Real Madrid could not overcome its infamous start and fell against Efes in the WiZink (64-74). He paid for his original sin in the end, when fatigue disarmed Hezonja, Tavares and Campazzo, who had played every minute of the comeback. A counterattack could have changed everything with the score at 62-63, the first opportunity for the Whites to take the lead after the initial 2-0, but Thompson blocked Hezonja’s layup, which would have changed the dynamic of the game. Madrid got stuck there, and lowered its arms.
The summary of the first part was verbalized by Facundo Campazzo in three words: “We did shit.” It’s difficult to explain it better. 25-47 on the scoreboard for Anadolu Efes, 22 points behind, after having been down by 27. An unmitigated disaster in many facets, the outside shot being the most serious. Only one success out of 17 attempts; losses multiplied. Everything was bad, Madrid was bleeding from many wounds. Thompson screwed Campazzo, Poirier, a wedge of the same wood, became the master of the painting. There was a lack of energy, there was too much precipitation.
The second half was different, Madrid could have changed everything in a burst of fury and class, but the spark did not catch on and Efes won. WiZink wanted to believe in an epic comeback, another of those magical nights that Madrid fans have more as a habit than as a sporadic gift, but they ended up emptying the stands because that last electrifying minute that was intuited came to nothing. The memory of last season came and the spectacular battle between the Spanish and the Turks in the longest game in the history of the Euroleague, with four overtimes.
It all started with a triple by Sergio Llull, who joined the four players with more than 4,000 points in the Euroleague (4,002), to make it 61-63 that opened the game again with 4.50 left. Efes failed in its action and Madrid began to falter in the next play, when the captain scored only one of his free throws. He could have dealt a psychological blow to Efes with the tie, but they were one point away. On the next play the Turks failed, Hezonja ran alone towards the basket, but Thompson was just as fast and put his hand in with force and cleanliness to avoid the penultimate chance for Madrid to take the lead. The last one was on the following throw-in. Real failed, Willis scored a triple (62-66) and ended Madrid’s hopes, the players exhausted by the effort and making bad decisions, which prevented them from making a comeback.
At the Buesa Arena, Baskonia fell to Monaco (75-87) after a deplorable first half in which the Vitorian team became very small. Their attempts to come back in the second half fell short.
