Panathinaikos and Olympiakos got easy wins in their opening games for the semifinal series of the A1 league as they thrashed their visitors from Thessaloniki on Thursday.
Champions Panathinaikos dismantled PAOK with a 95-52 score at the Olympic Sports Hall in Maroussi to take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-five series and showing they have recovered from their defeat to Olympiakos in the Cup final last Sunday.
The Greens got 15 points from Romain Sato and 14 from Nick Calathes, while 23-year-old guard Michalis Yiannakidis scored 13 points for PAOK.
Panathinaikos also celebrated with their fans the acquisition of their sixth European trophy in a special event that saw the commemorative banner for their Euroleague triumph at Barcelona raised to the roof of the sports hall.
Olympiakos also strolled to an easy home win over Aris with a 95-63 score at the Peace and Friendship Stadium.
Milos Teodosic scored 20 points and Thodoris Papaloukas added another 13 for Olympiakos, bt the big news for the Reds concerns the return to action of Vassilis Spanoulis.
The Greece guard played for 22 minutes and scored seven points, showing he may have shaken off his recent injury.
Games 2 of the two series is scheduled for Saturday at Thessaloniki.
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DIAMANTIDHS TROPAIO by koukos_81
