Green triumph at Madrid, Red strolling at Kaunas
Greece’s Euroleague representatives recorded statement victories on the road this week, showing they could both reach the Final Four of the tournament at the end of the season.
Panathinaikos beat Real Madrid in Spain on Thursday for the first time in 11 years, with an emphatic 97-86 score and a performance that should be the compass for the rest of the remaining away games.
Euroleague leader Real Madrid suffered its first home loss this season as Panathinaikos was more determined and fairly prolific, leading for almost the entire game in Spain after the first period. Even when the host temporarily grabbed the lead (52-50), the Greens had the answer on one of their best nights this year.
Mathias Lessort scored a Euroleague career high of 26 points and Kendrick Nunn added his 17, in Panathinaikos’ 17th win in 27 games.
The Greens are now joint third, while Olympiakos is sixth after dismissing host Zalgiris Kaunas 95-76 in Lithuania.
An impressive second half sealed the Greek champion’s supremacy, turning the slender half-time lead of two points (41-39) into a convincing 19-point win in the end.
Thomas Walkup (22 points) and Shaquielle McKissic (20) paced the Reds, who are now on a 16-11 record.
