Laso’s men had the Euroleague close but Efes reigned again
Real Madrid lost (57-58) to Anadolu Efes this Saturday in the Euroleague final, in a tight and unfortunate outcome of the event held at the Stark Arena in Belgrade, which crowned the Turkish side for the second consecutive year.
The white team, who were looking for their eleventh European Cup on the same stage where they won the tenth four years ago, had the title in their hands in a great start to the second half. Madrid did not kill the champion, and Efes managed to control for the last moments. Micic (23 points) and MVP of the ‘Final Four’, Larkin and Pleiss (19 points and 7 rebounds) were the best.
The famous ‘bonus’ of fouls, almost always important not to be in it to avoid giving free throws to the rival, betrayed the whites. Efes spent the last 45 seconds trying to get to the rim and Madrid adding fouls. Two fouls, half an extra minute, and the ball still in the hands of the Turks with the same 57-58.
The last attack, another triple by Larkin, did not go in either, but on the long rebound, without a clear owner, the game died. This is how Madrid’s attempt to reign with Pablo Laso in Europe vanished, as in 2015 and 2018, after the rush of eliminating Barça in the semifinals. There was no big prize for the whites, who will now have to think about the Endesa League title.
Efes won the second Euroleague in its history, last year at the expense of the Catalans, in a low-scoring battle. Micic was the brain and executor, with important sparks from Larkin, but Pleiss was the one who secured the victory in the second half, when if there was a center pointing from the start to mess it up, it was Tavares.
The game inside was up to the Cape Verdean in a tremendous start that left 12 points, 8 rebounds and a PIR of 18 in nine minutes. The rebound was the Whites’ ally, given the lack of success that Taylor cut at the start of the second quarter. Madrid had the first chance to break away, with the entry of Randolph, but between Micic and Larkin they fixed the moment (34-29).
Tavares returned after the restart and Madrid had the clear option of showing the champions the start. However, the Whites lacked points to meet that objective and go past the ten in the mattress (40-31), something that they had to achieve by several attacks. A triple by Pleiss changed the third and presented the German in the final.
Efes connected on time to the third quarter and the last one could be guessed with tremendous equality, after a pique that did not go any further between Anderson and Poirier. The Frenchman, with Tavares at fault, did his homework, but the duel with Pleiss opted for the blue one. Madrid’s attack cried out for solutions.
Micic was already in lethal mode, like in the semis against Olympiacos, making triples even though Tavares was ahead, and Pleiss put the mark in the area from where he didn’t miss. Llull came to the rescue, giving leadership and decision to his team, in an exchange of baskets with Pleiss with more hot blood than in his life (50-53).
A triple by Deck and a couple of rebounds like gold on cloth saved Madrid from the precipice, but in the last minute they didn’t even have the option of attacking Laso’s team. Micic and Larkin ran the clock and, with the ball in dispute, the horn sounded. The Spanish team lost the opportunity to enlarge its unique record, against an Efes that has the booklet of well-learned champion.
DATASHEET:
–RESULT: REAL MADRID, 57 – ANADOLU EFES, 58. (34-29, at halftime).
–TEAMS:
REAL MADRID: Abalde (2), Hanga (5), Deck (5), Yabusele (3) and Tavares (14) — starting quintet–; Causer (3), Randolph (6), Hanga, Rudy Fernandez (2), Poirier (5), Taylor (3), Llull (9).
ANADOLU EFES: Larkin (10), Micic (23), Anderson (-), Moerman (-) y Pleiss (19) –quinteto inicial–; Bryant (-), Beaubois (-), Singleton (4), Dunston (2).
–REFEREE: Lamonica, Ryzhyk and Vilius. Without eliminated.
–PARTIALS: 15-14, 19-15, 8-11, 15-18.
–PAVILLION: Stark Arena.
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