TJ Shorts takes Panathinaikos to the Euroleague playoffs

Panathinaikos breezed past Monaco successful the Euroleague playoffs connected Tuesday and its 87-79 victory  has taken it to the playoffs.

Now, successful the best-of-five bid with regular-season runner-up Valencia, the Spaniards will person location vantage and the winner will beforehand to the Athens Final Four successful May.

Playing successful beforehand of a capableness assemblage astatine the Telekom Center Athens, Panathinaikos led passim the crippled with the Monegasques aft the archetypal 5 minutes, and stretched its vantage up to 17 points (60-43), led by a superb TJ Shorts. The American came from the seat and changed the gait of the game, tiring retired the 8 players that Monaco had astatine its disposal.

Much arsenic erstwhile Panathinaikos subordinate Mike James tried to upset the hosts, scoring 25 points connected the night, depleted Monaco could not truly endanger the Greens.

Shorts paced the hosts with a Euroleague-career-equaling 21 points, followed by Kenneth Faried who has 13 points and 8 rebounds.

Monaco will present look Barcelona for the past summons to the playoffs and the winner will look Olympiakos successful the best-of-five series.