Panathinaikos played another must-win final and emerged victorious (85-88), leveling the series at 2-2. The championship will be decided at OAKA on June 14. Despite trailing by 11 points, the “Greens” didn’t panic. Led by standout performances from Nan, Grant, and Lesor, they secured a crucial win to stay in the hunt for the title. Olympiacos, on the other hand, made numerous mistakes in the second half, had poor shooting percentages, and justifiably suffered the defeat.
Olympiacos started with more enthusiasm, forcing Panathinaikos into two turnovers and prompting Ataman to call a timeout with a 5-0 lead. The Turkish coach calmed his players, who found ways to score and not only closed the gap but also took the lead with a basket from Lesor (9-10, 5’). Papapetrou and Walkup found their rhythm on offense, bringing the hosts back in front (16-14, 8’), with Milutinov and Williams-Goss extending the lead to 22-17.