Chus Mateo: "You have to be ready for any scenario against Paris"
"We're playing well, but we can't get too confident," explained Tavares.
Chus Mateo and Walter Tavares spoke in the build-up to Real Madrid-Paris Basketball, corresponding to Euroleague game 33 (Thursday, 9:00pm CET). The coach referred to the game to be played at the Movistar Arena: "We have to be prepared for any scenario. We must not make unforced errors because they weigh us down too much, but we're correcting that. We have to be able to maintain balance."
"Paris have had an extraordinary season from the start, but the same thing is happening to them as to us, that is, there are a number of teams that are fighting for the top positions or may even be left out. There is very little difference between third and twelfth, which shows how competitive the competition is."
Bruno Fernando
"He twisted his ankle in Belgrade and he's recovering from that and from a blow to his quadriceps in Malaga which means he's not 100% fit."
Alternatives on the inside
"Tavares has been our inside reference for a long time. Ibaka played a great game against Bilbao. Bruno Fernando can give us things. Garuba, when he has had to play as a five, has been extraordinary, with great energy. It's no secret that it's very important for us that the inside game works for 40 minutes. Our offensive and defensive structure depends a lot on our inside game."
Feliz's progress
"I am delighted with his personality, his training and his competitiveness. He's taking steps forward in defence and offence when it comes to taking responsibility. He's doing a very good job, despite an injury. For us, he's irreplaceable. He's helping us a lot."
Opposition
"TJ Shorts is a decisive player in the Euroleague but if I only focus on him it would be a beginner's mistake. They're showing that they are capable of playing as a team and Splitter has been able to pass that on to them. He has done a great job, but hopefully we can beat a team that plays as a team tomorrow."
Tavares: “We're expecting a full Palacio”
"We're still playing to be in the top spots in the playoffs. Paris Basketball has been playing well all season and it's going to be a tough game at home. We're expecting a full house at the Palacio, supporting us in the difficult moments and giving us the energy to fight to the end."
"We hope to have a good defensive game to be able to get the win because they are very successful, as they showed by winning on Panathinaikos‘ court on the last game day. When the moment of truth arrives, everyone steps up. We're playing well and doing our basics, but we can't take any chances."