Pedro Martínez pointed directly to an erratic first half and persistent turnovers following his side’s 94-84 defeat against Anadolu Efes during the second round of the EuroLeague regular season.
First-Half Turnovers Undermine Real Madrid in Istanbul
Martínez admitted that while his squad displayed a determined attitude after the interval, the damage had already been done during a disastrous stretch in the second quarter.
“I think we made a great effort in the second half, but the problem was the first half,” Martínez told the official EuroLeague broadcast after the match. “Too many turnovers, and some in the final minutes that killed us again.”
Elaborating on the timeline of the collapse in his post-game press conference, Martínez noted that Real Madrid played roughly 13 or 14 minutes of efficient basketball to open the contest before completely losing their offensive rhythm. Consecutive mistakes allowed Anadolu Efes to convert simple transition opportunities into easy baskets.
“The last five minutes of the second quarter were very bad for us,” Martínez explained. “They took a big advantage because we kept turning the ball over, and against a team like that, it is very difficult to compete with so many errors.”
Second-Half Resurgence Falls Short
Real Madrid returned from the locker room with renewed defensive intensity and significantly better ball security.
However, late-game execution issues reappeared. According to Martínez, a combination of sharp offensive play from Anadolu Efes and a recurrence of unforced errors dashed any hopes of a complete comeback.
“In the second half we had a good mentality, improved our defense, and cut down on turnovers,” Martínez stated. “We played very well and had options after mounting a comeback into the final minutes, but once again, turnovers and the good attacks of Anadolu Efes decided the match.”
Addressing Tactical Flaws and Ball Distribution
“We need to analyze how we committed our turnovers,” Martínez said. “Maybe some happen on specific plays, but in general, that is not our main problem. We made many mistakes in simple situations—at the start of attacks, in fast breaks with advantages. We have to think about how we can improve the situations we practice, and while the ‘Iverson’ play is one of our 5-on-5 sets we must sharpen, it is not just that particular situation.”
