• ACB This is how the playoffs are

Real Madrid awaits a rival in the ACB semifinals, confirming that the consistency achieved to the point of being a breath away from winning the Euroleague is the reality with which they will now fight to win back the League.

Because he did not finish just anyone: after Belgrade's disappointment, Baxi Manresa seemed like a stone in the shoe.

On Wednesday at the WiZink he gave no chance to surprise and this Saturday at the very hot Nou Congost -time advance motivated by the Champions League final-, he withstood the strength of

Pedro Martínez

's group to sign the 2-0 in a tight final .

[74-83: Narration and statistics]

Deck

was

the key man and it all comes down to his majestic rescue when Madrid was drowning the most.

After a return from the NBA in which he has shone more individually than collectively, the Argentine showed all the arsenal that makes him essential.

He was able to score from three, create from the address, stop

Moneke

and rebound and post.

He was a destabilizing element for Manresa, who saw how the hope of forcing the third vanished a foot from the end.

It had been an uncomfortable table talk, how could it be otherwise against the revelation team of the Endesa League, which appealed to the spirit of 1998, a historic year in which TDK won one of the most amazing leagues in the history of sport.

Since then they have not defeated those from Bages against Madrid in Manresa and this is how the event will continue, as the Champions League runner-up died on the shore of his rebellion.

With just over six minutes to go, Real Madrid was in full collapse.

The Nou Congost was boiling because his team, who did nothing seemed broken, applied a 15-2 run to the whites with the awakening of their star.

Chima Moneke, who nominated himself for MVP of the ACB season - an award that

Dzanan Musa received with justice -, had been chasing

Yabusele

for a game and a half

.

Yabusele, with Bako, during the match in Manresa.Susanna SáezEFE

Until then the duel had been a slide.

Pedro Martínez tried to surprise with a starting area, but Madrid relied on triples and offensive rebounds to take the initiative.

However, Laso's men were penalized by their hole in the point guard position without

Williams-Goss or Heurtel

.

Hanga, Llull and Abalde

(the Galician only four minutes), combined moments of lucidity with mistakes that hurt.

Hence the equality in the first half (39-41).

Madrid returned with one more march through the changing rooms and with the indefatigable Yabusele doing damage, they put the maximum (46-55).

The afternoon seemed to settle there, but the great resurgence of Manresa, as an honorable farewell to their enormous season, forced a tight ending, because with two minutes to go, only the whites were leading by a few.

On the finish line, the visitors' experience and energies prevailed.

A decisive Deck, with 11 points since he appeared with just over seven minutes to go, and a precious tribute to those who deserve it.

Rafa Martínez

received all the applause and praise that he has been building in a wonderful career.

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