Panathinaikos suffered a painful home defeat to Anadolu Efes (76–79) in Game 2 of the EuroLeague quarterfinals, blowing a late lead after collapsing in the fourth quarter (16–29). A win would have put the defending champions up 2–0 in the series, but now they face the daunting task of needing to win at least one game in Istanbul to stay alive in the playoffs.

The Greek side controlled much of the game but fell short in the closing minutes. The final moments sparked controversy, with Panathinaikos furious over a non-call on a Kendrick Nunn three-point attempt that could have tied the game. Despite visible contact by former Real Madrid center Vincent Poirier, no foul was awarded, fueling the club’s frustration.

After the match, club owner Dimitris Giannakopoulos didn’t hold back. He once again took to social media to lash out at EuroLeague officiating and the current state of the competition, all while hinting at a potential exit toward the NBA-FIBA-backed project that is gaining momentum. “In Greece, they say if you're too nice, they think you’re weak. But believe me—we’re stronger than all of you combined,” he said. “If the EuroLeague wants us to sign a ten-year deal, they can play by themselves. We’ll go with the NBA or FIBA.”

Giannakopoulos questioned the consistency of officiating and referenced Real Madrid as an example of a club tolerating unfair treatment. “Why do Sasa Pukl and Stefan Radovic officiate so many Olympiacos games? I don’t understand how Real Madrid can accept being treated like this. Look at the statistics; even idiots can understand it,” he said, claiming these patterns have existed for over a decade.

He also brushed off any impending fines for his comments: “I don’t care about your fines—give me whatever you want. But don’t punish Nunn, Sloukas, Ataman, Grant, or Juancho.”

In his fiery post, he also congratulated EuroLeague president Dejan Bodiroga in a clearly sarcastic tone and again called out the competition's internal politics.

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