Paris vs Zalgiris Kaunas: Paris Hold On for 82-78 EuroLeague Win

Paris secured an 82-78 EuroLeague victory over Zalgiris Kaunas on October 2, 2026, using a fast-paced first half and a composed closing stretch to protect home court. The French club led for most of the night, but Zalgiris’s disciplined half-court offense kept the game within reach until the final minute.

Paris built their advantage with a 22-19 first quarter and extended it to 43-39 by halftime. Zalgiris responded after the break, cutting the deficit to one possession multiple times, but Paris always had an answer — usually through Lucas Moreau’s shot creation or Adama Diop’s activity around the rim.

Match Overview

This was a game of contrasting styles. Paris wanted to run, push the ball after misses, and attack before Zalgiris could set its defense. Zalgiris preferred a slower, more methodical approach, using ball screens and interior passing to generate high-percentage looks. For three quarters, neither side could fully impose its preferred tempo, which made for a tense, back-and-forth contest.

The decisive period came in the fourth. Paris held Zalgiris to 22 points in the final quarter while scoring 20 themselves, but the bigger story was defense. The home team forced three turnovers in the last four minutes and limited Zalgiris to contested jump shots when it mattered most.

Key Moments

• Opening burst: Paris jumped out to an early 10-4 lead behind Moreau’s pull-up jumper and Diop’s offensive rebound put-back.
• Zalgiris fightback: Mantas Petrauskas sparked a 12-3 run in the second quarter, giving the Lithuanian side a brief one-point edge.
• Third-quarter separation: Paris closed the period on an 8-0 run, turning a 58-57 deficit into a 65-58 cushion.
• Final minute: With Paris up 79-76, Moreau hit a step-back mid-range shot, and the hosts sealed it with free throws.

Tactical Story

Paris’s guards consistently won the pick-and-roll battle. Moreau finished with 20 points and seven assists, while Diop added 16 points and eight rebounds. Their two-man game forced Zalgiris to switch or help, opening driving lanes and corner threes. Paris did not shoot the ball perfectly from deep, but they generated enough paint points and free throws to stay ahead.

Zalgiris got a strong performance from Petrauskas, who scored 19 points, and Rokas Jankauskas, who added 14. However, the visitors gave up 11 offensive rebounds and committed 14 turnovers. In an 82-78 game, those extra possessions and empty trips were the difference.

EuroLeague Standings Impact

The win improves Paris’s position in the EuroLeague standings and shows they can win different types of games — not just high-scoring shootouts. For Zalgiris Kaunas, the result is a narrow road loss against a direct playoff competitor, but their performance suggests they will remain a factor in the race for the postseason. The head-to-head result could matter later if the teams finish with similar records.