Los Blancos erupted after the break, overturning a 14-point deficit to defeat Dubai Basketball
‘No freakin’ excuses’: Real Madrid scores 63 after halftime, rallies past Dubai
Informes de partidos
3 Min lectura
Regular Season
Round 19 of 38
Regular Season
Real MadridRMB
10793
Dubai BasketballDUB
Overview
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Real Madrid opened the new calendar year with a win, but the final 107-93 scoreline against Dubai Basketball hardly tells the full story.
This was a classic tale of two halves. Real was outplayed for much of the first half, then flipped the game completely after the break as we witnessed a good old-fashioned rout in the second.
The numbers underline just how dramatic the turnaround was. Real scored 63 points in the second half after struggling offensively before halftime. Defensively, it clamped down after conceding 34 points in the second quarter, allowing just 35 total points over the final two quarters.
“The guys came out extremely committed and extremely focused in the third quarter,” Real head coach Sergio Scariolo said in his postgame interview with EuroLeague TV.
There may have been raised voices in the locker room at halftime, but from the opening possession of the third quarter, it was clear Los Blancos had a different mindset.
“[Coach Scariolo] is one of the best,” said Mario Hezonja, who scored 13 of his team-high 20 points in the fourth quarter. “He knows how to get us going. He had a clear message, and video never lies. He said, ‘No freaking excuses – just go out there and do it.’”
Two decisive runs turned the game.
Real opened the second half with an 11-0 burst, fueled by Trey Lyles and Facundo Campazzo, nearly wiping out a 44-58 halftime deficit. Lyles did not start the game, but Scariolo inserted him – along with Gabriel Deck – to open the third quarter, a move that paid immediate dividends.
Then, early in the fourth quarter, another 11-0 run – this time sparked by Hezonja – gave Real its first double-digit lead at 90-80. Dubai never recovered.
Scariolo’s trust in his rotation was evident throughout. He stayed with Hezonja despite a quiet stretch that followed his early scoring, leaned on Usman Garuba in key moments over Walter Tavares, and received an energetic performance from Alberto Abalde.
“Trey Lyles was great in that moment, and Facu obviously,” Scariolo said. “Hezonja had an up-and-down first half, but he was excellent in the second half – not just offensively, but defensively as well, especially against [Davis] Bertans.
“These kinds of wins are important because they give the team the feeling that we can come back.”
In addition to Hezonja's 20 points, Campazzo finished with 17 points and 6 assists, while Lyles also scored 17. Abalde added 14, Deck had 12 and Theo Maledon chipped in 10. Tavares contributed 6 rebounds and 4 blocks. All seven finished with a PIR of 15 or higher, marking just the third time in EuroLeague history that a team has achieved that feat.
“Overall, a good team win,” Scariolo said.
Still, the comeback masked a growing concern. This marked the fourth straight game in which Real trailed at halftime.
“We have to improve our first half,” Campazzo said. “Every game it’s been really hard for us. We’re not playing good basketball early.
“As soon as we smell danger, we change our mentality. But we can’t wait for that. We have to start better. Dubai played an aggressive first half, we didn’t. Once we became aggressive defensively, it helped our offense and our transition game.”
From 14 points down to a 14-point win, Real improved to 11-8 at the midpoint of the regular season. With four of its next five games at home – where it has not lost since early November – Los Blancos have a prime opportunity to climb the standings, especially if more second halves resemble this one.
