Olympiacos made a strong start to the Euroleague playoffs with a convincing 84:72 victory over Real Madrid in the first game of their quarterfinal series, held in Piraeus. Bulgarian forward Aleksandar Vezenkov delivered an outstanding performance, reaffirming his credentials as one of the top players in Europe.

Vezenkov was instrumental in the home team’s success, finishing the game with 23 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 steals in just 27 minutes on the court. His shooting was highly efficient: 5 of 7 from mid-range, 3 of 4 from beyond the arc, and 4 of 6 from the free-throw line. His dominance prompted renewed debate over the regular season MVP selection, which went to Kendrick Nunn. Unlike Vezenkov, Nunn had a more modest showing in Panathinaikos' narrow 87:83 win over Anadolu Efes.

Olympiacos set the tone early, taking control in the first half with a 47:29 lead. Despite Real Madrid's attempts to close the gap after the break, the Greek team maintained their composure and saw out the game without allowing a comeback. Vezenkov was deservedly named the best player of the match.

In support of Vezenkov, Evan Fournier contributed 13 points, while Nikola Milutinov added 11 points and 8 rebounds. On the Spanish side, Sergio Llull led with 16 points, Mario Hezonja added 13 and 5 rebounds, and Dzanan Musa chipped in with 11 points.

The quarterfinal series is played in a best-of-five format. The second match between Olympiacos and Real Madrid will take place on April 25, again in Greece.