Victory against Partizan

Real Madrid triumphed over Partizan Belgrade in the return of the EuroLeague to the Movistar Arena five months later. Pedro Martínez's team opened their victory tally against an undefeated opponent, giving them no chance in a game they dominated almost from start to finish. A strong finish to the first quarter and the start of the second, with a +21 run, paved the way for an excellent team victory with 8 players scoring between 7 and 13 points, led by Tavares (14 efficiency rating), Campazzo (13), and Maledon (12).

Madrid quickly found their rhythm and, with great accuracy from three-point range (5/8) and strong work on offensive rebounds, took control from the 7th minute. Before that, Partizan resisted with 8 points from Carlik Jones. The second unit, led by Feliz (7) and Luwawu-Cabarrot (4), went on a 12-3 run to close the first quarter 27-19.

The team shines
The madridistas continued extending their lead in the following minutes. They added more players to a very generous attack with contributions from Campazzo, Pradilla, Tavares, and a Smith Jr. who showcased his repertoire in the second quarter (9 points). However, what made the difference was the defense, which was more focused on closing the paint and significantly reducing Partizan's two-point shooting percentages, along with the concentration to avoid turnovers (only 5 by halftime).

Jantunen put the team up by 19 in the 14th minute after another 19-7 run. Pedro Martínez's team went from 15-16 to 45-26 nine minutes later. The emergence of Thompson for the visitors in the final stretch of the first half allowed them to stay in the game (53-37).

Partizan entered the third quarter more aggressively and managed to slow down the pace of the game, taking advantage of an offensive slump from Madrid. There were three scoreless minutes during which their rival cut the lead, with Carlik Jones and Thompson leading the way (60-54, min. 26). However, Madrid kept their composure to respond in the most challenging moments, relying on the presence of Tavares, three-pointers from Luwawu-Cabarrot and Okeke, and free throws from Campazzo. A late push in the final two minutes of the third quarter, with a 6-0 run in their favor, restored the team's momentum (71-57, min. 30).

Madrid secures the victory
Our team rediscovered their rhythm in the final stretch, being direct toward the basket with the duo of Campazzo and Maledon leading the charge. They went up by 20 points in the 33rd minute with an 83-63 lead. At that point, they took a breather, and Partizan, coming off a comeback in Munich, believed a turnaround was possible with a 10-0 run in their favor (83-73). However, three final minutes in which Madrid relied on defense and turned to Maledon to regain control extinguished the visitors' hopes (86-76, min. 40).

REAL MADRID-PARTIZAN BELGRADE STATISTICS

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

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