Since their victory against Casademont Zaragoza on January 16, Madrid had chained consecutive defeats at the Palacio against Barça, Andorra, Valencia, Baskonia and Manresa. Sixth time was the charm and the white team won again at home (92-77) in this League two months and eleven days later. Goodbye sentence. He did it on the day of the derbies, against Urbas Fuenlabrada, and with many of the things that he had shown during the week in Europe, in Istanbul and Tel Aviv. The good things, because the bad ones, the offensive collapse of the last minutes did not appear. The gap was too wide to witness another collective collapse like the one we saw twice in a row in 48 hours in the Euroleague.
Group and personal revenge, that of Thomas Heurtel, who finished with 21 points, 6 assists and a PIR of 30. The French base helped break his talent and this time with consistency (two recoveries and no losses). The rival found no arguments to stop him. He went 3-for-6 from 3-point range, an oasis there on another bad day for Real on the perimeter (7-for-26). Between him and Yabusele, 5 goals, the rest 2 of 16 attempts. Opposite, Fuenla was speechless before the local collective game and the individual appearances by relay: Deck, Heurtel, Poirier, Tavares, Yabusele, Heurtel again. Those from Raventós will continue to fight for not going down, tied with four other teams in penultimate place with 8 wins.
Laso opted for the same quintet of the week in his continental battles (Williams-Goss, Hanga, Deck, Yabusele and Tavares). And we saw the same effervescent entry from Heurtel (10 points in 12 minutes), a decisive mastery of the rebound (27 to 14 at halftime), the high-quality relief of Poirier in the five position (applied in defensive imbalances and punishing in offensive rejections and continuations) and an extraordinary Deck in his 200th match with the merengue shirt. More off-road if possible, dominating with his versatility and drive. Bouncing, running, penetrating, cutting… And also as a punctual four to give Yabusele a break. Because without Randolph (injured) and without Thompkins (the non-registered non-EU player), there is no other power forward. In the half part, 13 points, 8 rebounds and a PIR of 17 (double-double at the end: 16+10 and 22 credits).
In the wings there were reinforcements, those of Causeur and Taylor, back after several weeks off due to muscle injuries and still out of rhythm. At the break, Madrid had control of the scoreboard (45-31) and of the game against a deactivated and darkened Fuenla near the rim (8 of 25 in shots from two). Emegano, annulled, did not appear and Meindl and Ristic tried to move the car by pushing, without fluidity.
After the break, Emegano emerged (from 2 to 16 goals), but Tavares (10 plus 4 captures and a PIR of 18 in the third quarter alone) was even stronger, a permanent beacon of attacks with devastating baskets under the rim, the tip of the offensive beat. The lead touched +21 in the 29th minute (67-46) and the Whites threatened to drop, although there was a rebound. Llull finished without scoring, just two shots, but 6 assists. In total 22 for only 7 losses. That’s the way, the coaches say.