Olympiacos vs Panathinaikos

Olympiacos enjoyed a near-flawless regular season, securing the top spot in the standings and comfortably dispatching Real Madrid 3–1 in the quarterfinals. Heading into the semifinals against Monaco, widely regarded as the weakest team in the Final Four, Olympiacos were favored to advance to another EuroLeague final.

However, they delivered their most disappointing performance of the season, crumbling under pressure and losing to Monaco. After briefly leading in the second quarter, they trailed for the remainder of the game. Their star player, Sasha Vezenkov, who had been a dominant force and MVP candidate during the regular season, faltered in the clutch, managing just nine points and missing all six of his three-point shots, four in the opening five minutes. Evan Fournier’s 31-point outburst, which accounted for nearly half of Olympiacos’ points, sparked a late third-quarter rally from a 13-point deficit, but Monaco’s stifling defense overwhelmed them.

Olympiacos posted their lowest offensive output of the season, with a dismal offensive rating, minimal assists, and one of their worst shooting performances. This collapse highlighted a recurring issue for Olympiacos, underscoring the need for a reliable ball-handler and shooting threat—a role Keenan Evans was expected to fill before missing the entire season.

Similarly, Panathinaikos, the defending EuroLeague champions, find themselves relegated to the third-place game, falling short of their goal to repeat last season’s triumph. In the semifinals, they were outplayed by Fenerbahce, trailing from start to finish.

Despite assembling a roster arguably stronger than last year’s, Panathinaikos struggled with consistency, particularly on the road, where they suffered nine of their 12 regular-season losses. Coach Ergin Ataman, known for keeping his players composed under pressure, couldn’t replicate that magic this time. Regular-season MVP Kendrick Nunn underperformed in both the quarterfinals against Anadolu Efes and the semifinal, scoring 17 points against Fenerbahce but missing all five three-point attempts and fouling out early in the fourth quarter after just 23 minutes.

Despite his struggles, Panathinaikos had a +12 point differential with him on the court. Kostas Sloukas, however, was the biggest letdown, scoring only two points and posting a -13 point differential in just over 15 minutes. Juancho Hernangómez also disappointed with a mere five points. The team’s offense stagnated, managing only two three-pointers—both by Jerian Grant early on—before going nearly 30 minutes without a single made shot from beyond the arc. The return of Mathias Lessort after a five-month absence didn’t provide the expected boost, as he clearly lacked match fitness.