Real Madrid shows off at home against a poor Panathinaikos

Real Madrid shows off at home against a poor Panathinaikos

Yabusele's great game allows Chus Mateo's team to tie with Olympiacos at the top of the Euroleague

MADRID, 1 Feb. (EUROPA PRESS) -

Real Madrid became strong this Wednesday at the WiZink Center and extended their good form after beating Panathinaikos (83-68) on matchday 22 of the 2022/2023 Euroleague Regular Season, after an offensive display in the first part that they completed at the end to continue one more day stalking the European leadership.

The white team equaled Olympiacos in the table, first classified, and continued to put land in the middle with Barça, Fenerbahçe and Monaco, their main pursuers. The good work of Guerschon Yabusele (16 points and 7 rebounds) and Dzanan Musa (12 and 5) rounded off a superb game for the Whites, far superior in all facets of the game.

Chus Mateo's men (7/15), who came into the duel with sky-high morale after the victory in the Clásico the previous day and with only one defeat in the last ten games, were too much of a rival for a poor Panathinaikos who barely appeared and that it is increasingly difficult to qualify for the 'Playoffs' positions (8/14).

Thus, the white team managed to impose its law from the beginning to dominate in the paint with a great Yabusele. The French power forward led the game for the locals, who came out of changing rooms inspired with a 13-2 run at the start. The defensive solidity also contributed to Chus Mateo's team opening the gap on the scoreboard and knocking out a Panathinaikos unable to react in the first ten minutes (26-14).

Doubling their efforts in attack, the locals smelled blood and brought out the roller to finish decanting the balance and put an 18-point lead at the end of the second quarter. With Dzanan Musa and Mario Hezonja at the helm, the Greek defense leaked before the offensive festival of a Real Madrid that began to like each other on the track just before heading to the changing rooms (48-30).

Although the Greek team threatened to appear again after the break with a great success from the line of three, the frenetic rhythm imposed by Madrid stopped the visitors' attempt to get closer, keeping the 20 in the spotlight until halfway through the game. third quarter.

In the end, Yabusele found the perfect help in Tavares to finish making the paint his own and leave an exhibition of inside play, but the two consecutive dunks by Bacon and Gudaitis at the end of the quarter raised the spirits of a Hellenic team that saw itself with options to come back (68-58).

However, the faith of the Greeks was not enough to scare off a Real Madrid team that reappeared on the track. More compact in transitions and with a providential Tavares on the rebound (9), the Whites once again increased their lead to, now yes, not give up on the scoreboard again. Cornelie's three-pointer with a minute to go finished decanting a game against which Panathinaikos could no longer do anything.

--RESULT: REAL MADRID, 83 - PANATHINAIKOS, 68 (48-30, at halftime).

REAL MADRID: Hezonja (14), Musa (12), Tavares (6), Williams-Goss (6) and Yabusele (16) --starting five-- Causeur (4), Llull (3), Poirier, Deck (6 ), Rudy Fernández (5), Sergio Rodríguez (3) and Cornelie (8).

PANATHINAIKOS: Bacon (11), Gudaitis (6), G. Kalaitzakis (4), Williams (3) and Wolters --quintet initial-- Lee (17), Grigonis (11), Avdalas (-), Chougkaz (-) , Samontourov (-), Wolters (7), Thomas y Papagiannis (8).

--REFEREE: Jovcic, Patusiak and Radojkovic.

--PAVILION: WiZink Center.