Mathias Lessort dominated in 2024, Kenneth Faried took flight in 2025, and Kendrick Nunn teamed up with Lessort for an overtime thriller in 2026. Three nights to remember for Panathinaikos on Real Madrid’s home floor.
Panathinaikos needed 45 minutes to beat Real Madrid 115–112 on 4 November. Nunn kept finding baskets when the game threatened to get away from the Greens, and Lessort delivered in overtime. The French centre was back at the heart of a win in Madrid, just as he had been on the road to the 2024 EuroLeague title.
29 February 2024 — Lessort puts the champions on notice
Real Madrid were top of the EuroLeague and had won all 13 of their home games in the competition when Panathinaikos arrived at the WiZink Center. The Greens ended that run with a 97–86 win, their first in Madrid since 2013.
Lessort produced one of his best performances in a Panathinaikos jersey. His 26 points were a EuroLeague career high at the time. He shot 12-for-18 on two-pointers and made both his free throws, adding seven rebounds and four assists for a performance index rating of 33 against Madrid’s imposing frontcourt.
With Kostas Sloukas and Nunn also in fine form, Panathinaikos showed they could beat the reigning European champions on their own floor. In hindsight, it was a preview of Berlin. On 26 May, the Greens beat Real again, 95–80 in the final, to claim their seventh EuroLeague title.
13 November 2025 — The Manimal takes flight
Kenneth Faried had played just one game for Panathinaikos before the trip to Madrid, making his debut against Paris Basketball two days earlier. In his second game, he looked as though he’d been playing with Sloukas for years.
Faried finished with 16 points and eight rebounds, shooting 6-for-8 on two-pointers. His connection with Sloukas gave Panathinaikos a reliable route to the rim, and his dunks were among the standout moments of the 87–77 win.
T.J. Shorts led the Greens with 19 points and six assists, while Sloukas added 15 points and seven assists. Panathinaikos built a 19-point lead and stayed in control.
4 November 2026 — Nunn catches fire, Lessort closes it out
Nunn scored 33 points on 8-for-8 shooting inside the arc, 3-for-5 from three and 8-for-8 at the line. He took over in the second half as Real threatened to swing the game their way.
Lessort took his turn in overtime. Five of his 20 points came in the extra period, and he finished with nine rebounds and five assists. Together, Nunn and Lessort scored 53 of Panathinaikos’s 115 points, going 19-for-23 from the floor and a perfect 12-for-12 at the line.
