Causeur leads, Deck resolves and Tavares is injured

Madrid had to win and they won (71-75), which is a lot in this Euroleague full of unforeseen events. He did it against Zalgiris eight days before and repeated this Friday, without the forcefulness of then, against Asvel Villeurbanne, who, despite riding penultimate, has knocked down Olympiacos, Barça and Fenerbahçe, three of the first four. With Madrid, the fourth in contention, he could not, neither here nor there. He hasn’t gotten it since February 200320 years and a month of sentence before the whites, although this time he touched a heroic comeback. That is why he is a specialist in unexpected reactions. We saw it again, when went from traveling 17 downjust starting the second part (32-49), to get within a shot of two (62-64) at minute 33. The return to the track to the race of Causeur, Tavares and Williams-Goss and the irruption of Deck with three consecutive baskets (and then a fourth in the final seconds) they stopped the bleeding and they cleared the danger.

A victory carved in the first partwhere he opened a wide gap with a solid game; because in the second (barely 28 points) he had to hold on with everything so that success would not slip through his fingers, bad feelings for a large part of the rotation. Llull, Rudy and Yabusele had stayed in Madrid, and Hanga only participated for five seconds, like Ndiaye. Abalde returned, without presence since he suffered a sprain on January 19, and put more will than success, although Chus Mateo kept him on the court for 23:09. He must pick up pace. Of the other nine, Goss, Deck and Tavares gave the level and Causeur surpassed it. He is good at the Astroballe. Last year he had 25 points and this time he had 14 on just six shots for a PIR of 23.. Nice duel with Nando de Colo in the third quarter, but the local star (13 goals) was far from his best nights.

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The white card was very good at halftime (32-47 with 5 of 11 from three, 20 rebounds and a PIR of 60) and it got worse in geometric progression in the second part, especially after the first changes, because the block stopped quite a bit with El Chacho, Musa and Poirier. Asvel was seen where other times, ready for the comeback, and he tried, what a physique he has to spare. Lighty, Fall and Obasohan led the first rush and was joined by an ex, Alex Tyus. He lacked another change of pace, but it was not De Colo’s day. The Real seemed to have channeled it; however, he had to play it until the last seconds and, with 28 seconds to go, Tavares stumbled under the ring while trying to stop De Colo and sprained his left ankle. Straight to the locker room with barely being able to support the foot. Let’s see. If Tavares catches a cold, Madrid trembles.

The best, the victory and that the streak of 2023 is still open: His eighth victory in the Euroleague in nine games leaves him closer to reaching his goal, to grab the home court factor in the quarterfinal playoffs. and leaves him leader with the same 18 wins as Olympiacos (unexpected stumble in Milan: 83-62) and Barça, but one game less.