Panathinaikos and Hapoel Tel Aviv met in the EuroLeague on Thursday evening, and the visitors took the game 91 to 81. We had given a prediction for a home win with 73 per cent confidence, but this match went another way entirely. The upset came down to shooting from distance and control of the glass, not some dramatic late surge.
Panathinaikos started bright enough, sitting top of the table with five wins from five, but Hapoel had been around the block. They'd beaten Beşiktaş 100-82 on Tuesday and Прометеас Patras 84-59 earlier in the week, so they weren't without confidence. By then, the visitors had already shown they could hang with the big clubs — they'd lost only twice in five games, sitting seventh on the table.
And here's the thing about the shooting numbers: Hapoel hit nine of their 20 three-point attempts while Panathinaikos managed five from 21. That's not a small margin when you're playing in a hall where every miss echoes. Panathinaikos pulled 19 defensive rebounds to 23 for Hapoel, and the extra offensive boards — eight to five — gave the visitors second chances they turned into points.
The possession game was closer than the score suggests. Panathinaikos committed 10 turnovers, Hapoel 11. But the assists tell a different story: 22 for the visitors against 16 for the hosts. Hapoel moved the ball better, found the open man, and didn't force shots. Panathinaikos had 60 field goal attempts to 62, but efficiency matters more than volume.
The result leaves Panathinaikos still unbeaten, though that perfect record just got its first crack. Hapoel move to three wins and two losses, staying in the hunt. After beating Real Madrid 102-98 on New Year's Eve and holding their own against Valencia, the visitors have proven they belong in these conversations. This wasn't a fluke — it was a game decided by who shot better and who controlled the boards.
