Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens secured a crucial 107-104 victory over Dubai Basketball on Tuesday night at Zetra Arena in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, in one of the most dramatic EuroLeague games of the season.
The contest featured 23 lead changes and 11 ties as both teams traded scoring bursts in a high-paced offensive battle.
Panathinaikos improved to 19-14 in the EuroLeague standings with its third straight win, remaining firmly in the race for a top-six finish and direct playoff qualification.
Dubai entered the night in strong form, having won six of its previous seven games to climb into the postseason conversation.
Cedi Osman led the Greek side with 23 points while Kendrick Nunn added 21 points and five assists, and Nigel Hayes-Davis contributed 22 points.
The trio carried Panathinaikos offensively throughout the game, with Nunn and Hayes-Davis delivering the decisive stretch late in the fourth quarter.
The opening quarter set the tone for the night as neither team could create separation.
Dubai guard Dzanan Musa scored 13 points in the first 10 minutes, helping the hosts take a narrow 26-25 lead after eight lead changes and seven ties.
Dubai created the first significant gap early in the second quarter.
A 15-4 run pushed the home side ahead 41-29 before Osman responded with 10 points to bring Panathinaikos back within three possessions.
Dubai carried a 50-47 advantage into halftime.
Panathinaikos quickly erased the deficit after the break when Juancho Hernangomez opened the second half with a three-pointer to tie the game.
The teams continued exchanging leads through the third quarter before the Greens closed the period with a 9-2 run to take an 81-75 lead into the final 10 minutes.
Dubai regained control early in the fourth quarter behind Dwayne Bacon.
The forward scored the hosts’ first nine points of the period and pushed Dubai ahead 86-83.
Panathinaikos responded with its stars in the final stretch.
Nunn and Hayes-Davis combined for 24 points over the final 6:15, including two critical three-pointers in the last 66 seconds that sealed the victory.
Musa finished with a game-high 31 points for Dubai while Bacon added 23 points, but the hosts could not overcome their defensive struggles.
Panathinaikos will host AS Monaco on March 27, while Dubai travels to face Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv on March 26.
