By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Greek League defending champion Panathinaikos kicked off the 2018 playoffs with a 96 – 65 blowout victory over Kolossos Rhodes at home.
The final margin would’ve been even bigger if the Greens didn’t relax a bit in the fourth period after gaining a 41-point advantage (80-39) with ten minutes to play.
Nikos Pappas scored a game-high 16 points in 19 minutes for Panathinaikos while KC Rivers and Lukas Lekavicius added 12 points apiece. All-EuroLeague First Team selection Nick Calathes dished out 11 assists in just 17:52 minutes, along with contributing four rebounds plus three points.
Kolossos struggled offensively, particularly in the first half where they scored just 23 points. Giorgos Tsalbouris had 12 points and Ramon Harris 11 plus five boards.