots in Game 1, which is a modern playoff record. Monaco’s [Georgios Papagiannis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/georgios-papagiannis/005844/) is atop the charts in blocks with 1.4 rejections per night.

Juancho Hernangomez (20 points, 16 rebounds) and Youssoupha Fall (13 points, 14 rebounds) were the only players to record a double-double in Game 1.

His first-ever MVP of the Round award came on a career night for the Spanish forward

Olympiacos Piraeus’s defense recorded 7 steals in the first 20 minutes alone and scored 21 points off of Real Madrid's turnovers, which translated into one-fourth of the team’s points on the night (84) to win Game 1 of their EuroLeague Playoffs series

Olympiacos’s defense set the tone from the off against Real Madrid

A drop in form saw [Olympiacos Piraeus](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/olympiacos-piraeus/oly/) win just two of its last five regular-season games, having conceded 81, 81, 80, 92 and 93 points. In the meantime, heading into Wednesday’s clash, a galloping [Real Madrid](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/real-madrid/games/mad/?season=2024-25) had won seven of its last eight games, netting 105, 91 and 93 points in their last three victories.

Injuries paid their toll on the Reds, with the aforementioned outings raising concerns ahead of the playoffs. Yet, in the first game of the season where Georgios Bartzokas had all his players at his disposal, Olympiacos showed defensive strength from the off to strangle Real Madrid’s offense.

*Los Blancos* ended the first half with a season-high 13 turnovers, finishing the game with 19 - the most in club history in a Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Playoff game. Olympiacos’s defense recorded 7 steals in the first 20 minutes alone and finished the game with 9. More importantly, Bartzokas’s side made the most of those errors by netting 21 points off turnovers, which translated into one-fourth of the team’s points on the night (84).

Olympiacos’s defense set the tone against Real Madrid

Olympiacos's defense set the tone against Real Madrid

Olympiacos kept Real Madrid to just 29 points in the first half, laying the foundation for [a hard-fought Game 1 win](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/olympiacos-takes-care-of-real-madrid-84-72-in-game-1/) by taking an 18-point lead into the third quarter.

“Our defense in the first half was solid and we set the tone by winning by 18 points at halftime and then we managed to win the game without being really in danger,” Bartzokas told EuroLeague TV after the game.

Indeed, Olympiacos maintained a double-digit lead throughout the second half despite Real Madrid winning each of the last two quarters (17-22, 20-21).

“When we played with really good speed and physicality, things really worked well for us,” [Thomas Walkup](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/thomas-walkup/008855/), who returned from a three-and-a-half-month absence, said in the post-game press conference. “We played with good physicality on defense. They ended with 72 points, that’s a great number for such an offensively talented team.”

Yet, history has proved that a win in Game 1 anything but seals qualification to the Final Four. In fact, Olympiacos won its first games against [AS Monaco](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/as-monaco/mco/?season=2024-25), [Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fenerbahce-beko-istanbul/ulk/?season=2024-25) and [FC Barcelona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fc-barcelona/bar/?season=2024-25) in each of the last three season’s playoffs but lost all three Game 2s, with each of the series going to a nail-biting Game 5.

“A five-game series is short,” Walkup added. “So, to start off well… we’ve done it. We had really good energy from the crowd tonight. The challenge is Game 2. Game 1 was great, we won it and now it’s behind us already. The last three years, we won Game 1, but we’ve lost Game 2.”

And Real Madrid is no newcomer in the EuroLeague. The Spanish powerhouse has been there before and bounced back in style against Panathinaikos Athens in the 2017-18 Playoffs. The Greens thrashed *Los Blancos* [95-67](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2017-18/panathinaikos-superfoods-athens-real-madrid/E2017/242/#boxscore) at OAKA in Game 1, but Pablo Laso’s team hadn’t said the last word. Not only did Real Madrid prevail in Game 2, but they won three in a row to clinch a spot in the Final Four and then went all the way to the trophy led by a certain [Luka Doncic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/luka-doncic/005929/).

“The playoffs are always a battle,” Bartzokas said in the press conference. “It’s about the day, the approach, the physicality you present to the court.”

With Game 2 scheduled for Friday, Olympiacos’s first-half defense could serve as a springboard in its bid to make the most of its home-court advantage.

“\[In Game 2\] we have to impose our rhythm, especially in front of these amazing fans, and then we can make it 2-0,” [Nikola Milutinov](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nikola-milutinov/003941/) told EuroLeague TV after the game.

Real Madrid showed in the second half of Wednesday’s game that it has what it takes to fight back and upset the Reds. But the hosts also demonstrated that they boast the defensive prowess to contain any opponent, especially at a buzzing Peace and Friendship Stadium.

The Reds forced Los Blancos into 19 turnovers in Wednesday night's win

Olympiacos Piraeus v Real Madrid (2025-04-23T18:30:00.000Z)