The reigning champs produced a stellar fourth-quarter comeback against the Turkish team to nose ahead in the series
Panathinaikos beats Efes, 87-83, in Game 1
Game Report
3 Mins read
Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens took the lead in its Turkish Airlines EuroLeague playoff series against Anadolu Efes Istanbul with an 87-83 home win in Game 1 on the back of an impressive fightback in the last 10 minutes of an absorbing contest. Juancho Hernangomez paced defending champs Panathinaikos with career-highs of 20 points and 16 boards in an epic battle against Efes big man Vincent Poirier.
Kendrick Nunn, who was awarded his EuroLeague MVP Trophy by EuroLeague president Dejan Bodiroga prior to the game, struggled from the floor all night but still netted 15 points on 4-of-15 shooting while Omer Yurtseven racked up 14 points and 7 boards. Kostas Sloukas scored 13 points for the Greens and Cedi Osman chipped in with 11 against his boyhood club.
At the other end, Shane Larkin and Poirier poured in 17 points apiece for Efes but each missed a clutch free throw in the home stretch, enabling Panathinaikos to grind out the win after Jerian Grant sank a corner three, his only points of the game, to make the score 85-80 in the final minute. Elijah Bryant netted 14 points for Efes and Derek Willis added 11, all of them in the second quarter when the Turkish outfit came up with a breathtaking 0-17 blitz that turned a 32-23 deficit into a 32-40 lead.
Game Videos
- 00:57
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Juancho Hernangomez: 'We have a lot of talent, everybody can step up'
- 00:44
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Jerian Grant: 'That's what championship teams do'
![https://media-cdn.cortextech.io/d9020bd2-42d4-4eaf-89e5-aaea0842cf2e.jpg]()
Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens-Anadolu Efes Istanbul | PO Game-1 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:24
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2025/04/22/n96YhWsSFpKfGjkKhsZuuCektsIoRy7I-1745354833470.jpg]()
Yurtseven at it again! Motorola Magic Moment of the Night
- 00:11
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Grant seals the win! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:11
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Juancho flies to the rim! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:16
![https://media-cdn.cortextech.io/bbf9f2a0-f2f9-4ed7-942c-5e4713479b38.jpg?crop=1080%3A608%3Anowe%3A134%3A34]()
Larkin and Dozier conjure some magic! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:10
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/b34c15d6-1cd9-4a42-8f8b-d58c18a37979.jpg?crop=1238%3A697%3Anowe%3A56%3A57]()
Oturu with a strong dunk! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:13
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/45829618-26f0-4e3f-9d81-44256e7d5a23.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A106%3A92]()
Poirier rips the rim! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:09
![https://media-cdn.cortextech.io/156a71c3-c1c5-4945-b424-73a283cc80fa.jpg?crop=1080%3A608%3Anowe%3A29%3A41]()
Yurtseven on the alley-oop! Motorola Magic Moment
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/zABPwH6d3ic/maxresdefault.jpg]()
Follow the post-game press conferences here
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Kendrick NUNN Got MIC’D UP and SCORED BIG | AS Monaco - Panathinaikos
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The 7th Star - Trailer
- 00:52
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Kendrick Nunn: 'The one I'm most proud of is the 10 assists'
![https://media-cdn.cortextech.io/d2db2da2-5747-4a2c-85d5-6c3fce493ffc.jpg]()
Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens-Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade | RS Round 34 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:24
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2025/04/11/MXcx4LkFEnOKhPmsO0LXp0aXi26avpvx-1744410398344.jpg]()
Poirier with a big dunk! Motorola Magic Moment of the Night
- 02:30
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2025/04/11/3D1fS9AhhfucshuEtg1t2CcfNC6p4lyR-1744402127807.jpg]()
Shane Larkin: 'We've had to win every single game to get here'
![https://media-cdn.cortextech.io/ba942191-98e0-4bac-a768-97dba111b91c.jpg]()
Anadolu Efes Istanbul-Zalgiris Kaunas | RS Round 34 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:16
![https://media-cdn.cortextech.io/be488eb7-2d92-4c1f-b820-64c286bde8d5.jpg?crop=1272%3A716%3Anowe%3A39%3A38]()
Nwora with a massive dunk! Motorola Magic Moment
![https://media-cdn.cortextech.io/5745c3ce-50b2-42e2-a95f-1d0feff48a07.jpeg?crop=1600%3A900%3Anowe%3A0%3A0]()
EuroLeague 25 Moments: When Panathinaikos took Virtus’s crown in 2002
- 00:52
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2025/04/05/i0HFkioIF819oZ650F0w0quDBsDi2rno-1743811398064.jpg]()
Vincent Poirier: 'Really proud of the team and what we've accomplished so far'
![https://media-cdn.cortextech.io/6183de28-f75a-4657-9218-b3ef7593c469.jpg]()
Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade-Anadolu Efes Istanbul | RS Round 33 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:12
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/74e28ff0-dfaa-456c-9394-2979296d10f4.jpg?crop=1156%3A650%3Anowe%3A84%3A38]()
A sublime alley oop from Poirier! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:09
![https://media-cdn.cortextech.io/c45030af-08dc-4106-8d02-ce3f5a34ee69.jpg?crop=1172%3A659%3Anowe%3A103%3A62]()
A ferocious dunk from Thompson! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:41
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2025/04/03/PchRDipgrWw8Wm4qky502dJQhCdeRhKK-1743707912261.jpg]()
Kendrick Nunn: 'We came here with one job: to win'
![https://media-cdn.cortextech.io/4990cf7f-d53c-41a1-9be1-9ff5569e3f25.jpg]()
AS Monaco-Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens | RS Round 33 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:11
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/7528d58e-ee90-4218-bdc1-3a7c9743d6b4.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A93%3A97]()
