96-81: Record-breaking Tavares guides league leaders to seventh consecutive win

The league leaders continued their unbeaten run since the turn of the year with a seventh successive victory, the twenty-first in twenty-two games. Straight from a win over Zalgiris Kaunas less than 48 hours before, the team were dominant against Hereda San Pablo Burgos, one of the competition's in-form sides, racing to 29-13 in the first quarter. Tavares was the main man with a magnificent performance (27 points in his best numbers as a madridista, 7 rebounds, 6 blocks and a PIR of 37), which saw him become the second-best all-time blocker for the madridistas in the ACB (261). He was ably assisted by Carroll (13 of his 17 points in the final quarter), Garuba and Deck. The game was also Laso's 400th league clash on the Whites' bench, while Abalde made his 50th appearance in madridista colours.

It was a fine start by Real Madrid. Aware of the Burgos team's offensive prowess, the team flew out the blocks with intensity at the back, neutralising their opponents' options and demonstrating superiority on the rebound. In offense, they found Tavares, who got the better of Kravic time and again. Laso's men found their range on the triple and with 10 points for the Cape Verde-born star and another 11 between Causeur and Garuba, a 20-5 run took them to +17 on 9 minutes (27-10). It was absolute madridista dominance, reflected in the 39-3 PIR.

Tavares ubiquitous
With the center taking a well-earned rest, the visitors saw their offensive numbers improve with Benite, McFadden and Rivero bringing the deficit down into single figures (36-28, min. 15). The league leaders were looking less comfortable in offense, so Laso turned back to Tavares, putting Hereda San Pablo Burgos under more pressure in defense which helped the hosts rediscover their inspiration in attack, now with Abalde and Carroll scoring from the three-point line. Tavares was proving a rock at the back too, and his second block of the game saw him equal Sabonis as the top madridista blocker in ACB history, while leading the team to another 12-4 run. The center closed out a flawless first half with 16 points and a PIR of 22, with the scores at 48-32.