The Madrid record goes through a rematch with Jasikevicius
MADRID, Jan. 8 (SportsFinding) –
Real Madrid will try to extend their winning streak in the Euroleague of Basketball to 13 on Thursday when they receive the Lithuanian Zalgiris Kaunas at the WiZink Center (team at the bottom of the table, but that has been choked on His last duels.
The Madrid team co-hosts with the Turkish Anadolu Efes the classification after a positive first round and now hopes to open the second without getting off the wave, which has been installed since last November 1, to aspire to lead alone if the current runner-up He does not succeed in his visit to the Palau Blaugrana.
That day, those of Pablo Laso were imposed on ALBA Berlin to start a great moment of games and results crowned, so far, with twelve consecutive victories, to one of the 13 that they achieved in the 2013-14 campaign and that would serve to set a new record in the competition since its new Regular League format was established.
That triumph against those of Aíto García Reneses also served to break a bad streak of three defeats in a row, opened precisely on the court of his next rival. Zalgiris knocked down Real Madrid at Zalgirio Arena 86-73 after overwhelming it in the last quarter (29-13) and joined this success to the one achieved at the end of last season at the WiZink Center (86-93) and that gave the pass to the playoffs.
Now, the ten-time European champion, dominator in this century of the Lithuanian champion (18-3), intends to take revenge against those of Sarunas Jasikevicius who, unlike the Real Madrid players, walk tiled in this Euroleague with a balance of 5- 12, away from the first eight, but animated after a positive year end.
The Zalgiris achieved two straight wins in Munich (73-98) and at home against Maccabi (73-68) and will seek to assault the Madrid court again to face a second round with enthusiasm and closely follow the dream of the qualifiers.
The 'wisdom' and character from the bench of Jasikevicius remains the best endorsement of a template where nationals such as Lekavicius, Milaknis, Ulanovas or veteran Jankunas stand alongside the Americans Zach Leday, devastator in the first round (26-9), Thomas Walkup and former Real Madrid player KC Rivers. Marius Grigonis is short.
For its part, Real Madrid hopes to leave behind the extra wear and tear of wear to get the win in extra time against Valencia Basket in the Endesa League and return to provide a European victory to its fans, before which he returns after a home tour of three meetings. Laso will continue with the important casualties in his ranks of Sergio Llull and Anthony Randolph, and it does not seem that he will risk Gabriel Deck.
DATA SHEET.
–EQUIPMENT.
REAL MADRID: Campazzo, Causeur, Rudy Fernández, Thompkins and Tavares – possible initial quintet–; Laprovittola, Carroll, Garuba, Mickey, Taylor, Mejri, Reyes, and Nakic.
ZALGIRIS KAUNAS: Walkup, KC Rivers, Ulanovas, Jankunas and Geben – possible initial quintet – Lekavicius, Milaknis, Hayes, Leday, Landale, Lukosiunas and Venskus.
– ARBITRATORS: Javor, Rossi and Halliko.
– PAVILION: WiZink Center.