Defeat against Panathinaikos in overtime

Real Madrid lost against Panathinaikos in the tenth round of the EuroLeague. Despite being undermined by significant absences of Campazzo, Maledon, and Jantunen, the team showcased its competitive spirit and stood up to the leader in a game where they first overcame a 15-point deficit and later another 7-point deficit with two minutes remaining to force overtime. However, the Greek team emerged victorious in extra time. Feliz, with 27 points and a 29 PIR, and Abalde, with 23 points and a 23 PIR, were the team’s best players. Llull set a record for the most seasons in the premier continental competition with 20.

Panathinaikos started more comfortably, easily surpassing Madrid on both ends of the court with Francisco and Mitoglu. Three three-pointers by the Greeks forced Pedro Martínez to call a timeout after a 13-4 run in three minutes by the visitors. The introduction of the second unit, led by Llull and Okeke, brought more game rhythm and aggressiveness. Offensively, they excelled in two-point shooting (6/6) but struggled from beyond the arc (1/6). Nevertheless, our team cut the deficit to close the first quarter at 18-24. 

Madridista Reaction
The visitors were unstoppable in attack with impressive three-point percentages and a diversified scoring approach. Sloukas, Nunn, and Yabusele pushed the lead to 15 points in the 14th minute (23-38). Shulga, with two three-pointers, provided the madridista resistance and halted the Greek onslaught. These were key minutes for the Ukrainian to provide some breathing room. Llull and Feliz picked up the mantle upon returning to the court, and the game's dynamics shifted. They injected speed, grit, and determination. Supported by the dominance of Jones in the paint (7 points, including a dunk over Bonga), they carried the team on their backs. Madrid stopped conceding easy baskets and achieved a 20-9 run in the final stretch of the second quarter, leaving the score at 48-51 by halftime. 

The story from the start seemed to repeat itself at the beginning of the second half. The five-open formula worked again for Obradovic's team, who stayed ahead thanks to three-pointers from Francisco and Mitoglu (53-60, min. 23). This time, Madrid didn’t allow their opponent to continue that style of play and showed their character to turn the situation around. They began scoring more from the three-point line, and Procida, Abalde, and Jones led a comeback (13-5) that put them ahead in the 28th minute with a score of 66-65. However, that effort took its toll in the following minutes, and Nunn restored Panathinaikos’ lead at the start of the final quarter (73-79, min. 32).

Madrid forces overtime
The final stretch was a head-to-head battle, with two players shining on each side. Abalde stepped up with a three-point showcase. Four consecutive three-pointers and a basket by Tavares made it 87-84 with five minutes to go. But Nunn was also inspired, scoring all of his team’s points. He totaled 23 in this quarter, making it nearly impossible for Madrid to fight for victory with the score at 60-67 in the 38th minute. However, Pedro Martínez’s team never stopped believing, and in another push, they sent the game into overtime with a layup by Feliz on the final possession. In extra time, Panathinaikos had the better accuracy to secure the win. Abalde (23 points) and Feliz (27), achieving their best EuroLeague performances in our jersey, along with Procida and Jones, were the standout players for the team, which gave everything until the end to try to claim victory in a thrilling match (112-115, min. 45).

REAL MADRID-PANATHINAIKOS STATISTICS

Disclaimer: Translation generated by  intelligence. It may contain inaccuracies.

Disclaimer: Translation generated by artificial intelligence. It may contain inaccuracies.