Real Madrid closed its week in Greece with a convincing win, repeating the same performance on Panathinaikos’ floor with a 76-88 result. The visitors were led once again by the explosive impact of Dzanan Musa, the Bosnian guard who delivered a standout contribution on the night.
Both teams opened the EuroLeague clash with high energy. Real Madrid relied on the steady hand of Gabriel Deck, who rattled off eight straight points before handing the offense to Mario Hezonja to close the first period. Panathinaikos, playing at home, leaned on Kendrick Nunn to spark their rhythm in the opening minutes.
The point guard, a former pupil of the NBA circles with the Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers, embraced responsibility and justified the confidence placed in him since arriving in Europe. Early on, Konstantinos Mitoglou and his teammate connected on a scorching stretch, converting 16 of the club’s first 21 points between the two of them. The second half saw Mathias Lessort surge with relentless energy near the rim, amplifying the hosts’ scoring punch.
With Nunn pushing the tempo, Panathinaikos kept pace, crafting a measured, purposeful attack. He produced 20 points by halftime and shot efficiently across multiple scoring formats. A 14-0 run highlighted the visitors’ moment in the game, as Real Madrid answered with long-range strikes that balanced the momentum. Sergio Llull connected on two triples, and Hezonja added another to punctuate the stretch as the teams headed into the second period with a renewed sense of urgency.
After the break, Panathinaikos faced a stall in its offense as Musa stepped in with imposing play. The American defender Fabien Causeur created a tighter barrier, and Madrid began to snuff out ideas from the home side. Musa delivered a critical moment, lifting Real Madrid to a higher gear and energizing the bench. The midway mark of the period saw a 1-22 swing in the matchups, signaling a decisive shift in favor of the visitors.
Yet the home club refused to fold. They regrouped and, as the final period began, found a fresh run of energy that briefly threatened a comeback. An 8-0 burst and a timely triple from Llull kept Panathinaikos within striking distance, mitigating the earlier surge and preventing a larger deficit from taking hold.
Ultimately, the game settled into a pattern of profitable assaults from the Spanish side while Panathinaikos battled to stay competitive. The Greek team sustained pressure, but Real Madrid maintained discipline on both ends and extended its lead in the closing minutes. The final tally reflected a strong European performance for Madrid, who secured their twelfth win in thirteen EuroLeague appearances this season. Tavares joined the scoring chorus with a solid contribution, marking his name among those who have surpassed the 2,000-point milestone in EuroLeague competition.
Data sheet:
78 – Panathinaikos (23+22+10+23): Vildoza 4, Nunn 24, Grigonis 3, Mitoglou 15, Balcerowski 3, Lessort 18, Sloukas 6, Grant 5, Mantzoukas 0.
90 – Real Madrid (24+22+26+18): Campazzo 8, Deck 16, Musa 14, Ndiaye 2, Tavares 10, Causeur 5, Rudy Fernández 3, Poirier 2, Hezonja 19, Llull 11.
Referees: Mehdi Difallah (France), Saulius Racys (Lithuania) and Gentian Cici (Albania).
Events: The 13th EuroLeague basketball game of the season was played at OAKA Arena.