Real Madrid had to battle hard to beat AX Armani Exchange Milan 92-88 in overtime. When things did not look good, Sergio Llull stepped up.
Llull rescued Real in crunch time
Llull had been limited to just a couple of points before halftime, but he stepped up after the break, burying a couple of jumpers and a big bomb from downtown to give Real a 59-55 margin midway through the third quarter. Milan did not give up and took a 74-81 lead when Llull returned to the floor with 2:54 left in regulation. Trey Thompkins and Gabriel Deck combined for 4 quick points and Llull tied the game with a critical three-pointer off the dribble which eventually allowed Los Blancos to force overtime, 81-81, as neither team scored in the final minute of regulation.
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Once in overtime, Llull put on a show, igniting the crowd with a three-pointer from the right wing and adding a rainbow fadeaway jumper and a driving layup for a 90-83 Real lead. Los Blancos had to wait until the final seconds to seal the outcome with game-clinching free throws by Nigel Williams-Goss, but Llull truly made the difference in the game.
"In the final part of the game, Sergio Llull played the way Sergio Llull can play, that is, like a champion," Milan head coach Ettore Messina said after the game. "He took a lot of responsibilities and played great late in the game."
Llull finished the game with 20 points, and also scored 20 against Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade in a rescheduled game from Round 20 earlier this week. Llull is finding his best version and that is great news for Real fans.