Panathinaikos vs Anadolu Efes

In Game 5 of their EuroLeague quarterfinal playoffs, Panathinaikos will host Anadolu Efes. At 2-2, this series is deadlocked. The victor will face Fenerbahce in the semi-finals of the Final Four. See our prediction for this match by reading on.

Although it hasn't seemed like it, Panathinaikos holds home court advantage in this series. In this game of life or death, they will be hoping to step up and make a difference.

The team led by Ergin Ataman won Game 1 at home but lost Game 2. They were unable to finish the series last time out, necessitating Game 5, but they would take Game 3 in Turkey.

The Greek powerhouses, who have won two of their last three Game 5s, are the reigning European champions. In the playoffs, Omer Yurtseven, Kostas Sloukas, Kendrick Nunn, and Cedi Osman are all averaging at least ten points.

Every time they fell behind in this series, Anadolu Efes rallied. This has demonstrated the squad's tenacity and moral fiber.

Since this is now a win-or-go-home scenario, they cannot afford to fall behind once more. Luca Banchi's team won Game 4 85-82 after withstanding Panathinaikos' heroic comeback in the fourth quarter.

Panathinaikos has clear reasons for frustration, as a review of past games shows they were strong favorites in this series but didn’t fully seize their advantage. Notably, they also faced elimination in last season’s playoffs, yet secured a Game 5 victory at OAKA against Maccabi Tel Aviv, paving the way for their EuroLeague championship.

With all four games decided in the final moments, Panathinaikos cannot afford a weak mindset—particularly since the team often struggles when plans falter. In Game 4, they overcame a 10-point deficit in just two minutes and briefly led by 4, only to hit a scoring slump. Kostas Sloukas, despite sparking the comeback, briefly lost his cool, urging coach Ergin Ataman to bench Omer Yurtseven. Ataman, rattled by Anadolu Efes fans, left the court with 16 seconds remaining and skipped the press conference. Kendrick Nunn went scoreless from the field in the first half of Game 4, while Sloukas drove the rally. Jerian Grant underperformed, and more is expected from him. The team thrived when Juancho Hernangómez and Dinos Mitoglou played together at the 4 and 5, so that pairing might return to the starting lineup. However, foul trouble could disrupt this, as Juancho’s minutes were limited last game due to fouls. Wenyen Gabriel fell short of expectations, and Tibor Pleiss saw no playing time.

Anadolu Efes, defying early predictions, pushed the series to a pivotal Game 5 despite minor setbacks. PJ Dozier, nursing a Game 3 shooting arm injury, played bandaged in Game 4 and made critical plays late, including two assists and drawing an unsportsmanlike foul that clinched the win. Now, Efes heads into the decider as underdogs, with all pressure on defending champions Panathinaikos.

Unlike the emotional reactions from Panathinaikos coach Ergin Ataman and president Dimitris Giannakopoulos, Efes coach Luca Banchi stayed calm, crediting composure as the key to their Game 4 success: “In these games, it’s not about the stronger team, but the one that stays focused and steady.” Every Efes player contributed, and Banchi countered Panathinaikos’ small-ball tactic by deploying Rolands Smits and Ercan Osmani, who delivered standout performances. Elijah Bryant bounced back from early struggles, scoring 19 points, including a critical three-pointer to break a 76–76 tie. Shane Larkin took fewer shots than anticipated, but his teammates stepped up. Meanwhile, Vincent Poirier’s fifth foul, triggered by frustration six minutes before the end, forced him to miss the game’s decisive moments, highlighting the need for discipline in Game 5.