EuroLeague tips off with powerhouses Panathinaikos and Olympiakos eyeing Final Four glory in Athens

TJ Shorts will beryllium making his authoritative debut with Panathinaikos, which will beryllium without Cedi Osman and Mathias Lessort connected Tuesday. [InTime News]

European basketball’s top nine contention tips disconnected Tuesday successful a landmark play for Greece, arsenic it celebrates a bronze medal astatine EuroBasket and prepares to big the EuroLeague Final Four adjacent May astatine Athens’ OAKA arena.

Greek powerhouses Panathinaikos and Olympiakos participate the 38-game regular play aiming to beryllium the team lifting the trophy connected May 24. Both look aboriginal tests tonight, with Panathinaikos visiting Bayern Munich and Olympiakos traveling to Baskonia.

Panathinaikos manager Ergin Ataman admitted his team is lone astatine “40% readiness” up of the opener. The Greens will beryllium without Cedi Osman and large antheral Mathias Lessort, though guards Kendrick Nunn and Marius Grigonis are available. Tipoff is acceptable for 9.15 p.m. section clip astatine Munich’s T-Center.

Olympiakos manager Giorgos Bartzokas warned of the uncertainty surrounding early-season matchups earlier his squad’s 9.30 p.m. crippled successful Spain. French defender Frank Ntilikina has joined the roster but is expected to debut successful the home league this weekend. Injuries regularisation retired Moustapha Fall, Shaquielle McKissic and Naz Mitrou-Long Evans.

Elsewhere successful Round 1, Hapoel Tel Aviv hosts Barcelona, Dubai faces Partizan, Efes meets Maccabi, Red Star plays Armani Milan and Virtus Bologna takes connected Real Madrid.