At the eighth came the first setback for Madrid this year. He travels 4-0 in the ACB, but in the Euroleague he has not gone beyond his first outing. A good Olympiacos, fantastic in defense and delivery, cut his wings and finished him off with a magical minute in the last quarter, in which a 9-0 left the white team unanswered. More than correct behind, but very unfortunate in the launch: 3 of 24. Almost impossible with that 12% to grab a win in the Euroleague. Rudy finished 0-for-5 on a very flat perimeter this time, with no one to change gears beyond Hanga’s attempts. Williams-Goss was the most visible light at his own pace and Tavares was left very alone for everything else. The former blue Vezenkov served as a Greek reference despite his 1 of 7 in the triple. However, his activity (10 rebounds) and mobility hurt and his 16 goals came with a 5 of 6 of two.
To begin with, he played jarana. Friday night in La Paz and La Amistad with 7,235 fans and an Olympiacos psyched up to match the rival, “the most prepared in Europe at this time,” he said in the preview. Tough defenses, too many turnovers and no hit of three (0 of 14 between them at the end of the first quarter). Madrid had not started badly (4-6) with Hanga running every time he caught a ball behind and Tavares (gap in the eyebrow and to the bench) and Poirier adding, but he soon found himself with a knot around his neck in attack. In six minutes, just one basket. Opposite, the Oly is not that it flew. Yabusele did not hold Vezenkov, but the overall accuracy was low: a poor 13-10 at the end of the act. Llull took the cap off the rim from the triple, although his team was going to get into a bad section (19-13). Printezis classic semi-wide, Sloukas basket … Rudy played four and Hassan Martin, replacement for the giant Fall, gave him activity.
Laso chose to join his two towers, Poirier and Tavares, and it worked. Without a shot of three (1 of 12 traveling well into the third quarter), there was mobility and good passes (7 assists in the second quarter) and Williams-Goss appeared to lead the ship, ripped the Greek zone dribbling and getting up from medium distance : 30-32 and 35-36 at halftime. The third period was going to keep the pulse going. Tavares linked a flocked ball from his hoop, a stopper and a 2 + 1, Hanga assisted for the second white triple (from Yabusele) and finished a race: 43-48, minute 26.
Madrid had reached the top, henceforth it would only descend against a growing adversary. Vezenkov and Dorsey fired up and the deadly arreon came with 7 minutes to go, a 9-0 in a matter of seconds with 3s from Vezenkov and Larentzakis and a 2 + 1 from Hassan Martin. Madrid, without hit, had no response. Tavares was picking what he could and Williams-Goss was the only one to produce with the ball. La Paz y la Amistad, Comanche territory, returned, 12 defeats in 15 duels this century.
