Full house for leaders in Athens
78
-90
Panathinaikos Aktor ...
FinishedReal Madrid
Madrid beat Panathinaikos away in a very physical game and thanks to a great third quarter. Hezonja played a key role (19 points) along with Deck (16) and Musa (14).
Real Madrid made it through the demanding EuroLeague double-header in Athens with flying colours. After beating Olympiacos 48 hours ago, the leaders once again showed their physical and mental strength, and picked up another win in the Greek capital. This time against Panathinaikos. Chus Mateo's team gave a masterclass in resilience and courage on one of the most difficult courts in Europe. A spectacular third quarter (10-26) allowed them to secure the win. Hezonja (19 points), Deck (16 and 5 rebounds) and Musa (14) gave a recital to guide our team to victory.
It was expected to be a vibrant game at the OAKA Arena and so it was. Madrid did not show any signs of fatigue at the start and took the initiative thanks to a game based on looking for Tavares at the low post. But from that point onwards, Panathinaikos stepped up the pace and were more aggressive in defence. Mitoglou and Nunn, from the perimeter, were in charge of levelling the score, but Chus Mateo's team held their own. Defensive rebounding, and a very accurate Deck in the triple (2 in a row) along with Hezonja, allowed our team to take the first quarter (23-24).
Frenzied pace
It was a high-voltage game. The home side stepped up the pace, but to no avail. They came up against a wall and the subsequent Madrid gale from three-point range (50% success rate). Llull, who had just come onto court, gave his team wings with two consecutive three-pointers alongside Hezonja and Campazzo, which made the maximum difference (26-35, min. 13). Ataman stopped it and Panathinaikos changed radically. Fed by the visitors' turnovers, with Lessort and Nunn (with 17 points) electric, the Greeks turned the scoreline around with a 17-2 run. However, our team managed to counteract the rival dynamic thanks to Tavares, Campazzo and a triple from Hezonja near the end of a very even second quarter (45-46).
The pace changed, but not the physical effort. Every ball, rebound and recovery was a tremendous fight. It seemed that Panathinaikos' defence gave them no chance, but Real Madrid gradually found some cracks. Deck and Tavares (9 rebounds), under the hoop, and Musa, who was on fire from outside the D with a 0-10 run to make it 51-58 in the 26th minute. Things did not stop there and our team broke the game through defence. The Greeks failed to score in six minutes and conceded a 1-17 deficit. Musa (14 points) gave Athens a new shooting masterclass with Deck (16 points and 5 rebounds) and Causeur (16 points and 5 rebounds) working on both sides of the court.
Managing the lead
Despite the deficit, Ataman's team were still looking for for a heroic finish. With an 8-0 run in less than three minutes, they managed to close the gap (63-72). A trademark three-pointer from Llull put things back on track for Madrid. Poirier's fierce defence at the low post and the contributions of both the Spaniard and Hezonja made it +14 with five minutes to go. Chus Mateo's side managed the final minutes at the OAKA Arena well to seal their 12th EuroLeague victory, consolidate their lead and overcome a tough double-header in Athens against Panathinaikos and Olympiacos.