Partizan (14-16) will attempt to complete a perfect week in Belgrade and stay in the top 10 by downing Real Madrid (24-6), which could clinch first place with a victory.
Game Notes: Partizan vs. Madrid
A fabulous atmosphere is guaranteed as the reigning champs return to the site of last season's thrilling playoffs series. Partizan will hope that big man Bruno Caboclo can find the energy to stay hot after pairing 18 points with 13 rebounds to power a vital victory over Baskonia on Tuesday. Dzanan Musa drained 23 points to help Real beat the Serbian team 91-75 in December. The Spanish team is heading into this encounter with confidence restored by a two-game winning streak, most recently downing ALBA on the road on Tuesday behind 22 points from Mario Hezonja.
- Last season, Real ousted Partizan 3-2 in a memorable playoff series. It is the only EuroLeague playoff series that has ever featured road wins in each of the first four games.
- In the deciding Game 5, Partizan led by 18 points in the third quarter before Los Blancos rallied for a 98-94 win behind Sergio Rodriguez, who had 19 points and 6 assists. For Partizan, Kevin Punter scored 28 points by making a career-high 7 three-pointers, which tied a club record.
- Real registered a 78-85 victory in Game 4 of that series behind 15 points, 7 rebounds, 2 blocks and 2 steals from Walter Tavares, who had PIR of 30 and earned MVP of the Round honors.
- In the same Game 4, Real's Dzanan Musa collected a career-high 8 rebounds.
- Partizan forward Zach LeDay made a career-best 12 two-point shots on 14 attempts in that Game 4 loss.
- Real pulled out an 80-82 win in Game 3 as Walter Tavares tied his career high with 26 points, making a career-best 11 two-point shots and adding 11 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 blocks. His career-best PIR of 41 tied for the second-highest total in modern playoff history.
- Also in Game 3, Real forward Mario Hezonja set a career high with 14 rebounds.
- Earlier in last season's playoff series, Partizan became only the second team in playoff history to win Games 1 and 2 on the road. Prior to those two Partizan wins in Madrid, Real was 9-0 at home against Partizan this century and 11-0 all-time dating to 1979.
- Partizan won the series opener 87-89 on a game-winning triple by Kevin Punter with 0.4 seconds to go. Punter netted 26 points on 5-for-8 three-point shooting and tied his career high with 6 assists. He earned MVP of the Round honors, tying his career best with a PIR of 33.
- In a Game 1 playoff loss, Real's Gabriel Deck tied his career high in PIR with 33.
- It was an 80-95 Partizan win in Game 2, which was stopped with 1:40 to go in the fourth quarter after an on-court altercation that left both teams without the required minimum of two players each to finish the game.
- In their regular-season game in Madrid last season, Real beat Partizan 105-97. In that game, Partizan took the first quarter 32-40. The 72 combined points set a record for the most points in a first quarter and the second most in any quarter of a EuroLeague game.
- Partizan head coach Zeljko Obradovic led Real Madrid to the EuroLeague title in the 1994-95 season. That was Real's eighth continental crown and the third as head coach for Obradovic. He was Real Madrid's head coach for three seasons, from 1994 to 1997.
- Partizan guard Kevin Punter and forward Zach LeDay were teammates with Real point guard Sergio Rodriguez at EA7 Emporio Armani Milan during the 2020-21 season. They helped the team reach the 2021 Final Four.
- In a 91-75 loss in Madrid in Round 16, Partizan center Balsa Koprivica had a career-best PIR of 15.
- Punter set his career high with 6 assists in a 104-90 regular-season home win over Real in March of last season.
- In the playoffs Game 5 loss last spring, Partizan big man Alen Smailagic had a career-best 3 blocks.
- Last November in their regular-season game in Madrid, LeDay dished a career-high 6 assists.
- Partizan guard Ognjen Jaramaz posted had career highs in points (19) and PIR (28) while playing for FC Bayern Munich against Real in April 2022.
- Real's Rudy Fernandez had a career high 7 two-point shots made while playing for Joventut Badalona against Partizan in November 2006.
- Real's Sergio Llull posted a career high 7 two-point shots made against Partizan in October 2008.