Playoffs
Game 5
Playoffs
playoffs c
Real MadridRMB
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Partizan Mozzart Bet BelgradePAR
playoffs c
Overview
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Tavares overcame foul trouble to deliver
Article
3 Mins read
Even before tip-off when Real Madrid hosted Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade for a place in the Final Four, one thing was clear: the visiting team would have to find a way to stop Walter Tavares, the MVP of both Game 3 and Game 4 to keep Real’s hopes alive.
Zeljko Obradovic decided to start with Alen Smailagic and that initial plan worked perfectly: Smailagic scored against Tavares on his team’s first possession, then draw a foul from the Real big man at the other end. Before long, Tavares picked up his second foul and went to the bench for a while, and after returning in the second quarter he was called for his third foul and didn’t play again before the break. By halftime, Tavares had just 6 points, 1 rebound and 3 fouls – and his lack of productivity was one of the main reasons for his team’s 16-point deficit.
Game Videos
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A huge dunk by Tavares! Motorola Magic Moment
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Jones with a spectacular move! Motorola Magic Moment
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Pokusevski with a sublime alley oop! Motorola Magic Moment
After the break, things initially got no better for Real, whose hopes appeared to suffer a mortal blow when Tavares was called for his fourth foul with 14 minutes still remaining. Partizan forward Ioannis Papapetrou converted both resulting free throws, then Zach LeDay hit a triple for a 56-72 lead, and it looked like the game was almost over.
But Real coach Chus Mateo took the bold decision to leave Tavares in the game and soon got his reward. The giant center scored a fierce dunk, grabbed 2 defensive rebounds, scored again with a foul and converted the free throw…and was only then taken to the bench, having helped pull back the margin to 12 points.
Tavares soon re-emerged when Eli Ndiaye fouled out just 22 seconds into the final period, tasked with staying in the game for as long as possible and playing as effectively as possible on 4 fouls. That proved to be playing for the rest of the game, and playing very effectively indeed, as Tavares used his physical presence draw fouls, grab rebounds and generally intimidate a Partizan offense that was running out of ideas.
Despite playing on 4 fouls for more than 10 minutes, Tavares ended with 12 points, a game-high 7 rebounds, 2 steals and 1 blocked shot for a PIR of 16. Partizan had nearly knocked Real’s main man out of the game, but not quite.