By Eurohoops Team / info@eurohoops.net
Real Madrid won a pivotal Game 3 against Panathinaikos Superfoods Athens and lead the series 2-1. After the final whistle, coach Pablo Laso and Xavi Pascual shared a few words.
Coach Laso stated that the game was tight from the start: “We knew it would be a tricky game. The aura was different. The crowd helped us get this win. It was a very balanced game, we were ahead three times, but we rushed a little bit. The team was focused during the 40 minutes and knew how to fight until the end. We are closer to the objective. The next game is an opportunity. We haven’t achieved anything yet. I’m not thinking about Athens. I’m focused about Friday. I only think about Friday’s game.”
He also commented on Sergio Llull’s return to action: “He missed easy shots in the beginning, but then he scored 7-9 points in a row. It’s a great day for Madrid. It seems that Llull’s comeback was more important than the game. Having him back on the court after his injury is fantastic. Sergio worked, and his effort paid off. He is a special player, for sure. We have to understand how he communicates; we are pleased about him. Someone asked me about giving him fewer minutes, but I know that the doctors have done a great job. I think he is the best player in Europe and what he brings to the team is incredible.
Besides, he also talked about Jaycee Carroll and how crucial he was to the team: Today is Llull’s day. But I think we should talk about Carroll. Shouldn’t we? He told me: “What are you doing? I’m playing great, and you send me to the bench.”
On the other hand, Xavi Pascual also commented on Sergio Llull, calling him one of the best players in the world: “We know how good he is, he is one of the best players in the world. He has shown his quality in his first game back and was decisive with the back to back three-pointers in the fourth quarter.”
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