Despite missing several key players, the home team produced a flawless performance against Partizan
Shorthanded Panathinaikos showed the makings of a champion
Article
3 Mins read
Regular Season
Round 20 of 34
Group Regular Season
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Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens stayed firmly on course to reach the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague playoffs with a 96-84 home win over Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade, which lifted the Greens into second place in the standings on a 13-7 record.
The victory was all the more impressive given that the Greek side missed a number of key players through injury, namely point guards Kostas Sloukas and Lorenzo Brown as well as center Mathias Lessort, who is out for the long term with a fractured fibula.
In their absence, several players stepped up big time and carried Panathinaikos to a convincing win as the Greens led by 23 points late in the game, before taking their foot off the gas in closing stages.
Ejected in the dying minutes of the reverse fixture when he had a forgettable night, Kendrick Nunn came back with a vengeance to score 25 points as Panathinaikos got sweet revenge for a 91-73 drubbing they suffered in the cauldron of the Belgrade Arena.
Game Videos
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EuroLeague & Friends Episode 13: It's an Italian thing!
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Sloukas to Yurtseven alley-oop! Motorola Magic Moment
- 01:18
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Sterling Brown: 'I love this team'
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Tyrique Jones rocks the iron! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:22
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Tyrique Jones does it all! Motorola Magic Moment
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Yurtseven's put-back slam! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:31
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Big dunk from Tyrique Jones! Motorola Magic Moment of the Night
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Tyrique Jones with a big slam! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:14
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Tyrique Jones on the alley-oop! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:13
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Big dunk from Tyrique Jones! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:59
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Jerian Grant: 'Guys were hurt, we had to step up'
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Kalaitzakis flushes it down on the break! Motorola Magic Moment
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Fine dunk from Yurtseven! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:16
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Big dunk from Hernangomez! Motorola Magic Moment
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Carlik Jones: 'We want to keep being better versions of ourselves'
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Showtime in Belgrade! Motorola Magic Moment of the Night
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Kendrick Nunn: 'Omer Yurtseven's performance is not a surprise'
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Monster block from Brandon Davies! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:08
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Hernangomez steals and dunks! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:12
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Monster dunk from Sterling Brown! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:19
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Yurtseven posterizes Akele Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:09
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Carlik Jones steals and dunks! Motorola Magic Moment
- 01:24
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Kostas Sloukas: 'We dedicate this win to Mathias Lessort'
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Tyrique Jones violates the rim! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:35
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Tyrique Jones on the alley oop! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:19
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Mike with a monster jam! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:09
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Nunn hammers it home on the break! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:14
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Tyrique Jones at it again! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:11
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Davies with a fine dunk! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:42
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Superman Tyrique! Motorola Magic Moment of the Night
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Anadolu Efes Istanbul-Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade | RS Round 17 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
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Tyrique Jones shines at both ends! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:42
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Kendrick Nunn: 'We need everyone to keep Mathias in their prayers'
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Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens-Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz | RS Round 17 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
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Lessort rocks the rim in style! Motorola Magic Moment
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Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade-LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne | RS Round 16 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 01:51
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Kendrick Nunn: 'We needed that energy, that spark'
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Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens-EA7 Emporio Armani Milan | RS Round 16 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
On Thursday, the hosts turned their OAKA Arena into a fortress as Jerian Grant produced a masterclass performance with a career-high PIR of 33, while Omer Yurtseven dished out a majestic second half when he scored 16 of his 17 points.
The effort, complemented by 18 points from Cedi Osman and 15 by Juancho Hernangomez, who also collected 8 rebounds, pleased the home team’s head coach Ergin Ataman who heaped praise on his team’s top performers.
“It’s an amazing victory, perhaps the most important of the season so far because without Brown and Sloukas we had to play a different kind of basketball,” the Turkish tactician said in his post-game comments.
“Amazing defense, we moved the ball well thanks to Grant who had a perfect game. We never make excuses [for injuries]. Mathias Lessort is the best center in the EuroLeague, but Omer Yurtseven did a great job tonight. We also missed Brown and Sloukas but Nunn, Grant and Cedi Osman managed very well in their absence. We showed the character of a champion.”
Grant, who amassed 14 points, 8 assists and 7 rebounds in an all-round display at both ends, hailed the home fans who generated an electrifying atmosphere that carried Panathinaikos as the hosts roared back from an early 2-8 deficit.
“I feel great,” Grant said. “I was always going to play a lot of minutes tonight because guys were hurt. We had to step up and we got the win. The fans were great, they are always here for us and when we play at home we feel we can beat anybody.”
Nunn, who was handed a one-game suspension after being ejected in Belgrade for unsportsmanlike conduct and missed the subsequent 93-67 mauling at Anadolu Efes Istanbul, looks a different player after returning to action.
The former NBA stalwart netted a total of 144 points in the 5-0 streak Panathinaikos conjured since the Istanbul debacle, which is an ominous warning to the EuroLeague champion’s rivals for the rest of the regular season.
“It was our best home game yet as we always have enough, no matter who’s in or out,” Nunn said courtside. “We’re pretty deep and whoever is playing, we expect to win.”