In a game full of momentum changes, Panathinaikos Athens needed a playoffs long-distance shooting record to hold off CSKA Moscow with an 86-85 home win and prolong their best-of-five playoff series after a dramatic finish. CSKA leads the series 2-1 and can still clinch a Final Four spot in Game 4 on Wednesday in Athens. It was game of swings from the tipoff. Panathinaikos scored the first 5 points of the first quarter and first 7 of the second, while CSKA had the next 12 and 10, respectively. But the key run was 21-4 by the hosts bridging halftime and giving them control enough to lead 71-61 with under 5 minutes left. Sonny Weems scored 11 points in the next 3 minutes as part of a spectacular three-point shooting battle, however, and a tip-in by Kyle Hines with 4 seconds left produced an 85-85 tie. But Weems fouled Panathinaikos hero Nikos Pappas and his free throw meant the difference in the victory. Pappas hit 5 three-pointers to lead the Greens with 25 points, while Antonis Fotsis scored all of his 12 points from the arc. The had 9 of their team's 16 three-pointers, a new playoffs record. Dimitris Diamantidis added 15 points and 7 assists while James Gist scored 11. For CSKA, Weems scored 20 of his 24 points in the game's last 7 minutes, 25 seconds. Nando De Colo added 10, Milos Teodosic 12 points and 9 assists, Andre Kirilenko 11 and Hines 10.
Score in each period: 14-20, 34-34, 56-53, 86-85
PHOTOS
