Zalgiris-Real Madrid: aiming for the 5th consecutive EuroLeague victory
Scariolo's team takes on the first of two away games in less than 48 hours this evening (7:00 pm; Movistar Plus+).
Real Madrid faces 48 hours of maximum intensity with visits to Kaunas and Barcelona. Our team takes on Zalgiris today in the 32nd round of the EuroLeague aiming to secure its fifth consecutive victory following wins against Partizan, Bayern Munich, Virtus Bologna, and Valencia Basket. On Sunday, they will also face the second league Clásico of the season away from home.
With seven rounds remaining in the regular phase, Real Madrid is well-positioned for the EuroLeague playoffs, sitting two wins above sixth place and two behind leaders Fenerbahce. However, given the parity this season, nothing is certain yet. Securing a victory this evening in Kaunas would be a major step forward for Scariolo's team, as the next two games will be played at the fortress of the Movistar Arena (Hapoel Tel Aviv and Anadolu Efes).
This will not be an easy task. The Zalgirio Arena is one of the toughest venues in the EuroLeague, with a spectacular atmosphere and intense pressure. Additionally, their team is in the thick of the playoff race. They lead a group of four, alongside Monaco, Barcelona, and Panathinaikos, all chasing sixth place, currently held by Red Star Belgrade. They have suffered two consecutive losses, but at home, they have won their last four matches. The madridistas, who are ahead by three wins, triumphed convincingly there last season, 64-83.
Keys to the game
In the first round at the Movistar Arena, our team edged out 100-99 in an epic showdown. Maledon (25 pts), Lyles (21), and Campazzo (20) countered Francisco's 33 points. Madrid will need to pay close attention to the French point guard, as well as the rest of the Lithuanian perimeter, including Lo and former madridista Williams-Goss, who boasts the second-best three-point percentage in the competition. Moses Wright and Tubelis are their key players inside. Here, Scariolo's squad should leverage their superiority, particularly in rebounding and defense, where Zalgiris is one of the teams that commits the most turnovers. Madrid has won 5 of the last 6 matchups between the two teams. This evening, they aim for their 21st victory before heading into another Clásico at the Palau on Sunday.