Hapoel Tel Aviv-Real Madrid: aiming for the Final Four berth
With a 2-0 lead, Scariolo's side will look for the third and decisive point of the series in Bulgaria (6:00 pm; Movistar Plus+).
Real Madrid travels to Bulgaria with the aim of closing out the playoff against Hapoel Tel Aviv and securing their ticket to Athens for what would be their fourth Final Four in the EuroLeague in the last five years, and their eleventh since 2011. On all four occasions where our team held a 2-0 lead, they also won the third game to seal their qualification.
Scariolo's squad capitalized on home-court advantage to win the first two games at the Movistar Arena (86-82 and 102-75). They took two different approaches but consistently maintained control of rebounds, turnovers, and defense. The first game was set on track early with a +15 run, while the second was dominated after halftime with a +29 margin.
Team strength
Without Tavares, who remains sidelined due to injury, Real Madrid has showcased their roster depth and cohesive gameplay. Campazzo was named MVP of the round (23 points and a performance index rating of 30), and Garuba stepped up in the absence of the Cape Verdean center, playing a decisive role in the second game (13 points and 9 rebounds). Moreover, Hezonja comes into this game with boosted confidence following his historic performance against UCAM Murcia, scoring 40 points and achieving a performance index rating of 53 in under 30 minutes.
For Hapoel Tel Aviv, a team built to reach the Final Four in their first season at the elite level, this will be a final of utmost importance, demanding Madrid's 100% effort. Oturu is performing at a high level in the series (averaging 19 points and a performance index rating of 27.5) and, alongside Jones and Blakeney, poses their biggest threat. However, they need more from their two stars, Micic and Bryant, who have so far been neutralized by our team.
Undefeated against Hapoel Tel Aviv
This evening, at the Arena Botevgrad (the temporary home of the Israeli team), Madrid will look to confirm their superiority on the road as demonstrated throughout the series. Madrid won there on their only visit, on November 25, with a narrow 74-75 victory, highlighting the challenges of this venue. This will be the fifth meeting between the two teams this season, with Madrid winning all previous encounters. Today, Scariolo's men will aim to secure their place in the Final Four.
Disclaimer: Translation generated by artificial intelligence. It may contain inaccuracies.