Panathinaikos forces Game 5 in Greek basketball finals after double overtime win

Panathinaikos has leveled the Greek basketball league finals series at 2-2, forcing a decisive Game 5 after a hard-fought 93-86 victory over Olympiacos in double overtime. The thrilling match took place at the OAKA arena in Athens, setting the stage for a championship decider that will return to Olympiacos' home, the Peace and Friendship Stadium in Piraeus.

This intense playoff battle has been shadowed by controversy. The coach of Panathinaikos, Ergin Ataman, was ejected in Game 3, and the club's owner, Dimitris Giannakopoulos, received a six-month ban from all league venues due to his actions. These incidents have added to the already high tension between the two rival clubs.

In the pivotal Game 4, French player Evan Fournier, who was named MVP of the EuroLeague Finals with Olympiacos, led the scoring with 29 points, complemented by 8 rebounds and 3 assists. For Panathinaikos, American guard Kendrick Nunn was the standout performer, contributing 23 points.

The game saw a strong first half from the home team, Panathinaikos, who held a six-point lead at halftime. However, the reigning European champions, Olympiacos, mounted a comeback in the third quarter with a 13-2 run. The final quarter was characterized by close play and low scoring from both sides.

Both teams had opportunities to win in the closing seconds of regulation and the first overtime. Juancho Hernangómez of Panathinaikos and Vezenkov of Olympiacos missed potential game-winning three-pointers. In the second overtime, Panathinaikos guard TJ Shorts delivered a clutch performance, securing the victory for his team and postponing Olympiacos' championship celebration.