Real Madrid takes a breath before its moment of truth

Real Madrid had lost 16 of the last 25 games, a crisis the likes of which had not been remembered before, taking two players from their squad, Heurtel and Thompkins.

So winning, almost in any way, has become a rarity and a necessity.

Because there is no turning back, the Euroleague quarterfinal series against Maccabi kicks off on Wednesday, the frontier that can mark the definitive failure or the reaction of a team made for high levels that now seem unthinkable.

[Narration and stats: 90-65]

After losing consecutively against Tenerife, Barça and Bilbao, Madrid not only missed the chance to finish first in the ACB, they even began to jeopardize home court factor in the playoffs.

At WiZink, a diminished Río Breogán -during the week he lost Dzanan Musa, his star, due to an alarming fracture in his trachea- paid for the broken dishes.

At last, a comfortable triumph, from start to finish.

A breath of confidence for what is to come.

With

in plain clothes after the split -Jeff

n't play either- , the Whites soon broke up the game.

A walk on Sunday morning, with some downturn.

At the break, they left with the maximum (53-29).

They ran, they found the inside players.

High percentages, a bit of joy, with

already hogging the spotlight.

It was the first triumph of April, a key month.

And it was a quiet second half as well (he came to command by 32), something that is still a novelty in the permanent volcano that Laso's group has become.

stood out

, two Americans whose full version seems necessary.

At last, a bit of that continuity in the game that the coach demands, which is still concentration and effort.

Against a rival who has already done all his homework, the newly promoted without a single rush for relegation, although perhaps his playoff dream is beginning to slip away without Musa.

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