An epic Tavares puts out hell and keeps Madrid alive in Belgrade

EThe return ticket will have to wait. Real Madrid won, after going from less to more and knowing how to compete in a hellish environment, to breathe until Thursday in the Euroleague. Between Walter Tavares and a triple finish from Nigel Williams-Goss they extinguished the first flame of the Stark Arena that will still have another chapter to tell. He hits with Madrid, after leaving irregularly he knows how to make his talents earn another opportunity. They have it. It is the law of the predator in your favorite competition.

Tavares was soul and game, going up to 26 points despite being touched. Williams-Goss pulled out his best game at the perfect moment, with a final triple and key in the reaction of the final period. Madrid fought, knew how to resist and show that not everything that starts badly ends in the same way.

Partizán flies out and Madrid responds

What cannot be denied is that the hell in Belgrade was. They are neither the nineties nor that wild basketball, but the ‘white city’ pressed from the start. And he played Real Madrid, who in less than two minutes learned how those in black were spending it. In a 9-0, arriving Mateo’s first dead time, after an internal lesson from Smailagic. Madrid came out without that energy and did not score their first goal until Williams-Goss’s free kicks at 12-0 (2’30”). It relieved the visitors somewhat, who relied on their two weapons: Tavares and the transition. But Partizán responded, with two triples from Andusic and Smailagic to maintain the momentum (21-11, 6′).

The drama is not the best news to begin with. Madrid failed and with bad shooting decisions. Partizán, launched by an exceptional Madar in the first quarter (10 points) and the accumulated fouls (32-19, 10′) in a devastating partial. Shows the differences in energy, play and defense. Although it must be maintained over time, and Madrid tried to make that brilliant start more gaseous what other thing. Rudy’s triple and the influence of Tavares, with seven in a row, got them into trouble (41-37, 15′). They arrived late. But they came.

a new party

A response from the old Praetorian guard. Tavares, with 16 points at halftime, was the answer to Partizán by taking advantage every time he faced the basket. Musa completed that resurrection by drawing technique and signing a huge entrance. He cut Partizán, off in success (5/12 in triples at halftime). Only Exum saved them with a great shot from midrange before the break (48-45, 20′). new party.

The thing at the beginning was not going to be repeated. The two teams returned to the plan for the entire series, everything closed. If Andusic struck from the corner, Hezonja responded to give Madrid the first lead (53-54, 24′). He connected the whites definitively, shining with the vertical capacity against the basket in transition of Musa and the Croatian, plus Tavares omnipresent (58-62, 28′). The story had changed a lot. Partizán traveled fast, forced and fell into errors, which Leday’s three-pointer and Vukcevic’s score left little behind (63-66, 30′). But they did not let go, with a brilliant presentation in the last period.

The cards had changed, the teams had not. Partizan came out 5-0, connected to Exum and returned to the state of effervescence. They cut each white start, with Madar and the Australian tightrope walker (72-72, 35′) facing the hoop. He decimated, perhaps too much, a Madrid that fell in acceleration in attack. So much so that Nunnally returned the advantage to the partisans with a triple in transition (77-75, 37′). Danger.

Williams-Goss closes the match

It becomes that art of closing a game. One that Tavares, epic in effort and play, did not want to escape in any way. First he tied with a tremendous hook, then he took a capital foul. Williams-Goss, from afar, hit a big 3-pointer. He asked for calm, Madrid was where he wanted (77-80, 39′).

It’s the law of the jungle, you can’t give up a predator for dead until it dies. Madrid fulfilled their final plan, Nunnally did not score the triple that could tie and Hezonja certified the white comeback from personal. The fourth game in Belgrade is a reality, Madrid is not dead yet (80-82).