Panathinaikos — Paris Basketball: 91:72, Euroleague

Panathinaikos saw off Paris Basketball 91:72 in the EuroLeague on Thursday evening. The hosts held their nerve throughout, cutting Paris open at will as the visitors struggled to find an answer. By then the gap had become unbridgeable, and the Greeks moved closer to the top half of the table.

The statistics tell you most of what happened. Panathinaikos pulled 41 rebounds to Paris's 29, including 13 on the offensive end, and blocked 8 shots compared to the visitors' 2. Those numbers suggest the hosts were dominant in the air from set plays, and they didn't let go. Paris managed 13 three-pointers against 10, but couldn't sustain the threat when the game was on the line.

And here's the thing — the result shifts something in the standings. Panathinaikos remain seventh with 22 wins from 38 games, while Paris sit 16th with 15 victories and 23 defeats. The gap between them is 7 points, and this match makes that distance feel wider.

Panathinaikos have been inconsistent lately, losing three of their last five against Olympiacos Piraeus. To be fair, they beat them 93:86 on 10 June, but those results suggest they need the points badly against anyone who can punish them. Paris came into this after back-to-back wins over Rouen and Nanterre 92, but the difference in quality showed through.

The victory takes Panathinaikos to 44 points from 38 matches and keeps them in touch with the playoff positions. Paris's defeat leaves them 10 points behind the top eight, and that price has gone. They'll need to pick up results quickly if they want to salvage anything from this campaign.