Euroleague: The curse continues in Moscow: end of the Real Madrid streak in Euroleague | Euroleague 2019

In an erotic match, the CSKA ended up beating the whites, who only scored 22 points in the second half. Pablo Laso still does not win at Megasport

Mike James tries to score against Mickey in Moscow.

SERGEI ILNITSKY EFE

He could only be like that, on an infamous afternoon, in a game to forget and not just for defeat. The streak of Real Madrid stayed in Mosc, a cursed square, in an arcane and erotic duel, where the CSKA pulled the ardor warrior on the finish line, where the excitement waited, which was the only thing remarkable in Megasport. (60-55: Narration and statistics)

It is not remembered a Madrid more denied, 55 points when it is not so rare that it exceeds 100 (his lowest score this year was 60 in Istanbul against the Efes; this was the worst of the Laso era), 34 of them in the last three quarters. Thus it is impossible, except in Moscow, a strange place where Pablo Laso never won. The seventh each of the white coach (Madrid has not won since 2008), in addition, was the one that cuts a historic streak. There was no 14 run victory because the whites ran aground in the turbulent Russian waters, a duel that saved the dawn, was a nightmare.

Ah it seemed that they gave the same names, the protagonists, who come and go for injuries, rivals, circumstances … But no. I miss the intoned Rudy Fernndez (at home for some back ailments) and also Anthony Randolph. And neither Deck nor, above all, Llull lived up to his return; especially twisted the Balearic.

That train in motion that was mid-January Madrid, which engulfs rivals in Europe with an amazing inertia, collided with a rival also absent (Strelnieks and Hackett) who scared first (14-26, min. 13) and who later gave life with his continuous mistakes. It was not even necessary that it was Mike James's busiest night.

Mike James

Because that was the first slogan, that of override the great Portland base, beginning and end of everything that happens in the Itoudis collective. The renewal of the European champion goes through the talent of James, more with the wretchedness of Will Clyburn at the first exchange. If at the Jeff Taylor Palace and company they left him stiff, in the first part the guy who comes averaging more than 26 points in the last seven starts, the second highest scorer of the competition, became entangled in the white web (two of 10 in releases).

And with him, the rest. Because the one who suffered first was the local. Barely 26 points fit Madrid, very strong in defense, happy at that moment in the mud that were the first 20 minutes. With Thompkins as an offensive stiletto and Campazzo in command of the orchestra. Only this day he lacked better performance in offensive fluency to have broken more a duel that later had a trap.

The problem is that everything was a mess. Imprecisions here and there, to such an extent that seeing a clean offensive action was a strangeness, improper of the last two champions. The CSKA put the batteries in defense and Madrid had trouble scoring their first basket in play in the second half almost six minutes. It looked like a fry marker. And James threatened to wake up completely. With six consecutive points of the base, the CSKA was plugged in.

Assumed the horror, in that despair both stood in the end with everything to decide. And ah the worst feelings were white, mad Madrid for so much failure. A Tavares tampon that led to a Deck counter seemed hopeful, but Hilliard's triple and Llull's subsequent mistake left the match seen for sentencing. On Thursday, a new appointment in Moscow, against Khimki, which I lost against Valencia.

(embed) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dI7NV8Kk0bI (/ embed)