Real Madrid-Partizan: EuroLeague playoffs get underway
The Whites will be looking to secure the first point of a best-of-five series at the WiZink Center (8.45pm CET).
Real Madrid kick off their EuroLeague playoff campaign this evening against Partizan Belgrade. Chus Mateo's men, who host the Serbian team in the first of two back-to-back games at the WiZink Center, will be looking to get ahead in the best-of-five playoff. On the eight occasions Madrid have had home-court advantage, our team has managed to progress to the next round.
The decisive stretch of the EuroLeague has arrived for the madridistas, who will be appearing in their 10th consecutive playoff campaign and their 15th in total. Since the 2012/13 season, the Whites have consistently finished in the top eight to fight for the title. They have had an excellent Regular Season with 23 victories, battling it out to top the standings until the final round, and will be hoping to cap it off with a place in the Final Four. They are up against Partizan, who have also had an outstanding year 6th with 20 wins and are back in the playoffs after a 13-year wait.
The decisive stretch of the EuroLeague has arrived for the madridistas, who will be appearing in their 10th consecutive playoff campaign and their 15th in total. Since the 2012/13 season, the Whites have consistently finished in the top eight to fight for the title. They have had an excellent Regular Season with 23 victories, battling it out to top the standings until the final round, and will be hoping to cap it off with a place in the Final Four. They are up against Partizan, who have also had an outstanding year 6th with 20 wins and are back in the playoffs after a 13-year wait.
Madrid will certainly have to draw on that experience and their depth of squad, given that they have had the shortest amount of time to prepare for this first playoff clash - barely 48 hours after clinching victory in Badalona on matchday 29 of the Liga Endesa Partizan were in action on Friday. This will be a stern test in terms of physicality and defensive duties between the two playoff teams with the best offensive attack 85 points on average. The Serbians feature very athletic and dynamic players in Exum, Punter, Nunally and Leday. Lessort is the competition's top rebounder, which means the Whites will have to be careful in this area of their game. They also boast the second best three-point shooting percentage in the Euroleague 39.6%.
History favours Madrid
Madrid welcomed back Deck last Sunday - and he is an essential component of the team. Hezonja is in excellent form and Musa is always a reliable scorer. Madrid possess enough firepower to hurt a defence that concedes almost 83 points per game. This term, the head-to-head record stands at one win apiece, both at home - 105-97 and 104-90. However, history certainly favours the Whites: 15-3 in the EuroLeague and 19-3 if we include the European Cup. The madridistas previously faced the Serbs in the quarter-finals of 89/90 with a 2-0 victory and remain unbeaten on home court in the eight meetings between the two sides. The home support from the WiZink Center will once again be decisive, as Madrid have always prevailed in the first fixture of the series, when they have enjoyed home-court advantage.
History favours Madrid
Madrid welcomed back Deck last Sunday - and he is an essential component of the team. Hezonja is in excellent form and Musa is always a reliable scorer. Madrid possess enough firepower to hurt a defence that concedes almost 83 points per game. This term, the head-to-head record stands at one win apiece, both at home - 105-97 and 104-90. However, history certainly favours the Whites: 15-3 in the EuroLeague and 19-3 if we include the European Cup. The madridistas previously faced the Serbs in the quarter-finals of 89/90 with a 2-0 victory and remain unbeaten on home court in the eight meetings between the two sides. The home support from the WiZink Center will once again be decisive, as Madrid have always prevailed in the first fixture of the series, when they have enjoyed home-court advantage.