Panathinaikos extends its perfect EuroLeague start to five wins after dismantling Partizan 72-55 in Belgrade, delivering a defensive masterclass despite missing key guards Kendrick Nunn and Kostas Sloukas.
The Greens produced their most convincing defensive performance of the season so far on Tuesday, October 13, restricting Partizan to just 55 points and taking control with a dominant third quarter.
The victory gives Panathinaikos a 5-0 record after four earlier wins built on high scoring. This time, however, Ergin Ataman’s team showed it could prevail without relying on its usual offensive firepower.
EuroLeague result: Partizan 55-72 Panathinaikos
Quarter scores: 16-16, 12-19, 8-20, 19-17
Panathinaikos Breaks Partizan After Half Time
The contest began evenly, with both sides scoring 16 points in the opening quarter as Partizan looked to use its home advantage.
Panathinaikos gradually found its rhythm in the second period. Nigel Hayes-Davis delivered crucial offensive contributions, including two consecutive three pointers late in the half, helping the visitors establish a 35-28 lead.
The decisive blow came after the break.
Panathinaikos held Partizan to just eight points in the third quarter while scoring 20 of its own. The defensive pressure disrupted the Serbian side’s offence and pushed the Greek champions into a commanding 55-36 lead heading into the final period.
Partizan outscored Panathinaikos 19-17 in the fourth, but the damage had already been done.
Defence Delivers the Victory
Partizan struggled badly from beyond the arc, converting just four of 24 three point attempts, a shooting percentage of 16.7 per cent.
Karlik Jones managed only eight points on two of 11 shooting as Panathinaikos repeatedly disrupted the hosts’ offensive rhythm.
The Greens also won the rebounding battle 38-35, demonstrating their ability to compete physically on a difficult away court.
Mathias Lessort made an impact beyond scoring, collecting nine rebounds, four assists and three steals despite finishing with only four points.
His performance highlighted the collective effort behind the victory. Panathinaikos did not need one player to dominate offensively because contributions across the roster helped control the game.
Hayes-Davis Leads a Balanced Attack
Hayes-Davis led Panathinaikos with 14 points, while Juancho Hernangomez added 10.
Brancou Badio contributed nine points, Sylvain Francisco finished with eight points and five assists, and Guerschon Yabusele recorded seven points, five rebounds and three assists.
The spread of contributions proved particularly valuable with Nunn and Sloukas unavailable. Partizan also missed Isaac Bonga, who was sidelined with a wrist injury.
Panathinaikos demonstrated that its depth can help it navigate difficult fixtures even when key players are absent. The longer term challenge will be integrating everyone into a consistent rotation once the squad is fully available.
Five Wins, Different Ways to Dominate
Panathinaikos entered the Belgrade contest after victories over Paris Basketball, ASVEL, Maccabi Tel Aviv and Fenerbahce.
Those four wins produced at least 90 points each. Against Partizan, the Greens scored only 72, but their defensive performance proved decisive.
Across their opening five games, Panathinaikos has scored 447 points and conceded 347, averaging 89.4 points scored and 69.4 conceded per game.
The numbers underline the strength of the start, although five games are not enough to establish how the team will perform across the full EuroLeague season.
The important development is the ability to adapt. When the offence flows, Panathinaikos can overwhelm opponents with scoring. When shots are harder to find, the team has now shown it can lean on defence, rebounding and collective discipline.
Obradovic Returns to Belgrade for a Statement Win
The game also carried significance for head coach Zeljko Obradovic, who returned to Belgrade to face a Partizan club with which he has deep ties.
The result was particularly notable given Panathinaikos’ previous struggles in Belgrade. The Greens had lost 78-62 there in February 2026, making Tuesday’s 17 point victory a substantial
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