Superb victory and into the Euroleague playoffs

Real Madrid are through to the Euroleague playoffs and will face Olympiacos for a place in the Final Four. The Whites secured a resounding victory at home against Bayern Munich in the second and decisive game of the Play-In. Chus Mateo's men once again demonstrated their mental strength, putting in a flawless performance. After an excellent first half, the match reached half-time with Madrid enjoying a comfortable lead (52-33), which they maintained and even increased by the end. Hezonja, with 19 points, 7 rebounds and a PIR of 24, led four players in double digits in PIR (Campazzo 22, Musa 19, Abalde 17 and Tavares 11).

 With the support of a passionate Movistar Arena crowd, Madrid started the game very strongly, setting a high tempo that allowed them to roar into a 12-3 lead through Hezonja and Campazzo. The Argentine point guard (7 points), with Abalde as his outside ally, put the team on course for its first significant leads. Musa soon joined the party and our team had a spectacular first quarter (33-17), with 7 out of 8 three-pointers.

Madrid seal a perfect first half
Things changed at the start of the second quarter. Madrid's accuracy dropped and the ball movement became less fluid. Bayern took advantage of this and, through Napier, reduced the deficit to 36-26 (15'). Chus Mateo called a timeout and the team responded. They increased their concentration in defense and shut down the rebound very well. Hezonja, with 15 points and a three-pointer almost on the buzzer that lifted the Palacio, was the main reason why Madrid went into the break with a 52-33 lead.

The tone did not change after the break and Madrid continued their rampage. They left their opponents with no ideas, imposed a very physical rhythm and maintained their percentages. The quintet of Campazzo (12 points and 5 assists), Abalde, Hezonja, Deck and Tavares was once again superior and extended the lead to +24 (25'). They were in complete control and Chus Mateo's men ended the third quarter with a clear advantage (73-55).

Total domination
Madrid had built up a comfortable lead that allowed them to play the last 10 minutes in relative comfort. Chus Mateo shared court time between his players, but the level remained high until the end. The team kept its focus and, thanks to Llull, Musa, Deck and the duo in the paint, Garuba and Ibaka, ended up winning 93-71. A superb victory at the Movistar Arena, including 15 three-pointers, to qualify for the Euroleague playoffs.