Panathinaikos defeats Zalgiris Kaunas as Mathias Lessort returns to action
On March 12, 2026, Panathinaikos AKTOR secured a 92-88 victory against Zalgiris Kaunas at the Telekom Center Athens during the 31st round of the Euroleague. The match marked the return of French center Mathias Lessort, who played for 24 minutes after a long absence, recording 9 points and 3 rebounds. Panathinaikos was led by Cedi Osman with 24 points and Kendrick Nunn with 22 points. This victory ended a four-game losing streak for the Greek team, bringing their season record to 17-14. By winning, Panathinaikos holds a 2-0 head-to-head advantage over Zalgiris in the standings. Coach Ergin Ataman emphasized the team's defensive improvement after the first quarter and reaffirmed his goal of winning both the Euroleague and the Greek championship. Meanwhile, the team continues to fight for a top-six finish with seven rounds remaining.