Campazzo and Real Madrid with 100 points
“We should not be confused by our good dynamics,” Chus Mateo warns every time he has the opportunity, aware that the first steps do not always mark the way, although, how can we deny the evidence?. After a month of the season, there is no one like his Real Madrid in all of Europe. Although the headlines of the summer market will be monopolized by others.
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WiZink surrenders to Doncic and Campazzo honors him with a spectacular final comeback against the Mavericks
From Real Madrid, which, exhausted, ended up losing in the final of the Endesa League against Barcelona, whom it had fleeced in the Final Four in Kaunas and then won the Euroleague, four pieces came out that had been more or less important in the recent past. Nigel Williams-Goss, Adam Hanga, Anthony Randolph and Petr Cornelie packed their bags and only Facundo Campazzo returned. And yet, the white dawn is proving overwhelming: there are nine career victories, one title (the ACB Super Cup in Murcia), two wins against Barça and, as the cherry on top, the NBA comeback against Luka Doncic's Mavericks. Last year, Mateo's debut, had begun with many more doubts. In the first three days of the Euroleague they had already lost in two games and in the first seven days of the ACB, in another two.
Not only that. Despite the fact that, apparently, the squad is thinner, the pace of play of Chus Mateo's team is especially frenetic, at a record pace. In the last three games he has exceeded 100 points. 127 against Dallas with time and NBA rules, no less than 103 in the exhibition in Istanbul against Anadolu Efes in the Euroleague and 106 this Sunday against UCAM Murcia, including a devastating third quarter with 39 points. In the Endesa League, where only Real Madrid remains undefeated, they already scored 101 against Zaragoza on the first day and 93 in Girona and 94 in Manresa: they average 96 (the second, Unicaja, does not reach 90). «We are a team that runs and we play many possessions. It is risky, because we can lose more balls,” acknowledges the coach who, once again, lowers the soufflé: “We cannot think that we are doing something extraordinary.”
The keys to a start to be confirmed – the calendar does not forgive; this week a double Euroleague duel and next Thursday the 26th the third classic of the course, again at the Palace, have to do with the continuity of the project. While others experiment and adapt the reinforcements, the whites prolong everything they have been doing for years, even before the arrival of Chus Mateo as first coach to replace (controversial) Pablo Laso. The results and the game also have to do with the courage to give way to the youth players, because in the absence of Gaby Deck and, above all, Edy Tavares, a 16-year-old boy (Ismaila Diagne) burst in without complexes. The idea is that he, Eli Ndiaye and Hugo González will have the prominence they earn.
Campazzo, in Istanbul against Efes. EFE
But, if there really is an explanation for White's good performance, it is found in the ability and hunger with which he has returned to the Madrid Campazzo.. Not even a day of readaptation was needed. The Argentine point guard, who could not succeed in his NBA adventure and who before wearing white again had a stint with Red Star last year, has been like an injection of impetus to the team. From his early MVP in the Super Cup to three games last week, 49 points and 28 assists (in ACB he averages 7.4 basket passes) in the wins against Mavericks, Efes and Murcia.
Facu involves his teammates and connects especially with the interiors, Vincent Poirier and the now recovered Tavares. Gerschon Yabusele shone against Mavericks (18 points) and was the Euroleague MVP of the day after his dominance in Istanbul (22 points and 39 PIR). Dzanan Musa was also named best player of September in the Endesa League. Even Fabien Causeur, always in the shadows, seems in tune.
The Zalgiris today (8:45 p.m., Movistar) and Niko Mirotic's Armani Milan on Thursday, both at WiZink, will test Madrid's streak. «It gives us confidence in what you do and how you play. Dynamics are always good and you have to take advantage of them. I always insist on the same thing, the seasons are difficult, long and hard and the capacity of a team is seen in difficult moments,” warns Mateo.