On its first visit since the quadruple-overtime classic, the Turkish side held on after almost throwing away a 27-point lead
Efes dodged a bullet in return to Madrid
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Maybe Anadolu Efes Istanbul was still haunted by memories of last season’s historic quadruple-overtime loss at Real Madrid, because the Turkish team almost allowed a repeat of that drama in Thursday’s rematch at Wizink Center.
It didn’t look that way at first, because Efes absolutely blitzed Real in the first half, threatening to decide the outcome in the second quarter by racing into an incredible 18-45 lead with only 18 minutes played.
It was a real team effort for Efes, with nine different players scoring in the first half and nobody mustering more than Elijah Bryant’s 9 points as the baskets were spread evenly across the roster.
It takes two to tango, though, and the huge difference between the teams was also facilitated by a Real first-half performance of historically bad proportions. Los Blancos made just 2 of its first 17 field-goal attempts, committing 6 turnovers and also missing a free throw in the process. The Spanish team had a collective PIR of -1 at the end of the first quarter, which finished with just 6 points on the board – the third-lowest score in a quarter in Real’s EuroLeague history.
If you thought it was game over, think again. The second half was a total turnaround as Real went on a crazy run, pulling back to within 62-63 with 4 minutes remaining.
Efes only scored 27 points in the second half, but 6 of those came at a crucial moment as Derek Willis and Rodrigue Beaubois scored consecutive triples to stop Real’s comeback in its tracks, giving the Turkish team two wins in a week in Spain after also triumphing at Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz on Tuesday.
Former Real center Vincent Poirier played a big part with 8 points, 6 rebounds and 2 blocked shots, and the Frenchman was relieved to escape with a victory from his first return to the Spanish capital, saying: "We made a great first half, and we knew in the third quarter they would come back with more energy and aggression. That’s what they did and we put ourselves in danger.
“We need to correct that, but in the end, we made the effort and won the game. We stayed together, made the right plays at the right moment, and stayed calm to not let it go. It’s a great, great victory for us."
Efes coach Tomislav Mijatovic somehow had a full head of hair at the end of the action despite seeing his team nearly squandering a 27-point advantage, but he had nothing but praise for his players’ ability to hold onto the lead.
“I think the fans enjoyed a great EuroLeague game,” he said. “And I’m super happy and pleased with how our guys are playing. This is the way to continue. This is the way to play, this is the way to go.”
The first half was certainly the way to go. The second? Well, a win is a win…