Real Madrid will seek a return to the winning track on Thursday in the home game vs Armani Milano.
In a high-stakes game at Wizink Center, the “Whites” want to snap a four-game losing streak in the EuroLeague. The hosts are coming off a road loss to Crvena Zvezda (65-62), which added to a series of disappointing performances.
They could also face the Italians without Nigel Williams-Goss (thigh) and Jeffery Taylor (hip). Both are questionable for the contest.
Real Madrid has been struggling on both ends lately. Following an impressive first part of the season (20-3), they are in free fall. They have lost four games in a row and could now drop to third on the table.
The Spanish giants have averaged just 57 points over the last four games. At the same time, they have lost the games by an average of 14.3 points. In addition, they saw FC Barcelona take the tie-breaker and become the grand favorite for the top spot.
Even though the “Whites” are tough defensively, their offensive crisis is their biggest issue at the moment. The multiple time EuroLeague champions have failed to score more than 68 points in any of these four matches.
“I hope it’s a game in which we can change dynamics. We have suffered a lot lately and we want to change that,” Real forward Adam Hanga said, via EuroLeague.net.
Photo: EuroLeague Basketball
Armani has been one of the best defensive teams this season, conceding only 70.5 points per game. The Italians have not allowed more than 78 points in any game since December. For that reason, Real Madrid needs to execute much better offensively to claim the win.
The visitors will miss several key players, with Sergio Rodriguez being the latest Armani player to sit out the game. Rodriguez didn’t travel to Madrid for personal reasons, according to head coach Ettore Messina. The Italian club has also ruled out Shavon Shields (wrist), Luigi Datome (knee) and Trey Kell (leg).
Real Madrid is at 20-7 in the standings, whereas Armani Milano has an 18-8 record. Under the new standings, though, the two EuroLeague powerhouses have identical records (16-6).
Therefore, their battle could determine the team that will clinch the second place on the table. The winner will most likely claim the tie-breaker as well, since Real Madrid had won the first game by just two points (73-75).
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