Real Madrid-Gran Canaria: our team looks to close the week on a high note
Chus Mateo's side go in search of their third win in six days after winning the Euroleague double-header in Athens (12:30pm CET).
Real Madrid returns to league action, where they are the undisputed league leaders with 11 wins in 12 games. Our team goes into the game on the back of two very demanding Euroleague outings against Olympiacos and Panathinaikos, both of which ended in victory. They close the week today by hosting sixth-placed Gran Canaria, who go into the game on the back of a run of five wins in the last six games.
After 12 games in the ACB, Real Madrid are two wins ahead of second and third in the table and four wins ahead of today's opposition. It will be another tough test for the Madrid squad, who will try to overcome the fatigue and the effort made in Athens, where they delivered a coup d'etat on two of the hottest courts in Europe. In addition, Gran Canaria is currently at its best and has only lost one game in the league since mid-October.
The leaders will have to be at their best defensively (only allowing their opponents with an average of 78.3 points) because the Gran Canaria side aren't short of resources in attack. They have scored over 100 points on two occasions and know what it is like to win on difficult courts such as that of Baskonia. Brussino is at a high level (17.7 PIR). On the inside, they have the Happ-Lammers pairing, and on the perimeter they have quality and experienced players such as AJ Slaughter, Landesberg and Salvó. Real Madrid will have to put pressure on their opponents' defence and continue to show why they are the best attacking team in the competition with 91 points per game.
Hezonja-Tavares
The scintillating victories over Olympiacos and Panathinaikos have once again shown the depth of our squad. The team hardly noticed their absences in Greece and Hezonja and Tavares were the key players. The former averaged 18.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.5 steals and 22 PIR, while the latter averaged 10.5 points, 6 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2 blocks and a PIR of 18.5. Last season we won all four games against them, twice in the regular season and twice in the quarter-final playoffs. Today, we will try to close the week with a 100% win total.