Baskonia-Real Madrid: Whites looking for 16th league win
After the dramatic win against Anadolu Efes, Chus Mateo's men visit a tough court with the aim of bringing a great first half of the season to a close (6.30pm CET).
Barely 48 hours since the team’s epic victory over Anadolu Efes on Friday at the WiZink Center, Real Madrid bring to an end a gruelling week of action on one of the league’s toughest courts. Chus Mateo's side round off the first half of the season with a visit to Baskonia and will be looking for their 16th win in 17 games (6.30pm CET). The league leaders will be vying to extend their unbeaten away streak in the championship.
Winning this afternoon at the Fernando Buesa Arena will be a tough proposition after the epic four-overtime encounter against Efes. But the Whites will be keen to put on another strong performance in Vitoria. Meanwhile, Ivanovic's troops, with the support of their fans, will also have to make up for the fatigue of European competition, where they faced Panathinaikos and Barça. Baskonia-Madrid is one of the most frequently contested games in the league. The two teams have battled it out 145 times in the history of the competition, with 100 wins for our team.
Both teams are high scorers and have the highest number of three-pointers per game. Chus Mateo's men lead in both areas with more than 90 points per game. It will be a fierce battle from the 6.75m line. Baskonia have great shooters like Howard and Moneke. The latter is enjoying a spectacular season with an average of 20.6 points, over 40% from three-point range and 7.3 rebounds. It will be vital for Madrid to anticipate the Nigerian's every move.
The team’s strength
Tavares' defensive strength will be required for this to happen. He grabs almost seven rebounds per game and is the best shot blocker in the league (1.9 per game). The Cape Verdean will also have to be at his best in attack, where he is averaging 18.1 points. But this victory can only be achieved through the strength of the whole team and that is where the likes of Musa will figure. The Bosnian delivered an outstanding performance in the last game against Anadolu with 40 points and 45 in PIR, which broke his scoring record. Other players who will also be instrumental are Campazzo, Hezonja and Poirier, among others. The stakes are high to end an excellent first half of the season with a win.