Lucas Sáez-Bravo Madrid
Madrid
Updated Sunday, March 10, 2024-2:53 p.m.
Again the discomfort, the lack of focus, the meaningless errors and the forgotten smiles.
How to move forward in the mud.
Real Madrid has gone into a tailspin and it is not the right time, with the whole party just around the corner.
"We have played better. And we are prepared for the final stretch. We will be good again. It unites us a lot that people doubt," said
Chus Mateo
after the relief of the victory against Lenovo Tenerife, one of those rivals that does not forgive crises and who fought to the very shore in the WiZink.
[80-78: Narration and statistics]
Jaime Fernández
missed the decisive play when everyone - even his coach - was waiting for the ball in
Kyle Guy
's hands
.
The basket that would have given an agonizing victory to Tenerife, which always kept its face in the game, even when in the second half
Llull and Causeur
tried to revive Madrid.
They seemed to have made it when Guy's dynamite emerged for a finish on the wire and a bit more doubt.
Tenerife is an old dog and has straightened its course after a strange start to the season.
He was aware that he was coming to dig into the white wound and stood seriously and confidently in the WiZink, with three triples from
Fitipaldo
to dawn.
The losses were a burden, especially the point guards' poor passing, both
Campazzo and later Alocén (Sergio Rodríguez rested
).
Nobody showed off, just the culminations of
Poirier
and a triple from
Abalde
to close the first act.
Fitipaldo and Campazzo, during the match at the WiZink.Daniel GonzalezEFE
Txus Vidorreta
's team was even more dominant
later on, making a fool of a Madrid defense that had little to do with the one at the beginning of the season.
Just after halftime, Fitipaldo's fourth triple and Kyle Guy's first set off the alarm (43-49).
The Whites reacted to that challenge with a 16-4 partial, with
Musa
and especially with two triples from
Causeur
, which gave life to their team's perimeter (on Thursday against Fenerbahçe they stayed at two of 14).
Causeur is the paradigm of the section that those of Chus Mateo cross.
Its energy is differential.
His defensive attitude is what infects the rest.
And he always keeps some key triple in his left foot.
He equalized Tenerife again and found the self-esteem of the Frenchman and Llull, another 9-0 run that put Madrid on pole for the hard-fought victory.
And yet, everything was resolved in agony.
Because Madrid trusted themselves and because Guy's talent is unstoppable.
Jaime Fernández failed against Campazzo's defense and, after Llull's free throws, a foul by
Tavares prevented
Doonerkamp
's triple shot
that could have forced extra time.