Real Madrid does not want to look over the precipice
The Madrid team, forced to win the second game of their Euroleague ‘Playoff’ against Partizán with the serious doubt of Tavares
Real Madrid will face urgently this Thursday (8:45 p.m.) their second game of the ‘Playoff’ of the quarterfinals of the Euroleague 2022-2023 at the WiZink Center against Serbian Partizán, a rival grown after their victory in the first game (87 -89) that allowed him to keep the ‘court factor’ and play with a little more margin.
A three-pointer from Kevin Punter with a second to go silenced the Palacio de los Deportes and gave Zeljko Obradovic’s men the first, always important point, who demonstrated the reason for their presence in the qualifying rounds and who knew how to endure the tense final stretch. supported by the 26 points of the inspired American escort.
The absence of Walter Tavares throughout the second half could also help the Balkan team. The Cape Verdean center could not participate due to a knee problem and his contest in the second duel seems unlikely, with the aim that he could be next week in the ‘hell’ of the Stark Arena.
Without the African and without his natural replacement in the ‘paint’, the Frenchman Vincent Poirier, still recovering from the appendicitis operation, the ten-time champion will have to deal with the pressure of having lost the field advantage very soon and with the demands to which his rival will submit, who will try to make the most of the mental aspect and the fact that the locals play without ‘5’.
This will force Chus Mateo to look for the formula with which he can counteract the damage that Obradovic will surely try to do mainly with Matthias Lessort and Zach Leday. Guerschon Yabusele and Anthony Randolph will have to share that mission of playing close to the hoop, with the help of Mario Hezonja and the ‘multi-purpose’ Gaby Deck, the best in the first duel and the one who did the most damage in attack to Partizán.
However, Real Madrid will need more offensive weapons to add from the outside, especially that of a Dzanan Musa, who ended up deranged with the arbitration, with three fouls in attack and only ten points to his credit, with 2/6 shooting. The triple (7/22) did not work and they will need that improvement against a Serbian team that did more damage on the inside.
In defence, on the other hand, and despite the absence of Tavares, the Madrid team had a good and intense second half, especially in the third quarter, and that is the path they should try to follow, mainly against a Punter who cannot have another inspired night and whose streaks were key in a Partizan that did hit the mark from the outside (13/26 in triple) and that will try to equalize the battle for the rebound.
DATASHEET.
–EQUIPMENT.
REAL MADRID: Williams-Goss, Causeur, Hezonja, Deck and Yabusele — possible starting quintet — Musa, Hanga, Rudy Fernandez, Sergio Rodriguez, Randolph, Cornelie and Abalde.
- Left6: There is no advertising configuration for the requested slot
PARTIZÁN: Avramovic, Punter, Trifunovic, Leday and Lessort –possible starting five–; Madar, Smailagic, Nunnally, Exum, Papapetrou, Andjusic and Vukcevic.
–REFEREES: Radovic, Latisevs and Rocha.
–PAVILION: WiZink Center.
–TIME: 20.45/DAZN.
2023-04-26 17:58:07
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