Panathinaikos crushes Paris 91-72 in Obradovic EuroLeague return

Panathinaikos opened its EuroLeague campaign with a commanding 91-72 victory over Paris Basketball at the OAKA arena, marking Zeljko Obradovic's return to the bench after 14 years. The hosts built a 31-17 lead after the first quarter and extended the margin to 26 points in the third period, holding Paris to just four points in the first seven minutes of the second half.

The Greens played without four key players — Mathias Lessort, Kostas Sloukas, Cedi Osman, and Juancho Hernangomez — yet controlled the glass with a 17-3 rebounding edge in the opening frame. Kendrick Nunn led the attack with 18 points, while Marius Grigonis added 15 and Jerian Grant contributed 12 points and 7 assists.

“Defense is our identity and our reference point.”

Paris, the reigning EuroCup champions, cut the deficit to 11 points late in the second quarter but never threatened a comeback. TJ Shorts paced the visitors with 18 points, though the French side shot poorly under relentless defensive pressure.

Obradovic emphasized defense as the team's identity in his post-game remarks, noting the squad must maintain intensity despite the early schedule. The win gives Panathinaikos a 1-0 record ahead of a demanding stretch that includes the Greek Super Cup this weekend.