Title hereGabriel attacks the rim! Motorola Magic Moment
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/848bf0eb-f634-416b-9d86-c9dab468d332.jpg]()
Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens-Paris Basketball | RS Round 32 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/d609197f-c83a-4032-ac31-e10863a4c457.jpg]()
Anadolu Efes Istanbul-Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv | RS Round 32 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:12
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/9b1372f7-1126-4a53-9824-2219ca5d179b.jpg?crop=1294%3A728%3Anowe%3A0%3A74]()
Thompson to Poirier alley-oop! Motorola Magic Moment
- 01:24
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2025/03/26/EOyWLssBSx43QuUhIqlSgaiej6czqdBG-1743025381196.jpg]()
Juancho Hernangomez: 'Great teams keep fighting until the end'
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/ef5799c3-50b4-4c70-b294-33bf62ebb034.jpg]()
Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv-Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens | RS Round 31 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:32
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2025/03/26/CKyFT0RrQ08EH0pL46rz5URc75xCt0N3-1743025105690.jpg]()
Shane Larkin breaking ankles! Motorola Magic Moment of the Night
- 00:22
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/7528d58e-ee90-4218-bdc1-3a7c9743d6b4.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A68%3A100]()
Gabriel dominates on both ends! Motorola Magic Moment
- 01:31
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2025/03/26/ncgaNO3XPDpfrCWGdJpVzKoaktciWAQr-1743019011423.jpg]()
Shane Larkin: 'To catch our rhythm at the right time is perfect'
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/1b30c0c0-b546-4c20-a562-c140663c88f9.jpg]()
Anadolu Efes Istanbul-Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz | RS Round 31 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:15
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/e2e01d21-deb5-47f6-b9f7-bc119c8a2fe3.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A112%3A43]()
Nunn rejects Clark! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:15
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/1849ca30-8e30-4f6b-bf57-a39d5d49d680.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A61%3A81]()
Jordan Nwora denies his opponent! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:12
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/57539679-5394-420e-b104-0b7a93f5b449.jpg?crop=1282%3A722%3Anowe%3A44%3A73]()
Bryant sets up Poirier for an alley-oop! Motorola Magic Moment
- 01:12
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2025/03/21/BEHrPoM5NhA5860LguXEnWNzHU2mpEjY-1742597326494.jpg]()
Elijah Bryant: 'Maybe I'll have some ice cream to celebrate'
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/1e29304b-abd7-4650-85b0-12746ef3a04f.jpg]()
Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade-Anadolu Efes Istanbul | RS Round 30 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:42
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2025/03/21/H6TmEwqY82GcfHHbJGVPaFfTkyTeWkIE-1742597449396.jpg]()
Jerian Grant: 'It was one of the most special nights of my life'
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/e3b816b9-d399-410f-aac3-89d5687d83d2.jpg]()
Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens-ALBA Berlin | RS Round 30 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:14
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/ac768296-293c-487a-939b-9f16e3e3e9b6.jpg?crop=1080%3A608%3Anowe%3A87%3A105]()
Nunn destroys the rim! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:18
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/60743b98-167c-46e3-b352-6819d6292c7c.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A161%3A77]()
Oturu with a incredible play! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:19
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/a5531d46-00eb-44d5-9926-d78f7079edff.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A202%3A67]()
Papapetrou beats the buzzer! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:23
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2025/03/14/YCQTdS296Lon0Q4niGHTzgN3MIMGO3Pa-1741990038659.jpg]()
Oturu's alley-oop slam! Motorola Magic Moment of the Night
- 01:21
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2025/03/14/6UVHnj7jbET7UhW8CGswHy04ydc6F92B-1741991017499.jpg]()
Shane Larkin: 'We're in playoff mode right now'
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/1d698d65-16a1-4c8d-b1aa-b39d52c352b3.jpg]()
FC Bayern Munich-Anadolu Efes Istanbul | RS Round 29 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/994e7012-87de-49af-b5a5-6e9fbebfab2f.jpg]()
Olympiacos Piraeus-Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens | RS Round 29 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
A balanced workload on offense saw Panathinaikos engineer a 21-18 lead at the end of the first quarter, as the visitors relied entirely on Poirier and Bryant to score their points in the opening 10 minutes.
Panathinaikos romped away to 30-20 early in the second quarter but then came the Efes whirlwind which silenced a fervent home crowd at OAKA Arena and helped the visiting team to a promising 40-48 lead at the interval.
Panathinaikos looked in trouble as Efes extended its advantage to 43-55 early in the second half, with Nunn misfiring and Poirier dominating the paint. Both teams played in fits and starts throughout the third quarter, with Hernangomez instrumental in keeping Panathinaikos alive with a monster performance at both ends of the court.
Having trailed 60-72 late in the third quarter, Panathinaikos came up with a 12-0 run powered by the unstoppable Hernangomez, who was 9-of-12 from the floor including 7-of-7 from inside while he also relentlessly picked up the rebounds in his own paint.
With the game hanging in the balance late in the fourth, Larkin and Poirier faltered from the foul line while Grant put a subdued performance behind with the crunch three which sealed a titanic battle.
