By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Real Madrid had a fair share of troubles in the second part of the season but it seems they’ve got everything under control in the Euroleague playoffs. The Whites are now up 2-0 against Maccabi Teal Aviv after logging a very convincing 95-66 win.
Real Madrid established control already in the first quarter, finishing the period with a 19-8 run which culminated with three straight long-range from Sergio Llull.
The double-digit lead rose going forward and the Whites were up 56-37 by halftime. Vincent Poirier scored seven points in the crucial run during the second quarter and he continued to play strong after the break, as Real Madrid kept the gap above the 20-point margin, leaving no doubt about the outcome.
Poirier was the man of the match with 31 PIR thanks to 16 points, ten rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocks. He missed only one shot from the field.
“I just tried to do my job. I grabbed a lot of rebounds and gave the team an opportunity to score again. That’s my job. I’m really happy. We did it together. We rebounded well defensively, too. It was a great team effort,” Poirier said, staying humble.
Llull finished with 17 points including five triples while Guerschon Yabusele also had a key role with 16 points. But their offense wasn’t the only thing shining.
Coach Pablo Laso praised his team for consistency first of all and he especially praised the duo of bigs as well as Llull. The defensive effort was also a big plus in his book.
“It’s pretty simple. We played consistently. Our second and third quarters were, defensively, great. Our bigs got 22 points and 17 rebounds. That speaks well about them but also about the team – when to find them, how to find them. And we moved the ball very well offensively. Today, Llull stepped up. And what gave us confidence in the game was that we were solid defensively for 40 minutes. That was the key today.”
Maccabi was held to 66 points and despite all 12 players getting minutes, none reached double-digits. Keenan Evans scored nine followed by Ante Zizic, Scottie Wilbekin, and Derrick Williams with eight each.
The best-of-five series will move to Israel for Game 3 as Maccabi tries to use the home energy in order to survive and force the fourth match. A tough situation for Maccabi nonetheless but coach Avi Even believes they will find a way.
“It’s a totally different game. We need to forget these games and go back to Tel Aviv – a place where we feel much more secure. I feel we will find a way. I know we will find a way. We have a few days to prepare ourselves and we’ll do it.”