Defeat on the road in the EuroLeague

Real Madrid could not secure a victory in their third consecutive away game in the EuroLeague. Pedro Martínez's team lost against Hapoel Tel Aviv in a game that had two distinct phases: trailing by 22 points at the start of the third quarter and leading by 1 eight minutes later. In the final stretch, the home team was more accurate and clinched the win. Maledon, with 26 points and a performance index rating of 40, delivered his best game for us, while Tavares also stood out with a double-double (14 points and 13 rebounds). Our team will wrap up the week by visiting Monbus Obradoiro in the League (Sunday, 12:30 pm; Dazn).

The game began at a slow pace with long possessions. Hapoel Tel Aviv executed better, both defensively and offensively, taking advantage of Madrid's weaknesses in one-on-one situations. Leday (13 points) and Bryant (7) dominated the offense for the home team, who established a +13 lead by the 8th minute. Pedro Martínez rotated the entire bench with continuous changes to improve the team's dynamics. With Okeke, the madridistas found some consistency from the perimeter and managed to reduce the deficit to 9 points by the end of the first quarter (29-20).

Trailing behind
The second quarter picked up speed, but trading baskets did not benefit Madrid. Maledon took on the offensive role for his team, but it was not enough against a Hapoel Tel Aviv side that scored with ease. Micic and Caboclo, with his fourth perfect triple, widened the gap on the scoreboard. Between turnovers and a defense that couldn’t stop the Israeli team, the deficit continued to grow, reaching around 20 points (63-43, min. 20).

Madrid takes the lead
They entered the second half with a completely different attitude. A basket by Leday that put the home team 22 points ahead (67-45, min. 22) marked a turning point in the game. The madridistas responded impressively with an unyielding defense and Tavares as the central figure. The center dominated the paint, and the trio of Maledon, Smith Jr., and Luwawu-Cabarrot unleashed an offensive storm. The forward hit three triples to lead a 19-0 run in just over three minutes, bringing the game back within reach (67-64, min. 26). They went further to complete the comeback with a 74-75 score after the Frenchman's fourth triple. The third quarter ended in Madrid's favor with a 32-12 scoreline.

Maledon led the team until the end
Hapoel regained the lead at the start of the final quarter, halting the momentum of a Madrid side struggling with open shots and taking nearly 5 minutes to score their first field goal. Micic and Caboclo, from beyond the arc, complicated things further, giving their team an 11-point cushion by the 35th minute. Madrid made one last effort, led by Maledon in his best performance as a madridista (26 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists for a performance index rating of 40), but their offense was not as fluid as in the third quarter, and Bryant eventually sealed the game (102-98, min. 40).

GAME STATISTICS
102-Hapoel Tel Aviv: Micic (22), Satoransky (9), Bryant (22), Leday (15), Caboclo (15) -starting five– German (-), Blakeney (12), Carrington (0), Timor (-), Wainright (0), Odiase (0), and Oturu (7).
98-Real Madrid: Campazzo (3), Luwawu-Cabarrot (21), Abalde (2), Jantunen (7), Tavares (14) -starting five– Pradilla (0), Maledon (26), Smith Jr. (12), Okeke (8), Feliz (2), Jones (2), and Deck (1).