Real Madrid is unbeaten so far and almost unplayable. It plays by memory, has a lot of weapons to face any situation. Olimpia, who has to play with Langford and Gentile bothered by injuries (and no Kangur, no Gigli so far) right now is unable to compete at that high level. The second road Euroleague game is inflicting the pain of a second, predictable, loss, painful because of the margin (although Real has given everybody the same treatment), but with some elements good to build around, for example the capacity of staying in the game mentally to reduce the margin and keep identity and confidence intact in a Euroleague group very tough which began with the two more complicated road games. The final score is 93-74 Real.

THE FIRST HALF – Real uses all the 1 on 1 power of Nikola Mirotic, who has a lot of solution, can go inside, shoot from far away, cuts and produces six point in the first five minutes. Olimpia tries to keep up, Samuels is unlucky on three consecutive mid-range jumpers. But he scores the first Milano’s field goal and when Moss, from the corner, on a Jerrells assist, makes a three it’s 8-8. Real answers with a 7-0 run, flies away 15-8 with an unstoppable Mirotic. Every turnover is a fastbreak for Real. Melli with a corner three is in and out and it’d have been the two down. Gentile subs for Jerrells, makes a steal and completes a three-point play to keep Olimpia in the game. After a Mirotic dunk on an offensive rebound, Langford in the quarter final possession creates a lay-up for Chiotti. 25-20 at the end of first. EA7 is getting as close as to four points early in the second with five points in a row for Haynes (spectacular drive and a three). With Melli and Wallace together the floor is more open but it’s difficult to keep up inside. Twice Real corrects shooting mistakes by getting the offensive rebound to score. Once with the shot-clock expiring after a solid defense, Carroll get the ball off the floor and makes a three. Then Sergio Rodriguez gets on fire: makes a three, scores on a tear-drop and real is up by 15, then 18 after a Carroll’s 3-point play. Langford responds with a three-point play on his own but Rodriguez makes another three and close the second again with a three pushing Real up by 21 at the half.

THE SECOND HALF – Olimpia tries to stay in the game against a very deep team which start the second half with Dontaye Draper at the point, a player not used in the first with the exception of 17 seconds. Jerrells scores five consecutive points, there are two triples by Gentile first and Moss later but Mitoric makes two more jumpers (7/7) before Wallace forces a traveling violaton. Rudy Fernandez, 4 points in the first, begins his own show and the margin is still there, around 20. With fernandez, third Real players to produce a double-digit quarter, Madrid closes the third 73-49. The last period allows Real to keep the show going, and Olimpia to give minutes to players normally not very used like Bruno Cerella and David Chiotti, but with no signs of surrendering. And in fact the last partial score is 25-20 Olimpia.

Share the article with your friends and support the team

Share the article with your friends and support the team

URL Copied to clipboard! icon-share