Real Madrid-Valencia Basket: huge game to close out the year

The WiZink Center today bids farewell to a 2023 that will go down in madridismo history. The year of the Undécima, of the unprecedented EuroLeague playoff and the best ever first half of a European campaign. It's also the end of a 12 months that brought a record number of wins and a tenth Super Cup. We're also finishing 2023 sitting top of the pile in both competitions. Today, we welcome third-placed Valencia Basket on matchday 16 in the League looking to extend our ten-game winning run.

Chus Mateo's boys will look to close out the year with a 74th win, a historic figure that betters the 68 registered in 2019. It's not going to be easy either, up against EuroLeague opponents who always make life difficult. This year, we beat them on the road in Europe 73-76 thanks to a stunning defensive second half with Campazzo top performing (23 PIR). Valencia will demand the best of us from a physical perspective. Against Asvel on Thursday, our team showed they can adapt to whatever a game throws at them, despite the extensive injury list. Poirier and Tavares played key roles in a hard-fought win.

Defense will be key once more against opposition with a wealth of offensive weapons and a fierce competitive edge. They boast quality in the form of Jones and Harper on the outside, with Davies inside, all three averaging in double digits. What's more, they'll be keen to recover from two successive defeats (Covirán Granada and Bayern Munich). We'll have to make the most of the league's best offense, which is averaging 11 points more than today's rivals, with five players at +10 PIR.

Focused on a third flawless month
Real Madrid conclude the opening half of the season today. So far, with 32 wins in 34 games, they boast 100% records in both September and October. In December, they have won all 10 games to date, meaning a win over Valencia Basket will clinch a third perfect month this term.