Calathes powers Panathinaikos past Milan

EUROLEAGUE REGULAR SEASON - ROUND 27

A massive 27-point, 14-assist double-double from Nick Calathes helped Panathinaikos secure a vital 95-83 win over AX Armani Exchange Olimpia Milan in Friday’s EuroLeague action…

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Nick Calathes’ monster performance helped Panathinaikos leapfrog AX Armani Exchange Olimpia Milan for seventh place in the EuroLeague standings thanks to a 95-83 win for the Trifylli in northern Italy on Friday night.

Just a week after hitting the game-winner against CSKA Moscow and yet another double-double against KIROLBET Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz on Wednesday night, Calathes put in arguably his best performance of the season to steer Panathinaikos to a sixth-straight win.

Calathes’ 27 points led all scorers on the night while his 14 assists played a large role in helping Keith Langford (17 points), Deshaun Thomas (15 points), James Gist (12 points), and Sean Kilpatrick (11 points) all reach double figures.

Mindaugas Kuzminskas led Milan with 17 points while former Panathinaikos guard, Mike James, posted 16 points in his second meeting with the Trifylli since leaving the club in the summer.

In somewhat of a must-win clash for Panathinaikos, the Trifylli started brightly and managed to grab a 23-20 lead by the end of the first quarter.

Milan responded in the second frame with a 27-21 run to flip the script and claim a three-point lead of their own (47-44) heading into halftime.

Rick Pitino’s team talk at the interval must have energized his troops at halftime as Panathinaikos stormed back in front in the third quarter thanks to a 28-17 run in the third quarter.

Unlike the nervy ending against Baskonia earlier in the week, Panathinaikos offered a resolute performance in the fourth quarter to seal the win and improve to 15-13 on the season.

Panathinaikos, who face Kolossos in the Basket League on Monday, are now just one win away from clinching a playoff berth with a date against Real Madrid in Athens on Thursday the first chance for the Trifylli to clinch.

HIGHLIGHTS: ARMANI MILANO - PANATHINAIKOS

by Peter Katsiris

Image Source: SDNA.gr

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