By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Real Madrid came out blazing after halftime in Game 2 of the Spanish League Finals against Baskonia to prevail 98 – 91 more easily than what the final score shows, and tie the best-of-five series 1-1.
The two teams were tied 52 – 52 at the break but what transpired afterward was just a monologue for Real. Coach Pablo Laso’s players stormed into the second half with 14 (!) points in less than four minutes to take a double-digit lead, 66 – 54.
Baskonia, that played minus injured big Johannes Voigtmann since the end of the first quarter, looked unable to hold back the roar of the “Blancos”. The visiting squad that led by 10, 22-32, eight minutes into the match, and completed the first half with a phenomenal 9/13 on 3-pointers, was overwhelmed by the aggressiveness of its opponents and fell back even by 20, 83 – 63 near the end of the third period.
Real retained a more than safe lead while Baskonia head coach Pedro Martinez threw in his reserves early, accepting the inevitable defeat. Despite this result, the Basques leave Madrid after claiming homecourt advantage and now have the opportunity to win the title if they make the 2/2 in Game 3 and Game 4 that will take place in Vitoria.
Jaycee Carroll and Trey Thompkins dropped 16 points apiece for Real while Gustavo Ayon posted a double-double of 14 points and 10 rebounds. Potential no.1 pick in the 2018 Draft Luka Doncic had 11 points, four rebounds, and two assists in 20 minutes with most of his contribution arriving during Real’s crucial run early in the second half. Captain Felipe Reyes also scored 11.
From Baskonia, Matt Janning scored 18 points, 15 of them in the first half when he had 5/5 3-pointers. Ilmane Diop added 16 points and Vincent Poirier 12 points plus six rebounds.