T.J. Shorts saved his best performance in a Panathinaikos jersey for the most opportune moment, leading the "Greens" to the EuroLeague Playoffs.
His 24 PIR points were the highest rating by any player on a team that qualified for the postseason, earning the American from Panathinaikos the Play-In MVP award.
This is the second consecutive year that Shorts has won the Play-In MVP award, as last season he also led Paris to the playoffs with a victory in the first game of the phase.
Shorts scored 21 points, matching his season-high, with 8/11 two-pointers, 1/2 three-pointers, and 2/2 free throws, and contributed significantly to Panathinaikos' 87-79 victory over Monaco at the Telekom Center Athens.
Additionally, he had 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, and drew 3 fouls, without committing a single turnover.
"It was a huge performance, obviously from the team but also from me," Shorts told EuroLeague TV after the game. "It's great that we finally secured qualification. We talked about not wanting to be in this position, but that's how things turned out. We had to show up and win today.
It was a big year of adjustment, to find chemistry with each other. Today, everything "clicked". Overall, it was a good performance. I was glad I could do everything I could to help the team win," T.J. Shorts concluded.