By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Real Madrid got the big 105-104 win over Paris Basketball, and it remains to be seen if the two teams will see each other again in the Play-Ins or not.
Thanks to this result, Real Madrid improved to a 19-14 record and, for the moment, a tie with Bayern Munich and Barcelona between the 5th and the 7th position, while Paris dropped to 18-15 and is 10th in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague standings.
It was a spectacular affair, with Mario Hezonja scoring 26 points, including the game’s biggest play. Dzanan Musa added 20 points, while Andres Feliz and Edy Tavares added 15 points each, with the big man adding nine rebounds.
“We don’t know, we are just trying to stay focused and win the games, there are a lot of things to do and to see where we will end up, we will see in the end”, said Tavares when asked if he and his teammates are aware of the tie-breakers which may lead Madrid directly to the playoffs.
Thanks to this result, the “Whites” secured at least a spot in the Play-Ins and can hope for an even higher finish.
On the other side, TJ Shorts was amazing with 24 points and 10 assists, despite six turnovers, Nadir Hifi added 23 points and Tyson Ward had 18.
Madrid closed the game the right way
Paris opened the game firing at all cylinders, getting a 28-23 advantage after the first period.
Madrid turned things around and got their own 49-43 lead after a three by Hezonja, however, the halftime score was tied at 53, with Mikael Jantunen scoring at the buzzer for Paris.
The guests continued to fire at will, jumping to a 67-60 lead after a three by Hifi and then making it a 10-point game (75-65) again after a three, this time by Leopold Cavaliere.
With Hezonja again taking action and reaching the 20-point mark, Real Madrid trimmed the lead to three (77-74), and the third period ended with Shorts making a three and Sergio Llull missing at the buzzer for an 80-74 lead for Paris.
Still, the game was far from over. Real Madrid opened the last period with a 12-2 run to take an 86-82 lead and made it a 10-point game (96-86) with the ball going to Tavares and less than three minutes left.
Paris didn’t back down and, entering the last minute, trimmed the lead to two (98-96) after a three by Tyson Ward.
With the game on the line, Hezonja made a huge goal-foul (101-96), Shorts got a “T” and fouled out, and that proved to be enough with Hifi making a three at the buzzer when all was decided.
Photo credit: EuroLeague