Rudy Fernández or how to decant a game without scoring

• Barça Mirotic appears in the last second

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One could start with

, for his wisdom and for his connection with

, of one of those lucid afternoons in which geniuses like him feel as comfortable as if they were playing in the backyard of their house.

could also be highlighted

, of course. And yet, in Saint Petersburg, a victory of those that does not shine so much, of which you have to work as if they were a final exam, it was

who ended up deciding everything. Again. [68-75: Narration and statistics]

He did it without scoring a single point, a rarity allowed to players who truly understand basketball, who anticipate, who have been there so many times that they often already know what is going to happen. They can be called intangibles or tactical wisdom. A quality so exclusive that it is pure gold. Rudy came out after the break to a difficult battle to unravel. He only shot twice to the basket, but he was in all the places that had to be. His four steals (plus three assists, four rebounds, a block ...) were what really made the difference against a Zenit of

with little offensive clarity.

Real Madrid's first away win in this Euroleague, to recover from its first loss at home (last Sunday in ACB against Gran Canaria), was a puzzle of many pieces.

At times it was a martyrdom, at times he managed to find those offensive mechanisms that

acknowledges that they have not yet been achieved and finally, despite the torture with free kicks, it was a less hurried victory than what the development of the attacks seemed to indicate. events.

Ndiaye debut

It had been a first part without an owner, without a clear pattern.

Heurtel woke up playful, with passes from behind and good baskets.

And Real Madrid taking advantage of Russian mistakes, with robberies on the front line and offensive ease.

He took advantage (13-22) and debuted in the Euroleague Eli Ndiaye, another youth squad on Laso's list who seems to have overtaken Vukcevic.

But Zenit reacted with triples, five almost consecutive between Zubkov and Baron.

Madrid were trying to respond with Alocen and Abalde, but now it was Xavi Pascual's men who were setting the pace, until they completed their comeback and went into the break leading the score (40-39).

It was a very poor second quarter for Madrid, although Heurtel's final basket (again) eased spirits somewhat.

St. Petersburg was uncomfortable land, the first Russian stop of a week on the plane (Kazan Friday, Vitoria Sunday). The Heurtel-Tavares connection broke in on the return, but the giant was knocked out with two consecutive fouls that brought him to the bench with four. The Zenit commanded by little, although it was owner of the sensations and the rebound. But the wind of the games changes for details, for guys who wake up with a bang. And there, at Heurtel's efforts, he joined with the strength of a Yabusele bear, seven running points, running, from the perimeter, with that breadth of resources that made him essential for Laso so soon.

Laso saved his best men for the home straight, in anticipation of a photo finish sprint.

But it was not necessary.

Between Causeur, Abalde and, above all, an omnipresent Rudy Fernández, who not even the imbalances with superior rivals in the painting deviated him from his mission, they resolved in the absence of five minutes.

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