Serbian center Nikola Milutinov spent only two minutes and 9 seconds on the floor during the game between Olympiacos and Maccabi Tel Aviv before requesting a substitution from Georgios Bartzokas.
Nikola Milutinov experienced some discomfort, prompting the red-and-whites coach to pull him to the bench and replace him with Donta Hall.
According to Sport 24, the initial diagnosis indicates that the 31-year-old is suffering from tendonitis in his left rectus femoris, which kept him off the court for the remainder of the game.
🏆 Olympiacos claimed the friendly tournament title in Cyprus with a win over Maccabi Tel Aviv!
— Basketball Sphere (@BSphere_) September 13, 2026
🔥 Mbaye Ndiaye delivered a clutch performance in the fourth quarter, finishing the game with 14 points, 3 steals, 2 rebounds and 2 assists.
💎 Could he be a hidden Fantasy gem for… pic.twitter.com/vM4qheNaYI
Major setback ahead of the new season
This could pose a serious problem for the defending EuroLeague champions, who are set to kick off the new EuroLeague season in just over 10 days, followed by the Greek Super Cup.
Losing one of their key players is a major setback, especially considering that five of their first six games in the new season will be on the road, meaning any extended absence could significantly hinder their EuroLeague title defense.
The silver lining for Bartzokas’ squad is that they have two highly capable replacements for Milutinov who would serve as starting centers on most other rosters: Donta Hall and Tyrique Jones.
Injury woes for Olympiacos
Although Jones also underwent a minor thigh procedure, he is expected to return to practice next week and be fully ready for the EuroLeague season opener against Baskonia on Thursday, September 24, at 20:30.
It is also worth noting that team captain Kostas Papanikolaou, who is dealing with knee discomfort, was unavailable for the tournament, leaving the rotation severely shortened.
