Real Madrid beats Partizan 86-76 for first Euroliga win of the season
Madrid led by up to 19 points at the Movistar Arena and held Partizan below 80 for the first time this season, ending an 0-3 start to the Euroliga.
A first Euroliga win after three defeats
Real Madrid beat Partizan 86-76 on Thursday at the Movistar Arena in round four of the Euroliga regular season, their first win in the competition this season. The team came into the game 0-3 after losses in Dubai, Istanbul against Efes and Sofia against Hapoel Tel Aviv, according to El Mundo. EL PAÍS reported that it was Madrid's first home game in the Euroliga, following three away matches. Partizan entered unbeaten after three wins from three games, and Europa Press reported that they were held below 80 points for the first time this season. Coach Pedro Martínez's side leaned on defence, particularly on the perimeter, and nine Madrid players scored five or more points.
Scoring and rebounds in the first half
Madrid took control early, with Luwawu-Cabarrot's two bright minutes and Andrés Feliz's triple on the buzzer putting the hosts eight points up at 27-19, according to Europa Press. EL PAÍS reported a 14-0 run between the end of the first quarter and the start of the second, which gave Madrid a 16-point lead and a 53-37 halftime score. Shooting was poor on both sides, and the teams shared more than 80 rebounds almost equally, according to El Confidencial. Madrid made 9 of 27 three-pointers, and El Confidencial said their 46% on two-pointers was an even more worrying figure. Théo Maledon had an unusual run of errors near the basket, which El Confidencial said damaged both his statistics and the team's performance.
- Halftime, Real Madrid
- 53 points
- Halftime, Partizan
- 37 points
- End of third quarter, Real Madrid
- 71 points
- End of third quarter, Partizan
- 57 points
- Final, Real Madrid
- 86 points
- Final, Partizan
- 76 points
Partizan's second-half push
Partizan opened the second half with a 9-0 run that brought them within six points, after Carlik Jones had scored the first eight points of the game. Europa Press reported an 8-0 start to the second quarter that led Partizan coach Joan Peñarroya to call a timeout, and seven straight points from Ethan Thompson later brought Partizan within 15. Tavares's return to the court restored Madrid's defence, according to Europa Press. La Razón linked the Partizan slump to Carlik Jones spending long stretches on the bench, and Madrid's lead reached 19 points at one stage. Madrid answered with a late run at the end of the third quarter that put them 14 ahead at 71-57, and they held that advantage to the final whistle at 86-76.
What comes next
Madrid's next opponent is Olimpia Milano, which EL PAÍS said, like Madrid, had won only one game so far. La Razón reported that the team faces a double fixture next week, with a trip to Milan followed by a home game against ASVEL Villeurbanne.
