Euroleague playoffs begin with wins for Olympiacos and Panathinaikos

On April 28, 2026, the Euroleague playoffs commenced with two significant games. Olympiacos defeated Monaco 91-70 at the Peace and Friendship Stadium, capitalizing on their first-place regular-season finish. Panathinaikos secured a narrow 68-67 victory over Valencia at the Roig Arena, taking a 1-0 lead in the series. The decisive moments for Panathinaikos included a free throw by Kendrick Nunn and a critical defensive stop by Nigel Hayes-Davis with 2.1 seconds remaining. Panathinaikos is currently playing without their captain Kostas Sloukas, who is sidelined due to a torn meniscus. The Euroleague Final Four is scheduled to take place in Athens at the Telekom Center from May 22 to 24. Olympiacos coach Giorgos Bartzokas emphasized that his team must remain focused, rejecting suggestions that the series against Monaco will be easy. The playoffs are being contested in a best-of-five format.