Real Madrid defeats Maccabi with a record number of three-pointers in the EuroLeague

Real Madrid triumphed in Belgrade against Maccabi, securing their fourth consecutive victory in the EuroLeague, and their seventh win counting the three from the domestic league. Pedro Martínez's team overcame a 15-point deficit between the second and third quarters with a 49-22 run to take a lead they defended until the end. After breaking their record for three-pointers in an ACB game last Sunday (20), today they set a new EuroLeague record by hitting 21. Campazzo (21 points, 5 three-pointers, and a PIR of 28) led five other players who scored in double digits (Feliz, 18 points and PIR 18; Abalde, 15 points and PIR 18; Tavares, 11 points and PIR 17; Luwawu-Cabarrot, 15 points and PIR 13; and Maledon, 11 points).

The madridistas' start was marked by a lack of accuracy in offense, although their excellent work in offensive rebounds allowed them to stay in the game against a Maccabi team that demonstrated its effectiveness near the rim from the outset (10/12 in two-point shots). The local second unit, featuring Di Bartolomeo, Clark III, and Hoard (20 points combined), tipped the balance in the first quarter, which ended 30-23 despite a late surge by our team with 7 points from Campazzo. 

Madrid responds
Pedro Martínez's team's defense was several steps behind the Israeli attack, which managed to generate easy baskets through Madar's playmaking and the points from Colzon and Theis. Madrid lacked the offensive sharpness of other days. They struggled to find advantageous situations and played in bursts, adding only two three-pointers. With the score at 44-29 in the 15th minute, our team responded with their best minutes of the first half. They increased their defensive aggression, and their game flowed much better from there. They scored six more three-pointers (eight in this quarter), with Feliz (11 points) and Luwawu-Cabarrot (8) standing out, for a 22-8 run in their favor, leaving the game tied at halftime (52-51).

The game saw a break in runs, and both teams traded baskets at the start of the third quarter (63-62, min. 25). But Real Madrid's defense was a different story, and Maccabi began to struggle against it. With Tavares asserting himself in both areas, Campazzo taking the lead, and solid minutes from Abalde, our team made a push with a 19-10 run, in a quarter where they scored 30 points (73-81, min. 30).

Second record in 4 days
The game intensified in the final quarter. Maccabi relied on the individual quality of Colzon and Clark III, but they faced a very solid team on both ends of the court, maintaining strong defense in the second half and neutralizing the home team's points through their attacking brilliance, particularly from beyond the arc. One from Feliz, with an additional foul (18 points for him), another from Campazzo (21), two from Okeke, and two more from Abalde (10 points in the last 5 minutes). A total of 21 triples with a 53.8% success rate, the best madridista record of three-pointers scored in a EuroLeague game and the third highest overall, behind Fenerbahce's 24 and Anadolu Efes's 22. In just four days, Pedro Martínez's team has broken the records for three-pointers in both an ACB and a EuroLeague game (99-111, min. 40).

MACCABI-REAL MADRID STATISTICS