Panathinaikos needed a win in their final regular season game to secure seventh place and guarantee two home Play-In games. What they got was something far more convincing — a 97-62 demolition of Anadolu Efes that ended the Greek club’s regular season on the kind of high note their supporters had been waiting weeks for.
Nikos Rokgavopoulos was the star. Kendrick Nunn was relentless. Matthias Lessort and Kenneth Faried combined for 28 points. And a 24-2 third-quarter run turned a tight game into a rout that nobody in the building will forget quickly.
Seventh seed secured. Play-In at home — twice if needed. Panathinaikos end the regular season 22-16. The real business starts now.
The Stakes Going In
This was not just a dead rubber. Panathinaikos came into Round 38 knowing exactly what was needed. A win would secure seventh place and, crucially, give them home advantage in the Play-In — where the format means a seventh seed gets two bites at the cherry to reach the quarterfinals.
The complication was sixth place. Zalgiris were playing Paris on the same evening, and a Zalgiris win would leave Panathinaikos locked out of sixth regardless of their own result. That is exactly what happened — Zalgiris won in Kaunas, meaning Ergin Ataman’s side had to settle for seventh. The task was clear: win, lock it in, go home happy.
On the other side, Anadolu Efes had nothing to play for. Pablo Laso’s side finished the regular season second from bottom with a 12-26 record — one of the worst in the competition’s recent history for a club of their stature. Papagiannis and Cordinier were both absent. The mood around the Istanbul club had been sombre for weeks.
First Quarter: Nunn Ignites, Efes Hang On
The first quarter was more competitive than the final score suggests. Anadolu Efes, despite having nothing to play for, did not roll over immediately. They traded baskets in the opening minutes, and at one point even nudged ahead near the end of the period — a sign that Panathinaikos were not fully in rhythm yet.
Kendrick Nunn had other ideas. The American guard was the most dynamic player on the court from the opening tip and had already reached double figures by the time the buzzer sounded on the first period. Panathinaikos led 20-16 heading into the second quarter — a four-point advantage, tight enough for the home fans to remain slightly nervous.
The second quarter was more controlled. Panathinaikos built their lead steadily, Nunn continued to create and convert, and Rokgavopoulos began finding his rhythm. By half-time the hosts had opened it up, though the game had not yet reached the kind of one-sided territory that was coming.
Third Quarter: The 24-2 Explosion
This was where the game ended as a contest.
Panathinaikos came out of the locker room with a different level of intensity entirely. The third quarter was, frankly, a basketball clinic. A 24-2 run — built on the brilliance of Rokgavopoulos and the physicality of Lessort — simply destroyed whatever resistance Efes had left.
Rokgavopoulos was extraordinary. Back from injury, starting his first minutes of real action in weeks, he played as though he had never been away. He attacked the basket, he hit mid-range jumpers, he made the plays that lifted the crowd every single time. His final tally was 24 points — the best performance of the night by a distance.
Lessort, who had been fighting a frustrating run of form and a nagging physical issue for much of the back end of the season, found his feet in a way that will give Ataman genuine encouragement heading into the Play-In. Fourteen points alongside Faried’s matching contribution gave Panathinaikos the kind of interior presence they had been missing.
Anadolu Efes scored two points in a quarter of professional basketball. Two. Their shooting fell apart, their energy evaporated, and the gap grew to the point where the fourth quarter was a formality.
Fourth Quarter and Final Score
With the game long decided, Ataman cleared his bench and gave minutes to players who had seen limited action in recent weeks. The crowd stayed and enjoyed the occasion — a large, vocal crowd who had watched their side build back momentum after what had been a difficult final stretch of the regular season.
The final buzzer sounded: 97-62. A 35-point victory. Season finished. Seventh place confirmed.
For Efes, the numbers tell a sorry story. A 12-26 regular season record. Second from bottom. Samodurov and Toliopoulos absent alongside the other missing names. In a competition of this level, when your squad is depleted and your season has already ended, performances like this one are almost inevitable. But the scale of the defeat will still sting.
What Comes Next
Panathinaikos will face Monaco in the EuroLeague Play-In. Monaco finished sixth after Zalgiris’ win meant the seedings locked in on Thursday night. The format works in Panathinaikos’ favour — as the seventh seed, they host both potential legs, meaning if they win game one, they go through directly. If they lose, they get a second chance at home.
The Play-In schedule brings genuine excitement back to OAKA after a regular season that had started with title ambitions but drifted somewhat in the final weeks. The loss to Valencia — 102-84 — in the previous round had cost them any realistic shot at the top six. Before that, they had beaten Barcelona on the road in one of the performances of the season. The inconsistency has been the story of Panathinaikos’ campaign.
Rokgavopoulos’ return to form changes the equation. If the Greek forward can sustain even a fraction of what he showed against Efes, the Play-In becomes a very different proposition. Nunn at his best is among the competition’s most dangerous guards. And Ataman, whatever criticism has come his way, knows how to prepare a team for big moments.
Panathinaikos finished the regular season with a 22-16 record. They had a better record than that in them — there will be no argument about that from inside the club. But seventh place, two home games, and a squad that showed real quality on Thursday night. They will take it.
For live EuroLeague scores, standings and Play-In coverage, visit fawanews.org.uk. Full EuroLeague standings, results and playoff bracket details are available at the official EuroLeague website.
Match Summary
Panathinaikos 97-62 Anadolu Efes EuroLeague, Round 38 | Thursday, 17 April 2026 OAKA Arena, Athens
Quarter Scores: Q1: 20-16 | Q2: — | Q3: 24-2 run | Q4: — Final: 97-62
Top Scorers — Panathinaikos: Nikos Rokgavopoulos 24 pts | Kendrick Nunn 18 pts | Matthias Lessort 14 pts | Kenneth Faried 14 pts
Panathinaikos end regular season: 22-16 | 7th seed Anadolu Efes end regular season: 12-26 | 2nd from bottom
Next: Panathinaikos vs Monaco — EuroLeague Play-In (home, date TBC)
