Olympiacos Piraeus opened their EuroLeague campaign with a hard-fought 93-91 road win over Zalgiris Kaunas at the Žalgirio Arena, surviving a frantic final possession to leave Lithuania with a two-point victory. In a game that swung repeatedly across 40 minutes, the visitors' late-game poise and clutch shot-making proved just enough to hold off a Zalgiris side that refused to go away in front of a packed home crowd.

Match Overview

The contest lived up to its billing as an early-season heavyweight clash between two clubs with serious playoff ambitions. Olympiacos controlled the tempo for long stretches, but Zalgiris answered every run with one of their own, turning the fourth quarter into a possession-by-possession duel.

• Final score: Zalgiris Kaunas 91 – 93 Olympiacos Piraeus
• Venue: Žalgirio Arena, Kaunas
• Competition: EuroLeague
• Quarter scores (Zalgiris–Olympiacos): 24-22, 19-24, 25-23, 23-24
• Halftime: Zalgiris 43 – 46 Olympiacos

How the Game Unfolded

Zalgiris came out with the energy you would expect from a home opener, pushing the ball in transition and attacking the rim early. The hosts built a small cushion in the first quarter behind aggressive drives and second-chance points, leading 24-22 after ten minutes. Olympiacos, however, settled into their half-court offense in the second period, using their inside presence and patient ball movement to flip the momentum and take a 46-43 lead into the break.

The third quarter was the most entertaining stretch of the night. Zalgiris came out of the locker room firing, stringing together an 8-0 run to reclaim the lead, only for Olympiacos to respond with a flurry of three-pointers from the wings. Neither team led by more than six points after halftime, and the lead changed hands nine times in the second half alone.

Down the stretch, the game turned on small details: a defensive rebound here, a contested mid-range jumper there. Trailing 91-90 with under a minute to play, Olympiacos executed a well-designed pick-and-roll that produced a go-ahead basket, then added a free throw to stretch the margin to three. Zalgiris had a look to tie at the buzzer, but the attempt rimmed out, and the visitors escaped.

Tactical Story

Olympiacos's game plan revolved around controlling the paint and forcing Zalgiris into long, contested jumpers. Their big men did an excellent job of sealing the baseline and altering shots at the rim, and the Greek side consistently won the rebound battle in key moments. When Zalgiris tried to speed the game up, Olympiacos responded by slowing the pace and running their half-court sets deep into the shot clock.

Zalgiris, for their part, were at their best when they played downhill. Their guards repeatedly broke down the first line of defense, drawing help and kicking out to open shooters. The Lithuanian side finished with a healthy number of assists and generated plenty of good looks, but a handful of empty possessions in the final three minutes — two missed free throws and a turnover under pressure — ultimately cost them the game.

Standout Players

• Olympiacos: Their star forward led the way with a game-high scoring performance, mixing post-ups with catch-and-shoot threes, while the backcourt duo combined for double-digit assists and controlled the tempo in the clutch.
• Olympiacos: The center anchored the defense with multiple blocks and a double-digit rebounding night, proving decisive on the glass in the fourth quarter.
• Zalgiris: Their lead guard was the best player on the floor for long stretches, scoring efficiently off the dribble and creating open shots for teammates.
• Zalgiris: The veteran forward delivered a steady two-way performance, hitting timely corner threes and taking on the toughest defensive assignment.

Key Numbers

• Two points separated the teams at the final buzzer — the smallest possible margin in a EuroLeague game.
• Nine lead changes in the second half reflect how tightly contested this fixture was.
• Free-throw shooting proved the difference, with Olympiacos converting their late attempts and Zalgiris leaving points at the line.
• Rebounding favored the visitors, particularly on the defensive end in the closing minutes.

EuroLeague Standings Impact

The result gives Olympiacos an important early road victory — the kind of win that carries extra weight when tiebreakers and head-to-head records are calculated later in the season. Winning in Kaunas is one of the toughest assignments in the EuroLeague, and doing s