The party went wrong. Returning to the Accor Arena for the first time this season, Paris Basketball lost to Panathinaikos this Tuesday on the 10th day of the Euroleague (95-101), conceding its fourth consecutive defeat in the regular season.
Important as a sporting issue, the meeting was almost as important symbolically, as five months after his departure for Greece, TJ Shorts returned to the capital. Double MVP of the French Championship, spearhead of the first national title won by Paris Basketball last spring, the hero of the Parisian epic was recently celebrated in Bercy.
TJ Shorts is honorable and bold
After seeing his “highlights” broadcast on a giant screen, the elusive leader received, like other former players passing through Paris, a French championship ring in NBA style.
Today in Panathinaikos colors, TJ Shorts was honored with its return to Paris before the kick-off of the Euroleague match against Paris Basketball đź’Ť pic.twitter.com/XBthDA5Zn7
— L’Équipe channel (@lachainelequipe) November 11, 2025
But on the court, TJ Shorts is unsentimental with Nadir Hifi, his brother in arms from last season, and former teammate. As a symbol, the American-Macedonian player scored the first point in the match. Always active, he stymied his opponents with his mobility and put up a good game (13 points, 2 rebounds, 6 assists), after the duo of Kendrick Nunn (20 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists) and Kenneth Faried (17 points, 10 rebounds, 1 assist).
Much more efficient than the Parisians outside the circle in the first half, the Greeks made a big difference in the second quarter thanks to their three-point skills (61% versus 35% at the break).
A depressing end to the match and dashed hopes
Meanwhile, Paris Basketball struggled to stand out in attack, hampered by the defensive aggressiveness of the visitors, who led by 9 points going back to the locker room (43-52).
Driven by a desire to avoid further European disappointment, Nadir Hifi and his partners reacted. Under the leadership of their leader (19 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists), the French champions held on before coming back to equalize as they started the final quarter (72-72).
In full euphoria, like the repeated winning shots scored by defenders Sebastian Herrera and Yakuba Ouattara, the local team finished the match strongly, perhaps carried away by memories of the great success they won against their Greek rivals last season in the Euroleague (84-80).
Accor Arena had long believed the match would go its way, but the Greek’s impressive long-range skills made the difference in the heat of the moment. Even worse, TJ Shorts waited until the final minutes to shine and crucify his former team by scoring most of his points in the final quarter, including two decisive free throws in the final minute.
Now with six defeats and four wins in the regular phase, the Parisians will have a chance to bounce back on Thursday, against Valencia.
